Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy 14 Nov 2024

Known for its pastel houses cascading down to the Mediterranean Sea, Manarola, seen in today"s image, looks like a place straight out of a fairytale. Perched on the rugged cliffs of Italy"s Ligurian coast, it"s one of the five villages that make up Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name "Manarola" might have evolved from the Latin "Magna rota," which became "Magna roea" in the local dialect. It means "large wheel," a nod to the village"s historical mill wheel. Believed to be the oldest village in the Cinque Terre, dating to 1338, Manarola"s history is rooted in fishing and winemaking. Sciacchetrà, a dessert wine unique to this area, has long been immortalised in the verses of Italian poets.

© John_Silver/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

High above the Aegean Sea
14 Nov 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
14 Nov 2025Mother manatee and calf, Crystal River, Florida, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

18 Aug 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
22 Oct 2025Belogradchik Rocks, Bulgaria
1 Feb 2024Sassnitz lighthouse, Rügen, Germany
Stunning symmetry
Snow glow
20 Jun 2024Summer solstice
27 Nov 2025Eastbourne Pier, East Sussex, England
9 Jul 2026Rice fields at Sapa, Lào Cai, Vietnam
31 May 2025Knuthöjdsmossen nature reserve, Sweden
Park of the Monsters
Eyes on the skies
28 Feb 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii, United States
22 Mar 2024World Water Day
13 Oct 2024Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
12 Nov 2025Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Launching hopes and prayers
A salty situation
Two hungry baby beavers
10 Oct 2023Mount Sopris, Colorado, USA
5 Mar 2025Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
21 Apr 2024London Marathon
We’re all smiles for World Hippo Day
Happy Mothers Day!
A cantilevered window to the past
17 Jun 2024Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
5 Aug 2024Hertfordshire, England
2 Nov 2024American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
14 Mar 2026Celebrating Pi Day
Season of light in the City of Light
19 May 2026Chelsea Flower Show