Via dell'Amore

Post by Shirls

Warning! This post contains soppy, lovey-dovey stuff. Boys need not read any further.

We arrived in Manarola late afternoon and are taking advantage of the beautiful weather to walk the short coastal track to Riomaggiore and back, it'll be a nice introduction to the Cinque Terre trail which we'll be taking on tomorrow. This section of the trail is called Via dell'Amore so we're expecting romantic views or maybe a nice spot to see the sunset. We aren't expecting to see tunnel walls covered in graffiti and about a million (give or take) padlocks fixed to any suitable bit of railing or wire.

We get a taste of what's to come just as we're leaving; a metal gate has 2 interlocking hearts on the bar at the top. Hearts .. Path of Love.. it's makes sense, but the bar is almost covered in padlocks. We've seen this before on a bridge railing in Florence. Is this some odd Italian superstition to ward off the Evil Eye?

Further along the trail there are yet more padlocks, this time attached to the wire mesh fixed to the rock face. We know the mesh is to stop boulders falling on walkers, still not sure about the locks.

And then it's into a tunnel which is covered, floor to ceiling, with graffiti. Our first reaction is disappointment that anyone would want to spoil such beatiful surroundings, but then we notice a theme and all is forgiven! The walls are full of expressions of love, poetry and drawings. Apparently it started in the 1940's when the trail between these isolated villages was opened and became a popular meeting place for courting couples from the two towns. The padlocks are a more recent addition - they are attached to a railing and the key thrown into the ocean. The ritual probably involves passionate declarations of love. And snogging.