CINQUE TERRE --  The Mayor of Riomaggiore, Fabrizia Pecunia, reopened the Via dell'Amore (Path of Love) after a 12-year closure due to a landslide in September 2012. 

  The world-famous romantic hiking path connects the two villages Riomaggiore and Manarola, two of the five villages that make up Cinque Terre, the beloved travel destination of the Liguria region in Italy.  Cinque Terre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.  The panoramic cliffside path which is around 900 meters long has breathtaking views of the sea and is the most famous stretch of the Cinque Terre trail that runs between the five villages. 

  The path reopened Saturday, July 27th to residents of Cinque Terre, Levanto La Spezia and former residents and second homeowners in the municipality of Riomaggiore. On Friday August 9^th, the path will reopen to tourists by reservation and a supplemental fee.

  On Friday, before the reopening event the press was given access to try out the new path. I was so impressed with the ability to create a modern walkway in such a challenging environment between the cliffs and the sea. As I looked at the view of the transparent blue water with minimal boat traffic I noticed a local resident swimming in-between the two villages. The experience brought back memories of my wife and I walking the same path 18 years ago. I remembered it was more of a challenge back then and resenting her for a decision to bring her brand new designer purse on a hiking vacation. Regardless it was a very romantic experience that I will never forget.

  Due to its challenging location high above the water, the difficult task of accessing and rebuilding the passage lasted 12 years, after the landslide that injured 4 Australian tourists. The project began with a 10-year study on how the path was safely reconstructed on the treacherous landscape. The work was a collaboration between several specialised construction companies that began work in January 2022 and finished on July 19th. The difficult reconstruction included helicopters that transported materials, skilled rock climbers, and the bolting of stainless-steel netting against the cliff to protect the path from further landslides. 

  The cost of the project was 23 million euros. 12 million was proved by the Region of Liguria, The Ministry of Culture allocated 6.9 million, the Ministry of the Environment 3 million and the Civil Defense 1.5 million.

  The new path is projected to be an example of sustainable tourism and will be treated as an open-air museum. There will be restrictions on the number of visitors, 100 people allowed every 15 minutes with guides present to answer questions and provide information about the Cinque Terre Region. Visitors will have to pay a 10-euro supplement on top of the standard 7.50 for the Cinque Terre Card which gives you access to all park paths. The new path will also be one-way from Riomaggiorre to Manarola.

  The story of the passage began after the first train line was built connecting Genoa to La Spezia in the 19th century. When the second line was built in 1920, the railway workers created the first Via Dell Amore between Riomaggiore and Manorola around 1930 so the villagers could meet. Mayor Fabriza Pecunia's Grandfather was one of the original builders. The path was first called Strada Nuova (new road), then the name was changed to Via dell'Amore shortly after, when young lovers realised how romantic the path was.

  The Cinque Terre (Five Lands) is a coastal area located in Liguria which is in Northwest Italy. The five medieval villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore were farming communities on the sea and first recorded in the 11th century. Due to frequent attacks from the sea over the centuries the area stayed in a slump until the La Spezia Naval Base was added in 1862 connecting the area to Geona. The 1970s brought tourism and more prosperity to the region making it a must see on most Italian travel itineraries, thanks to the unique and breathtaking landscape connected by a 12-kilometer hiking trail. The reopening of the most popular section Via Dell’Amore will surely continue to attract visitors from around the world.

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