La Notte sull'Isola — Sea View Holiday Apartment near Cinque Terre, Liguria
"La Notte sull'Isola"A sea view apartment steps from the Cinque TerrePeace, nature and tranquillity in Montaretto, BonassolaCIR: 011005-LT-0303 - CIN: IT011005C2J2XBPMQ7"Ho dormito con tee svegliandomi la tua boccauscita dal sonnomi diede il sapore di terra,d'acqua marina, di alghe."(Pablo NerudaLa Notte sull'Isola)
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Montaretto · Liguria · Cinque Terre
Your retreat in Liguria,
between the sea and the Cinque Terre
Your retreat in Liguria, between the sea and the Cinque Terre.
A welcoming apartment nestled in the silence of nature, with sea views and just minutes from the Cinque Terre.
Perfect for those seeking an authentic holiday, away from mass tourism, yet close to the most beautiful corners of Liguria.
Here you can slow down, breathe, and savour every moment.
Montaretto sits at around 300 metres above sea level, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, and forests of holm oaks and maritime pines, with a spectacular view over the Gulf of Genoa stretching from the islands of Gorgona and Capraia all the way to Monviso.
Walk breathtaking trails.
Enjoy the nearby beaches for swimming and water sports.
Wander through narrow, winding lanes and admire the colourful houses.
Unwind in a peaceful setting, far from city life.
Soak up the romantic atmosphere — whether on a sunset stroll or over a meal at a local trattoria.
Recensioni dei clienti
Where is Montaretto
Montaretto is an authentic village suspended between the green of the Ligurian hills and the blue of the Ligurian Sea, at 300 metres above sea level. From its privileged position, the view stretches from the Gulf of Genoa to the islands of Gorgona and Capraia, and on clear days you can even glimpse Corsica and Monviso.
The village is just minutes from the Cinque Terre and a short distance from the railway stations of Levanto, Bonassola and Framura, all reachable by car, bus or on foot along scenic trails.
How to get here
By train — The nearest stations are Bonassola (15 min), Framura (15 min) and Levanto (15 min), all on the Genoa–La Spezia line. From June to September a bus service connects Bonassola directly to Montaretto.
By car — Motorway A12, exit Deiva Marina. Free public parking in the village.
On foot — Montaretto is reachable on foot from Bonassola (2 km, 30 min).
Nearby beaches
The beaches of Bonassola, Levanto and Framura are just a few kilometres away. You can choose between equipped beach clubs or venture out to discover unspoilt coves among the rocks, perfect for swimming and snorkelling in crystal-clear waters. For the more adventurous, kayaks and boats are available to hire to explore the coastline from a unique perspective.
Cala Scà, a 20-minute walk from Montaretto, is one of the wildest and most evocative spots in the area — a hidden paradise nestled among maritime pines and red rocks.
Services in Montaretto
In the village you will find everything you need for a relaxing stay:
— Traditional Ligurian restaurant
— Two bars with panoramic terrace
— Minimarket for daily shopping
— Free public parking
— Bus to Bonassola (June–September)
— Casa del Popolo, a historic cultural and social gathering place
Sunsets, sea breeze and relaxation
As it once was
"The village of Montaretto, properly speaking, was itself a kind of fortress, for the houses were built in such a way as to have no access from the outside, and one had to enter through one of its two gates, of which traces still remain today. These gates were closed at the sight of danger and were fitted with arrow slits and battlements, from which the inhabitants could put up a strong resistance and defend themselves.
It is also said that to repel invaders, the first person to spot the pirates from the hills and mountains would give an agreed signal, at which point the entire population would rise up in arms. Only sometimes, with that menacing attitude, did they intimidate and put the aggressors to flight — those who approached in small numbers only to plunder, and fled having seized their first spoils onto their ships.
The population of Montaretto, counted separately from the district of San Giorgio according to precise census records, numbered at that time around 360 or 350 souls, while that of San Giorgio exceeded 340 or 350."
(Giovanni Bono, 1862)
Montaretto · Liguria · Cinque Terre
La Notte sull'Isola — the apartment
Set in the historic centre of Montaretto, the apartment has a garden and a sea-view terrace. On clear days you can admire Monviso, the Ligurian Alps and Corsica.
The upper floor sleeps up to 5 guests, with two double beds and a single bed, a private bathroom and an additional bathroom on the terrace.
The lower floor sleeps up to 2 guests, with garden access and a private bathroom.
The Terrace — the magic of a sunset aperitivo suspended between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea. A bright and welcoming retreat for those who want to truly switch off. The perfect base for exploring the trails of the Ligurian Riviera, or for enjoying the stillness of a hilltop evening after a day on the waters of Framura or Bonassola. Free Wi-Fi · Private panoramic terrace · Independent entrance.
The Garden is a peaceful oasis immersed in the scent of lemon trees and the tranquillity of centuries-old olive trees.
Ideal for nature lovers, the apartment offers the chance to dine outdoors surrounded by greenery, enjoying a silence broken only by the sounds of nature. The perfect choice for those who want the sea at Bonassola by day and a fragrant, restorative haven by evening.
Punta Marmi, un'antica cava di marmo dove è possibile nuotare e fare snorkeling. Vista dal balcone.
From Framura to Cinque Terre
Many trails to explore between the sea and the woods
Trail # 660 (10 min) From Montaretto to Salice, panoramic views.
Trail # 663C (15 min) From Montaretto to the Valley of the Mills. Restored ancient mills and views of the Torre degli Ardoino.
Trail # 663 (15 min) From the Valley of the Mills to Bonassola.
Trail # 661 (30 min) From Montaretto to Salto della Lepre, panoramic views.
Trail # 661C (5 min) From the SVA trail to Scà. A small cove for swimming. Hiking boots required.
Trail SVA The green-blue trail from Bonassola to Framura. Panoramic views throughout.
Maremonti Cycle Path from Levanto to Framura A stunning cycle path at the gateway to the Cinque Terre — a treat for lovers of cycling and the sea. This is a route to be savoured slowly, taking in the scents of the surrounding pine forests and eucalyptus trees and listening to the sound of the crystal-clear sea. The most scenic stretch runs between Framura and Bonassola.
distanze
- Bonassola, 15 minutI (sentieri, bus, macchina);
- Framura, 15 min. (sentieri, bus, macchina);
- Levanto 15 min. (sentieri, bus, macchina);
- Cinque Terre 40 min.(sentieri, treno, macchina) ;
- Portovenere 40 min (barca);
- Portofino 40 min (barca);
- Sestri Levante 40 min (macchina, treno);
- Camogli 40 min (macchina, treno);
- Val di Vara 30 min (macchina);
- Lunigiana 50 min (macchina);
- Pisa 1 h 30 min (macchina, treno);
- Genova 1h (macchina, treno).
Balcony Over the Sea
Montaretto, a Magical Place
di Giorgio Pagano,
Mayor of La Spezia from 1997 to 2007 (article November 2022)
Montaretto is famous for two reasons: because it is a “balcony overlooking the sea,” an enchanting place with breathtaking views of the coast and the mountains; and because it is home to the Casa del Popolo, a gathering place for social and political enthusiasm, known throughout Italy.
The Casa del Popolo in Montaretto was inaugurated in late summer 1970. In Montaretto, the residents had already secured, in another epic undertaking dating back to the mid-1950s, the road connecting the town to the provincial highway for Levanto. On August 21, 1955, the town mobilized and began a “reverse strike.” All of Montaretto poured onto the existing path: while the men widened the lower section with shovels and pickaxes, women and children blocked the upper section with stones. The struggle caused a sensation, and work began in early September. Among the leaders of the popular uprising was Renato De Franchi, the partisan known as “Tigre,” who served first in the Gramsci Brigades and then in the Cento Croci, and who passed away just a few days ago. For years he spoke to the children of Bonassola about the Resistance. As brave as a tiger, he was a kind and gentle man. The idea to build the Casa del Popolo was conceived in 1964. The structure was built by volunteers from Montaretto, starting in 1966: on Saturdays, Sundays, and summer evenings. Everything was financed through dinners and public fundraisers. The Italian community in Brooklyn also contributed, thanks to an immigrant named De Franchi. On May 1, 1967, while construction was underway, the first dance was organized, with the hall packed. Fundraising parties followed, culminating in the 1970 inauguration. That epic undertaking had much to do with the spirit of ’68: participation, grassroots creativity, and a celebration of coming together and conviviality.
Then everything began to grow: from La Spezia, Genoa, and all over the North, people came to Montaretto to dance, discuss politics and culture, and enjoy ravioli stuffed with meat and aromatic herbs. It is a fifty-year-long story of great civic spirit and political passion, which tells us of the desire of so many people to take their own destiny—and that of others—into their own hands.
All of this may seem naive, but today we miss it.
Stories · Trails
A Saracen pirate raid
Trail # 661C
The raid on Bonassola in 1560 was one of the most devastating attacks ever to strike eastern Liguria. On 2 May of that year, Turkish pirates sacked and laid waste to the villages of Bonassola and Montaretto. Many accounts of that terrible event survive, including that of the Mayor of Sestri Levante, who wrote to the Genoese Senate on the very same day:
"This morning, at sunrise, ten Turkish ships landed at Bonassola [...] The first went to Montaretto and sacked it [...] a good number of Turks came ashore and plundered this part of Bonassola [...]"
A report also exists from the Mayor of Framura, under whose jurisdiction Bonassola fell, likewise sent to the Genoese Senate, stating that the Turkish raid caused widespread destruction, theft and the capture of fifty-three people from Bonassola and thirteen men from Levanto who had come to their aid. Twenty-three of these were ransomed — ten from Bonassola and thirteen from Levanto — while the rest remained in the hands of the pirates.
By 1584, even though Bonassola was by then defended by a castle, fear of Muslim raids was such that the church of Santa Caterina was left without a parish priest — its proximity to the sea making it an easy target for pirates.
Stories · Trails
The legend of Panéa, the good dragon.
Trail # SVA
Following Via Luigi Duina from the pier at Framura, you reach the path leading to Punta Marmi. Alongside its wild and breathtaking views, you can also admire the Rock of the Good Dragon.
The egg from which Panéa hatched was found in a wood above Montaretto by a woman from Framura, who decided to have one of her hens sit on it. The hatchling was born in the henhouse and grew tenderly attached to both the hens and the woman. The rest of the villagers were less welcoming of the creature — perhaps mindful of the stories still in circulation about the boat-eating monster slain by San Venerio at Bocca di Magra.
The woman was therefore forced to hide the young dragon outside the village, and could visit him only occasionally, in secret. One year, after days and days of heavy rain, the ground beneath Framura became unstable. Cracks appeared in the earth, and the villagers immediately recognised the warning signs of a landslide.
While everyone rushed to save their belongings, the woman ran to her dragon and explained the situation. Panéa went and braced his own body against the embankment on which the village stood, saving the lives of its inhabitants at the cost of his own — unable to move from the position he had taken.
To this day, anyone travelling along the coastal road below Framura can see the rock of Panéa, the good dragon.
Stories · Trails
The cove of Scà
Scà — A war crime (22 March 1944)
A twenty-minute walk from Montaretto, along a path through maritime pines, leads to Cala Scà: a small inlet nestled between red rocks and an emerald sea. A place of rare beauty, heavy with history.
It was here that Turkish pirates landed in 1560. Four centuries later, during the Second World War, this same cove became the setting for secret operations: anti-fascist partisans, together with British and American intelligence services, used it to free prisoners and infiltrate agents behind enemy lines.
One of those missions ended in tragedy.
The night of 22 March 1944
At 18:00, two United States Navy motor torpedo boats — PT210 and PT214 — set out from Bastia carrying the OG team of Ginny Mission II: fifteen men of the American OSS. Reaching the Ligurian coast at 22:45, the commandos transferred to three rubber dinghies and rowed ashore, landing at Cala Scà.
Radio communications from the dinghies could be heard aboard the torpedo boats. The last transmission, at 23:15, was from Paul Traficante, calling out to his comrade: "Vinnie, I can see you. Wait for me."
Shortly afterwards, a convoy of German destroyers approached Punta Mesco. PT210 engaged in a diversionary manoeuvre, opening fire before taking cover behind a smoke screen. PT214 held position offshore, engine running, trying in vain to re-establish radio contact with the team ashore. At 02:00, the two vessels regrouped five miles from the coast — no signal from the commandos. At dawn they returned to Bastia.
A second rescue attempt on 23 March also failed.
The capture
Meanwhile, the fifteen men had taken shelter in a barn above the cove — where a villa now stands — managing to obtain food with the help of Franco Lagaxo, a local boy who lived in the stone house from which the Salto della Lepre trail begins today.
The following day, a fisherman discovered the abandoned dinghies on the rocks. The Germans surrounded the hiding place and captured the entire team. The men were transferred to the German command in La Spezia, interrogated, and then executed at Amelia.
The order for the execution was signed by General Anton Dostler.
The trial
On 8 October 1945, General Dostler was tried and sentenced to death. He was the only Nazi general to be sentenced to death in Italy. The records of his trial were cited and used at the Nuremberg trials.
From Montaretto to Riomaggiore · Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre and Levanto Wine Road
The Cinque Terre and the Colline di Levanto, defined by the production regulations of the PDO designations "Cinque Terre e Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà" and "Colline di Levanto", are home to a unique viticulture shaped by steep and rugged terrain. Many vineyards cling to slopes too precipitous for machinery, accessible only on foot, at breathtaking gradients.Here, the dedication of local wine growers — reclaiming small plots of land from abandonment — is essential to preserving the landscape itself. In the Cinque Terre in particular, this delicate balance is maintained by ancient dry-stone terraces (muretti a secco), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.To illustrate the contrast between these two wine-producing areas along the Ligurian Riviera di Levante: in the Cinque Terre the vineyards plunge vertiginously towards the sea, while in the Colline di Levanto they descend more gently. Wedged between sky, earth and sea, the vines grow at between 50 and 500 metres above sea level, producing predominantly white varieties such as Bosco, Vermentino and Albarola, blended in varying proportions according to local regulations. The region also offers fine red wines, made from Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo and Canaiolo grapes.In this context, the Cinque Terre and Colli di Levanto Wine Road — promoted by local producers, associations, consortia and institutions — offers a mapped itinerary designed to introduce visitors to the area's wineries. It encourages wine lovers, hikers and travellers to slow down and savour a more immersive experience: meeting producers, joining tastings, and exploring vineyards and cellars on guided visits. A genuine alternative to mass tourism, this journey enriches visitors with authentic emotions and a deeper understanding of the history, culture, beauty and flavours of these extraordinary yet fragile landscapes. Our own vineyard, pictured below.
"Ho dormito con te
e svegliandomi la tua bocca
uscita dal sonno
mi diede il sapore di terra,
d’acqua marina, di alghe,
del fondo della tua vita,
e ricevetti il tuo bacio
bagnato dall’aurora,
come se mi giungesse
dal mare che ci circonda."
- LA NOTTE SULL'ISOLA -
(PABLO NERUDA)
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