The "Cinque Terre" include the coastal belt of the territory that runs from Punta Mesco, the western promontory of Monterosso, to Portovenere; it’s a strip of coast about 15 kms. long, between the sea and the mountains. Behind them, there’s the Val di Vara (Vara Valley) and, in their final part, the Gulf of La Spezia. The steep profile of this territory, sometimes overhanging on the sea, with growings and vineyards, terraced thanks to the famous "little dry stone walls" (built with stones without cement), where rocks and barren areas appear covered with heather, broom and pines, only in a depht of 3 or 4 kms., highlights some 700-800 metres high relieves. The villages of the Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza e Monterosso), crouch between the ridges of the Ligurian Appennines, downgrading over the sea, and the creeks of their spurs.It’s a strip of land of an as enchanting as rugged nature, where inhabitants became used to obstacles and toil, always fighting with love for their landscape. The name "Cinque Terre" firstly appeares in the "Desptio Orae Ligusticae" by Giacomo Bracelli, a 15th century historian of La Spezia, who wrote: "…….there are 5 lands on the cliff, almost the same distance from one to another; their names are Monterosso, Vulnezia (actually called Vernazza), Cornelia, Manarola and Riomaggiore (…..) with so marvellous steep mountains, that also birds are afraid to fly over them, stony and barren mounts looking like to the ivy and vine ones. Here people produced the famous wine for the Royal tables……".