Le Grazie videos
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Le Grazie videos
Le Grazie pictures
Le Grazie
- History
- What to see
- Where to sleep
- Where to eat and restaurants
- Beaches
- Trekking
- Gastronomy
- Traditional holidays
- How to get there
- Boat tours
- Weather forecast
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Le Grazie overlooks the Gulf of Poets. The small fishing village is part of the municipality of Portovenere and is characterized by the typical Ligurian colored houses.
History
Le Grazie has very ancient origins. Its hills were already inhabited in Roman times, as evidenced by the remains of the Roman villa of Varignano, dating back to the 1st century BC.
The village, however, linked its history to the Olivetan convent of Nostra Signora delle Grazie, born from a church founded in the eleventh century by monks of San Colombano from the nearby island of Tino. It became a monastic seat from the fifteenth century until the Napoleonic suppression of religious orders.
What to see
And these two are the main attractions of Le Grazie. In the southernmost part of the bay is the sanctuary of Nostra Signora delle Grazie, patron saint of the village, a fifteenth-century church which was later remodeled. It preserves a wooden choir carved by Frà Paolo da Recco and the image of the Madonna painted by Andrea de Aste in the center of the main altar.
Of the Olivetan monastic complex the ancient refectory remains, with the 15th century frescoes by Nicolò Corso.
From the seafront near the sanctuary, a sign going uphill along Via Varignano Vecchio indicates the Villa Romana del Varignano, which can be reached on foot in a few minutes. Dating back to the 1st century BC, it is surrounded by olive trees, overlooking the small bay of the Varignano, now a military area. In roman times it was an comfortable docking point for small boats. The villa was active until the 4th century AC, undergoing demolition and reconstructions in this long period of time. Today you can admire the oil presses, a thermal plant, a cistern for collecting water and polychrome mosaics.
The villa and the archaeological museum can be visited: information on 0039 0187 790307.
Where to stay
In Le Grazie there are some hotels and rooms for rent or apartments. Overlooking the sea are the hotel della Baia and the Locanda Nardini, while the hotel Le Grazie is located in the inner street of the village.
Find your hotel in Le Grazie.
Where to eat
Also for the restaurants there are several options on where to eat at Le Grazie:
The beaches
There are two possibilities for swimming at Le Grazie: the Monumento beach and the Rotonda beach, both free beaches of pebbles. The first is located in the center of the seafront, in front of the small pine forest; the second is located in front of the church of Our Lady.
Discover the beaches of Le Grazie.
Trekking trails
From Le Grazie two paths rise towards the Alta Via delle 5 Terre and towards the Alta Via del Golfo. The path 516 Le Grazie–Forte Muzzerone–La Martina, about 2 km long, climbs in just over an hour towards Mount Muzzerone and rejoins the AVG under the Muzzerone Refuge.
The path 518C, known as Via Mortea, leads from Le Grazie to the Roman villa of Varignano and to the small church of Sant'Antonio in half an hour (1.3 km). From here it is a short descent to Portovenere.
All Portovenere trekking trails.
Gastronomy
The typical dishes of the Graces are common to the rest of the neighboring villages and to Portovenere: first courses with seafood or pesto such as trenette and trofie, muscles, octopus and a lot of catch of the day, fried fish, shellfish.
Traditional holidays
The big feast of the village is September 8, the day of the patron saint Our Lady of Grace. It is celebrated with mass and procession, a fair, the octopus festival, guided tours to the Roman villa of Varignano and musical evenings.
How to get and parking
Le Grazie can be easily reached by car from La Spezia, along the coastal road, in about 10 km, passing the villages of Marola, Cadimare and Fezzano.
Le Grazie has no train station, the closest is La Spezia Centrale. From here you can take the bus of the ATC company, along the 11P Casano-Le Grazie line.
Furthermore, in July and August there is a regular boat service from Portovenere, Fezzano, Cadimare and Lerici.
Detailed information on how to get to Le Grazie.
As for parking, there are paid places on the seafront (blue lines), near the sanctuary of the Graces along via della Libertà, after the roundabout in front of the small pine forest and towards the entire seafront and near the Valdettaro shipyard.
Other paid parkings are in the internal street along Via Roma and near the sports field or to the left until the end of the road.
Parking Le Grazie
Boat tours
In Le Grazie there is the possibility to rent a dinghy, a boat or organize a trip with a skipper to the nearby seaside resorts, both with the regular service in July and August, or with private operators:
Boat trips and rental in Le Grazie.
Weather
Inside the Gulf of Poets, the climate is temperate and mild during most of the year, with the coldest and wettest winter months and the summer when it even exceeds 30 degrees.
Weather forecasts are important for planning a vacation or a boat trip. Check the Le Grazie weather forecast.