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:

6 Mar 2025Bighorn sheep in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, United States
29 Jul 2025International Tiger Day
So good, they built it twice
31 Oct 2024Happy Halloween!
A delightful day for donkeys
28 Nov 2024City Hall, London, England
6 Nov 2025Celebrating Yi Peng
A mile-high island
Singing the blues
21 Sep 2023International Day of Peace
22 Mar 2025Happy World Water Day!
Clouds dance above Sundance
31 Jan 2026International Zebra Day
10 Sep 2025Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England
Time to make an impression
28 Oct 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
30 Oct 2025Pushkar Camel Fair
Rugged rocks and ancient history
15 Jan 2025266 years of the British Museum
21 Jan 2026Squirrel Appreciation Day
What’s your favorite colour?
Sport where you least expect it
Taking the long view
24 Apr 2025Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
6 Mar 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Festival fever
26 Dec 2024Boxing Day
20 Oct 2023International Sloth Day
Serene waters on a trembling earth
Were halfway there