Genoa travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

A few years ago, Genoa was far more grit than glamour — a way station to more fabulous places like Cinque Terre and its industrial port was among the more forgettable spots along the Italian Riviera. However, a complete restoration of its seedy waterfront, combined with an influx of young, well-funded entrepreneurs, has made Genoa a city bustling with cosmopolitan wine bars and restaurants.
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The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the world’s most famous construction mistake. The architect, Bonanno Pisano,
found his bell tower starting to lean almost immediately after he began to build it. And the lean kept increasing through the centuries, a tourist bonanza for Pisa, that would end if the tower leaned too far and fell.
This picture was taken in 1994, prior to a major engineering effort to stabilize the tower and reduce the lean by 10%. The tower was also closed to visitors. I had climbed it back in 1986, great fun, but disorienting.

Why the lean?

The tower is built on unsuitable ground for such a heavy and tall building. It is only about 6 feet above sea level and built on a riverbed. The underlying ground is made up of layers of sand and clay. The layers are not even and the weight of the building has compressed them. Because the layers are not even, as the ground has compressed, it has sunk more in some places than others.

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The Cinque Terre are five coastal villages in the province of La Spezia in the Liguria region of Italy. They have been discovered by foreigners in the late 20th century and now they are among the most touristed areas of Italy. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all encapsulated in a national park of the same name.

The five villages are, from west to east Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

Monterosso al Mare is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre. The town is divided into two distinct parts: the old town and the new town. The two areas are divided by a single tunnel that caters to pedestrians and the very few cars in the town. The beach at Monterosso runs along most of the coast line and is well used by tourists and locals. The beach is the only extensive sand beach in the Cinque Terre.

Monterosso al Mare Main sights are The Castle, partially ruined, built by the Genoese and The Parish church of St. John the Baptist (1282-1307). On the facade, the main portal is surmounted by a fresco portraying the Baptismof Christ, and has four small marble columns. The church is on the basilica plan, with a nave and two aisles. The square-planned, medieval bell tower is crowned by merlons.
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