Vernazza - Santa Margharita d`Antiochia

Cinque Terre ("Five Lands") is an approximately twelve kilometers long, climatically favorable coastal strip northwest of La Spezia.

The Cinque Terre area is a popular tourist destination. Over the centuries people have built terraces in the rugged, steep landscape up to the cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Paths, trains, and boats connect the five villages. The coastline, five villages, and surrounding hills are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 1874 the railway line from Genoa to La Spezia was built along the coast, and each of the five villages got a railway station. Outside the train stations, the route runs almost exclusively in tunnels.

Vernazza is a well-preserved former fishing village. It has no car traffic and is the only natural port of Cinque Terre. In October 2011, Vernazza was struck by torrential rains, massive flooding, and mudslides. The flood left the town buried in over 4 meters of mud and debris, causing over 100 million euro worth of damage.

According to legend, a small wooden box containing the finger bones of Santa Margherita's hand was found in very distant times on the Vernazza coast.

The Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia was built in the 13th century on a pre-existing Romanesque building that may have existed as early as the 11th century. First mentioned in 1318, it stands on a rock above the sea. The octagonal tower is 40 meters high. Between 1500 and 1600 the church was enlarged, destroying the original medieval facade.