Isole del Tino e Tinetto (Sito UNESCO Cinque Terre)

Since 1997, Isola del Tino, together with the other islands of Palmaria and Tinetto, Porto Venere and Cinque Terre has been included among UNESCO World Heritage Sites. San Venerio, patron of Gulf of La Spezia and protector of faristi, lived in hermitage on the island until his death, which occurred in 630. In his memory, a small sanctuary was built on the tomb (7th century) and later (11th century) a Benedictine monastery. The island, now a military area, can only be visited on two occasions a year: September 13th, for the feast of San Venerio, and the following Sunday. These days the visit includes the dock, the cliff, the sacred area, the old casemate transformed into a small museum and the carriage road leading to the lighthouse building. Unlike Tino island, Tinetto is accessible to private citizens, who can moor and stay in compliance with the regulation for marine protection. In the westernmost part you can admire the ruins of a small oratory dating back to the 6th century; moving towards the east, however, there are the remains of a two-nave church with cells for the monks, built in various phases up to the eleventh century and finally destroyed by Saracens.