Via dell'Amore

Cut into the cliff between Riomaggiore and Manarola for railway workers in the 1920s, the Via dell'Amore became one of the best-known paths of the Cinque Terre. Its narrow ledge above the sea remains a striking meeting of railway history, coastal landscape and engineering.

Why it matters

The roughly 900-metre path began as a service passage during work on the Genoa–La Spezia railway and later became a celebrated link between the two villages. A landslide in 2012 damaged the walkway and led to a twelve-year closure. The subsequent restoration, completed in 2024, addressed the vulnerability of the steep coastal terrain while preserving the path's place in the cultural landscape.

What to notice

The route occupies a narrow gallery cut into the rock, with the cliff rising above and the sea below. Steel mesh and rock anchors added during the restoration are visible traces of the engineering work required to stabilise the slope. The path's position makes clear both its dramatic setting and the natural forces that shape this coast.

Context and history

During construction of the Genoa–La Spezia railway in the 1920s, workers needed a passage between Riomaggiore and Manarola while a tunnel was excavated below. The ledge was cut into the cliff for that purpose. Popular tradition later associated the name Via dell'Amore with the path's role as a meeting place between the villages. A landslide in September 2012 damaged the walkway and injured four visitors. Restoration work ran from January 2022 to July 2024, with materials transported by helicopter and more than 23 million euros invested. The national park announced the reopening in July 2024; the restored path is managed as an open-air museum within the Cinque Terre landscape.