The Via dell’Amore, (Lovers Lane), the evocative panoramic path of the Cinque Terre district of Liguria between Riomaggiore and Manarola, is accessible again after a long closure since 2012 due to a landslide.
The inauguration was attended by the representative of the Italian institutions: the Minister of the Italy Ministry of Tourism Daniela Santanchè and of the Liguria region: the Commissioner of the Work against Hydrogeological Instability Giacomo Raul Giampedrone, the Interim President of the Liguria Region Alessandro Piana, the President of the National Park of Cinque Terre Donatella Bianchi, and the Mayor of Riomaggiore Ms. Fabrizia Pecunia.
The path overlooking the sea, just over 900 meters long, was the subject of a complex and spectacular safety and redevelopment intervention, thanks to the contribution the Liguria Region in collaboration with the Municipality of Riomaggiore; the National Park of Cinque Terre’ the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape’ and the Port Authority, for a total investment of over 23 million euros.
The Via dell’Amore, a path overlooking the sea, set like a jewel in the rock of the cliff, a symbolic place of Liguria in the world, one of the most beautiful, evocative and famous on the planet, in the heart of the natural paradise of the Cinque Terre, is protected by UNESCO as a “World Heritage Site” since 1997.
Restoring the Beauty and Providing Safety
To restore the Lovers Lane to usability, a complex and spectacular safety and redevelopment intervention was planned, carried out by the Liguria Region, at the head of the Government commissioner structure against hydrogeological instability, in collaboration with the Municipality of Riomaggiore and the National Park of the 5 Terre, as well as the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape and the Port Authority.
The overall investment scored over 23 million euros.
The Liguria Region, the largest financier, allocated a total of 12 million euros, to which were added the resources of the Ministry of Culture (6.9 million), of the Environment (3 million) and Civil Protection (1.5 million).
The works necessary for the reopening of the Via dell’Amore, between Riomaggiore and the hamlet of Manarola, proved to be complex and challenging from an engineering point of view due to the fragility of the natural context, carved into the rock between sky and sea, along a spectacular crag. The interventions on the path and on the slopes began on January 14, 2022, and concluded on July 19, 2024.
The colossal work entrusted to specialized companies required the use of helicopters to transport the materials, the installation of a steel mesh, and the execution of deep nailings of various lengths in the rock, all carried out by rock climbing workers, who moved the equipment on the walls suspended with ropes and steel cables from special anchors.
Leaders Gather for Reopening
The eve of the reopening of the Via dell’Amore, in the presence of the international press and the national television, was a great event which, supported by the Ministry of Tourism, saw the communities of Riomaggiore and Manarola as protagonists in celebration.
Accompanying the authorities was a train with a livery dedicated to the Via dell’Amore, which will remain in service on the route. To crown the day, were an evocative fireworks and musical show.
Minister of Tourism Ms. Santanchè said: “With the reopening of the Via dell’Amore, we are returning to the region, to its citizens, and tourists one of the main jewels of the UNESCO Heritage, a treasure with no equal in the world.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Ligurian Region’s commissioner structure, it is now also a symbol of a sustainable Italy that knows how to capitalize on its immense natural, cultural, and landscape treasures. It is precisely in this way, by enhancing our heritage that we will be able to further increase the economic value of tourism, which already accounts for 13% to the Italian GDP.
“In short, there is now one more reason to come or return to visit Italy: walking along the Via dell’Amore, one can, at a single glance, capture all the beauty that our wonderful nation offers.”
In the future the path will be managed by the Municipality of Riomaggiore as an open-air museum, by reservation, with a limit to the number of visitors. An entrance fee will be charged to guarantee future maintenance.
Access to Via dell’Amore
Up through and including Thursday, August 8, the Via dell’Amore is open exclusively to residents of the Cinque Terre, Levanto, La Spezia, and for former residents and owners of second homes of the Municipality of Riomaggiore and their relatives.
The visiting hours for tourists are only upon reservation of a time slot and for a fee, with the presence of guides as follows: from November 1 to March 31, 9.30 am – 5:00 pm, (last access at 4:30 pm); from April 1 to October 31, 8:00 am – 7:00 pm (last access at 6:30 pm). The Via dell’Amore is accessible upon reservation exclusively as an additional fee to the Cinque Terre Card + 10 euros. It is possible to purchase the Cinque Terre Card on the website of the Municipality of Riomaggiore, on the website of the Cinque Terre National Park, and at the Info Points of the Cinque Terre National Park present in the area from La Spezia to Levanto. For groups, a maximum of 30 people are allowed and booking is mandatory up to 72 hours in advance.
