Costarainera

The village that shields the bike path from above

The bike path from San Lorenzo, leads straight into Costarainera by riding through a tunnel which when completed, welcomes the visitor with benches overlooking the sea on a small square and a breathtaking view.
The small town of Costarainera is located on a hill 240 meters above sea level and looks almost like a mother hen protecting the beautiful bike path that winds quiet down the village.

Costarainera, sheltered from the cold winds of the Tramontana thanks to Saccarello mountain, has a pleasant climate all year round, a bit like all the villages of western Liguria that we will encounter along the bike path. Costarainera is divided between the older and historical part and a rather more modern and touristy part in the Paorelli region.

A tour to discover the beauties of the village

The bike paths doesn’t run directly into the small village but a slight detour from the sea will take you straight to the discovery of Costarainera. Efforts were made especially to restorate and preserve the anqtique beauty with its timeless charm. The main tourist attraction is definitely the San Giovanni Battista church where important artworks such as an altarpiece depicting Saint Sebastian and Saint Lucia are kept.

One of the best times to enjoy the bike path and the town of Costarainera is definitely June: From the 11th until the 24th the village comes to live with parties and festivals up to the celebration of the patron saint of the village, St. John the Baptist on June 23 and 24 with a torchlight procession, a church parade and a big party on the square.

Passing the tunnel on the bike track

If you then return to the bike path, looking up you can admire Costarainera oncemore and then contnue on the track. As we mentioned for the leg of San Lorenzo, the track here in Costarainera runs inside the tunnel then comes out at Aregai di Cipressa.

You will get through the tunnel quiet fast if you ride by bike and there is no difficulty involved at all besides the almost constant circulating winds. If you walk along this stretch of the bike path, it is in fact a bit tiring even though it holds a certain mysterious charme.
Entering this tunnel actuallyis like a cold shower in the middle of summer, a surprising moment that during the sticky months of July and August also is a good relief to the visitor.