Dizzying Lines, Two Examples

Liguria is a rollercoaster of valleys and mountain peaks that never tires. Unexpectedly, even in areas where the surrounding landscape appears to be “softer,” there are moments when a vertical silhouette suddenly appears.

This unique morphology manages to fascinate both the Ligurians, accustomed to the captivating succession of wooded peaks and rocky cliffs, and foreigners alike.

In October, for instance, try the terrace of a restaurant in Corniglia. The scenery here is one of the most breathtaking in Liguria, where you can overlook the landscape of the Cinque Terre towards Manarola, which has a steep descent towards the sea.

If you love hiking, you can’t miss Ligurian regional nature parks and other vertical formations like the Castle of Pietra in Vobbia. The castle’s turrets are two spectacular towers that rise from Monte Cravì. Nestled between the two towers is the ancient castle, one of the most extraordinary fortified structures in Liguria, a suggestive blend of human craftsmanship and natural elements.

The image intrigues everyone and leads to a series of questions: why do these towering stone towers emerge from the surrounding forests? How did the idea of building a structure up there come about? And how did they manage to build it? Alpine techniques and acrobatic construction methods in the 1200s did not exist. Furthermore, what was so important to defend along a valley that today seems almost untouched, entirely covered in forests and rocks?

All these questions make us reflect on how every place can tell a story, its own story, composed of intertwined natural, geological, and historical aspects.