Tellaro

Tellaro is a knot of pink and ochre houses built straight onto the rock at the eastern end of the Gulf of Poets, with lanes so narrow they are more like passages and steps down to small rock platforms used for swimming. Local legend says a giant octopus once seized the rope of the church bell and rang it, waking the village to a Saracen raid; the story is commemorated with an octopus festival in August. D.H. Lawrence stayed nearby in 1913 and 1914 and wrote about the coast. The village has no beach, only rocks and a tiny harbour cut into them.

History

Tellaro and Lerici became part of the Republic of Genoa in 1152, and the church of St George was built between 1564 and 1584 as a stronghold against constant raids by Saracens, Catalans and local pirates. The writer Mario Soldati spent the last years of his life here (Wikipedia, Tellaro).

Highlights

• The rock-built houses - a village standing directly on the sea cliff.
• The octopus legend - the story of the bell rung to warn of raiders.
• The narrow lanes - passages and steps rather than streets.
• The swimming rocks - platforms and a small cut harbour.

When to go

May to September; the octopus festival is in August. The village is very small and parking is outside with a walk in. Winter is quiet with little open.

Before you go

There is no beach, only rock entries to the water. Cars must be left outside and the walk in is steep. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Lerici lies west; Portovenere is across the gulf.

Key facts