Neptune Statue Monterosso al Mare

I went to Cinque Terre in Italy for the first time. in 2015 I loved it so much that 4 months later I went back. One of the most unique things there was the Neptune Statue, the Sea God (also called Il Gigante). You can find the Neptune Statue in Monterosso al Mare.

Monterosso al Mare is the only one of the five villages in Cinque Terre that has a legitimate sand beach. This may be one of the reasons it is often over crowded with tourists during the summer months. The have both public and private beaches so in this regard it reminds me of Nice, France. However there is actual sand here (not at the other villages of Cinque Terre) rather than large rocks as in Nice. So if you can find the space, your back can enjoy laying out on the public beaches.

You can find the Neptune Statue at the far end of the new town beaches, specifically at Fegina Beach, which is one of the public beaches. But don’t worry, he’s large and looms over much of the seaside so whether  your at a public beach or private (provided you are on the new town side), you may feel his presence looming over you.

Arrigo Minerbi designed and built the Neptune Statue in 1910. The statue is made of concrete and iron and stands 14 meters (over 15 yards) tall. During World War II the area was heavily bombed and in the battle Neptune lost both his arms, which in turn also meant his trident, and the giant seashell that he held above him. This seashell was used as a dance floor by Villa Pastine. The villa was also severely damaged during the bombings. In 1966 heavy seas went on to bring further damage to Il Gigante.

Sources for information: Things to Do, Atlas Obscura, and Tourism Review

Source for close up photo of Neptune: Pegasus Inn

Source for photo of Neptune as he once stood: Italy Travellers Blog