The Most Romantic Little Church In The World

The Church of San Pietro is a stunning little church, exceptionally popular for weddings, that is perched picturesquely on the tip of the promontory of Portovenere, surrounded by craggy rocks and cliffs and blue seas.

Once the site of a Temple to Venus (Venere in Italian), after whom the town of Portovenere was named, an early Christian building made of black marble was then built there in the 6th century.

In the 13th century a campanile and Gothic extension clad in bands of black and white stone were added to the earlier structure.

Small and a little rugged but very striking and framed by perfect scenery, it is a building that has captured imaginations for centuries and which continues to do so.

In fact, the poet Eugenio Montale, in his poem, “Portvenere”, beautifully describes the romantic image this lovely church paints. He says:

“Là fuoresce il tritone
dai flutti che lambiscono
le soglie d’un cristiano
tempio...”

(“There - comes Triton from the waves that lap the threshold of a Christian temple”), conjuring the image of a place so magical that its supposedly legendary origins seem visible still. If scenic spots, architecture and sea views are your thing, it is sure to delight. Just find a villa with swimming pool and you can spend a day exploring the pretty town of Portovenere and this little gem just outside of it.

Aside from merely being beautiful, the building also has a long and rich history stretching from its ancient and legendary origins and medieval reconstruction to surviving a major fire from the bombardment by Aragon in 1494, battery by Napoleon, several sackings and Austrian-Russian occupation. Yet it somehow remains to this day and is highly regarded for its elegant sculptures, the miraculous painting of Madonna Bianca (“White Madonna”) for whom Porto Venere’s citizens have a sacred veneration and as one of the exemplary buildings of Gothic-Genoese architecture in Liguria. More recently, the church has become famous as an especially popular venue for weddings and attracts both locals and international couples who wish to marry in the former temple to the goddess of love. With its romantic setting and origins it really is a must see for those on getaways built for two or those who are honeymooning in the area.

Even if you aren't, it is still one of the prettiest churches in all of Italy and well worth a visit.