Levanto

Levanto is not a part of the Cinque Terre; they are separated by the very beautiful Cape of Mesco, which has an indescribable panoramic view of the Levanto town, and the entire Cinque Terre Riviera. Population in Levanto is about 6000 people, and this town is the northern reference point of the National Park.

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Walking trails: see below for more details.

Photos of Levanto.

1. Church of S. Andrea
This church in Ligurian gothic style dates back to 1232, and its construction was finished in 1463; it is a sort of three-aisled temple.
The Chapel of the Church of S. Andrea has a Museum in it with thousands of exhibits and illustrations of traditional farming, seafaring and folk art, as well as that of ancient skills that are on the verge of extinction. Besides the Museum, the church also houses a library with books on local life and language.
Photo inside.

2. Castle, walls and the Clock Tower
Origin of the castle is unknown. The bastion with loopholes preserved until today was built in the XIV century on the place of an existing fortification erected by Malaspina in the XI century.
The castle in the past was used as a jail, and it has a round tower on its top.

3. Church of Santissima Annunziata (the Most Holy Annunciation) and Francescan Monastery
The church was built in 1449, rebuilt in 1615 and renovated in 1981. It has a gallery with frescos, and inside it has paintings of Pier Francesco Sacchi (XVI century), Bernardo Strozzi and Giovanni Battista Casoni (XVII century).

4. The Clarissa Monastery
Edifice of the former Convent of Clarissa, built between 1605 and 1688, is currently home to the City Hall and other establishments. This structure has a huge square and a church erected in the honour of San Rocco.

5. Medieval-era covered arcade and Restani House
Architecture of the covered arcade of 1405 has features not characteristic of Liguria: four-column porticos of local green stone, nice windows with three window-bars, double windows with four window-bars, Roman capillaries etc. The arcade was the meeting-place for municipality members.
Restani House with big Gothic arches of the XIII century is located near the arcade. Originally, the house was built on the coast and, for centuries, the City Hall and military command were accommodated here.

6. Other churches and chapels
Many other churches can be found in Levanto. The most significant among them is the Church of Santa Maria della Costa with a facade in baroque style. It is originally ancient and was reconstructed in 1334 and then renovated in 1719.
Another significant edifice is the Chapel of San Giacomo which dates back to the XVII century.

7. The Hermitage of St Anthony Abbot of Mesco
On the top of the Cape of Mesco, bordering the Cinque Terre from the western side, there are ruins of a small church and eremitical abode dedicated to San Antonio the Prior. The old edifice, of which only a wall, an arch and a part of arc are left, was built in the XI century.
From there, there is a view overlooking the shoreline from the Tino Island to Portofino.
It can be reached via the route "High Path #1", described below.