The islands
The three islands of Palmaria and Tino and the islet of Tinetto lie off the coast of Porto Venere.
Palmaria,
the largest of the islands and the most frequented by locals in the
summertime thanks to a regular ferry service leaving from Porto Venere,
is interesting because of its grottoes, where remnants of the
prehistoric times have been found, and also for the terrain's unusual
features: on the eastern side, the land slopes gently down to the sea
covered in a rich Mediterranean vegetation; on the western side, there
are steep cliffs 188 metres high. All over the island, there are
remains bearing witness of the strong military presence in this area,
such as the fort Umberto I° built by Conte Cavour 
during the reign of
the Savoia, the signal station and the Fort Cavour on the top of the
island. The islands of Tino and Tinetto are today a military zone.
Besides, Palmaria Tino and Tinetto, which is little more than a rock,
was colonised by Benedectine monks.
On the island of Tino, opened to
visitors only on 13th September, on the occasion of the feast of Saint
Venerio, a local hermit who had been living on the island, stand the
remains of the 11th century Abbey of San Venerio. Traces of a
fourth-century monastic settlement can also be seen on Tinetto. In
1998, the three islands and Porto Venere were added to UNESCO's list of
World Heritage Sites.
