even though it is part of the Regional Park. In front of the high cliff wall south of Tino emerges from the sea as a large rock with sparse Mediterranean shrubs on top: it is the uninhabited island of Tinetto, frequented, however, by a large colony of seagulls. Once it housed a monastic hermitage and a small church of which the remains of the apse are left. After the destruction of the religious center by the Saracens in the eleventh century, the islet was no longer permanently inhabited. Continuing the navigation to the north, we return to Tino and then to Palmaria, always skirting a high cliff. Going up the western side of the main island you pass two bays (Cala Piccola and Cala Grande) and a rocky prominence, Cape Pittone. Just beyond that point you need to be careful to find a slit in the rock that represents the entrance to a deep sea cavity large enough to allow the entry of small boats. This is the Blue Grotto, called so because of the blue reflections of the water on the white rock walls. The high cliff of Palmaria hides the view of Porto Venere up to a few tens of me-
Stella Maris A statue of the Madonna stands atop the island of Tinetto, at the top of which you can see the remains of the monastic building.
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