Bonassola, the eighth Cinque Terre ;)

Still in lockdown but I wanna continue to publish new posts on the blog 🙂 So I’ve tracked down the pictures I made last year in Bonassola! Let’s know something more about this place!

I know that the title can confuse but don’t worry! Nothing has changed 🙂 The official Cinque Terre are still and only five 😉 , however, in my opinion, Bonassola could be one of them. And why “the eighth”? Cause I’ve already described “the sixth Cinque Terre” and  “the seventh Cinque Terre” 😉

Bonassola is a small, calm town located in East Liguria, just next to Cinque Terre. Has a fantastic beach and offers an amazing possibility to enjoy your holiday in the most touristic part of Liguria but without crowds!

How to reach Bonassola

– by car – if you use the A12 motorway you have to use motorway exit at Carrodano/Levanto. Then you drive about 30 minutes by SP 566 and you reach Levanto. From the centre of Levanto, you will see indications to Bonassola. You take road SS332 that leads by a quite steep rise and after about 5 minutes turn left to SP39 that after 5 minutes will lead you to this picturesque, fishermen hamlet. More info here. If you use the local roads instead, well they lead along the Ligurian coast and many tunnels. They’re panoramic and offers beautiful views however you have to be prepared that it will be a long trip. The roads are narrow and lead along the hills and bends … but you’re on holiday, so you don’t have to hurry 🙂

– by train – the fastest and the most comfortable way to reach the hamlet. It is enough to get off at Bonassola railway station which is located in the centre of the hamlet. More info here.

History

The first documents about Bonassola come from the XII century. Then the hamlet became a part of the Republic of Genoa. It is known that it that period the hamlet had quite an evolved commerce and was selling products like wine, olive oil and chestnuts. During the XVI century, Bonassola became bigger and richer and expanded its centre closer to the sea. However, just after the first half of that century, the hamlet as the whole Ligurian coast started suffering from pirates incursions. In fact, on 1569 was introduced the “Instrumento della Cumpagnia di Bonassolla“ the first document in Italy which created a sort of civil security, instituted to be able to redeem Bonassola’s inhabitants from pirates. Then in the XVIII century, the Republic of Genoa became a part of the French Empire and so Bonassola too. After Napoleon’s fall, Bonassola was a part of united Italy.

Things to see & do

Bonassola has 825 inhabitants, so it is a very small town. It is impossible to get lost here and it is very easy to visit it.

Historical centre

It is composed of a few streets. The main street, named via Frattelli Rezzano, leads along the sea line and starts from the main church of Bonassola (Chiesa di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria) to the beginning of the local cycle line. Along the street, you will see some restaurants, bars and shops.

Castle

It is located on a small hill at the intern part of the hamlet, just behind the railway station. It was built in the XVI century for defending Bonassola against pirates incursions. In the next centuries, it lost its original aim and became a cemetery. In the XX century, the cemetery was moved from the castle and the building was renovated. Nowadays it hosts different events and the exhibitions of local artists.

 

Beach

The biggest attraction of Bonassola is its beach. It is a gravel beach and it is large and long about 2 km. It is divided into private and public parts so everybody will find something he/she likes. However, it is still not clear how using public and private beaches will be organized this year with all, possible coronavirus limitations.

Cycle line

It is located on the opposite ends of Bonassola, one on the west and one on the east. The cycle line leads through old, train tunnels and it is adapted to bicycles and pedestrians. The line connects a hamlet Framura, on the west, with Bonassola and Levanto on the east.

Length: 5,6 km

Difficulty: none

Surface: asphalt

Along the cycle lane, you will see many, beautiful beaches. From Bonassola you can decide if go to Levanto or Framura but I think that it is worth to see them both. After 15 minutes walk or 5 minutes bike ride you will reach Levanto and in about 30 minutes walk or 10 minutes bike ride, you will reach Framura.

Curiosities

• It is very curious but Bonassola is the only municipality in Liguria that didn’t have even one case of coronavirus infection! It is probably because the town is quite isolated from the rest of the world and from the very beginning its inhabitants respected the lockdown.
• I think that Bonassola is a very nice alternative for those who want to visit Cinque Terre. It is located just 10 minutes away by train from Monterosso and it offers a calmness away from crowds of tourists of Cinque Terre. Also, accommodations of Bonassola cost much less than these in the Cinque Terre villages.

So once, when it will be possible to travel again, remember not to miss Bonassola and visit it with all its wild and charming beauty 😉

 

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