Is there a minimum age to join the wine tasting?

Yes. Participants must be 18 years or older, as required by Italian law.

How long does the tasting last?

The experience is approximately one hour, including three wine tastings and snacks.

Are reservations required?

Yes. The tasting depends on a minimum number of participants, so booking in advance is highly recommended.

Are snacks included in the tasting?

Yes. Traditional Ligurian snacks like crostini with pesto and anchovies accompany the wines.

What languages is the tasting available in?

The tasting is available in English or Italian, depending on the group's composition.

Is the wine cellar wheelchair accessible?

Due to the historic nature of the cellar with stone floors and steps, accessibility may be limited. Contact Arbaspaa directly for specific inquiries.

Wine Tasting in Manarola’s Ancient Cellar with Arbaspaa

Manarola, one of the five rugged villages of Italy's Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast, offers more than breathtaking coastal trails and colorful harbor views. At Via Renato Birolli, 110, Arbaspaa invites travelers into an ancient wine cellar, a stone-arched sanctuary where history and viticulture meet in intimate harmony. This isn’t just any wine tasting — it’s an immersive journey into local terroir wrapped in layers of cultural flavor.

The cellar, now a stylish Bar-Enoteca, has been carefully renovated to maintain its historic charm while welcoming visitors with lively jazz performances that blend seamlessly with the soft clinking of glasses. Guests taste the distinctive Cinque Terre white DOC, boasting crisp minerality unique to the region’s sea-facing vineyards. The experience deepens with a red wine crafted in the Cinque Terre ITG tradition, robust yet balanced, and culminates with Sciacchetrà — a rare, luscious sweet wine made from late-harvested grapes sun-dried on terraced slopes above the sea.

Paired with these wines are authentic Ligurian snacks—croccantini with pesto, salted anchovies, and local cheeses—that ground the tasting in regional flavor. Beyond the pours, Arbaspaa’s cellar embraces the spirit of the land and its people, delivering a sensory link between the Mediterranean landscape and centuries of winemaking heritage.

Located close to the village’s small harbor, the setting offers a perfect pause from hiking the famed coastal paths or exploring Old Manarola’s cliffs. Arbaspaa’s wine tasting provides a cultured yet relaxed way to connect with the Cinque Terre’s outdoor lifestyle, crafting a memorable interlude where nature, history, and craftsmanship converge.

About Arbaspaa

Arbaspaa is an activity and tour operator based in Manarola, Liguria, offering a broad range of guided experiences across Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets. Specialties include cooking classes, marine activities, photographic workshops, wine and food tastings, boat and kayak tours, e-bike routes, and diving sessions inside protected marine areas.

Arbaspaa collaborates with qualified local instructors and professionals: sea activities are led by marine biologists and certified diving instructors, photography tours are taught by a professional Nikon photographer, and some wine tastings are guided by an AIS professional sommelier. Experiences range from short, focused sessions—such as a three‑hour cooking lesson and two‑hour photo walks—to multi‑hour boat trips, half‑day kayaking, and full e‑bike excursions. Activities depart from Manarola, Monterosso, La Spezia, and Porto Venere depending on the trip.

Many tours include provided equipment, local ingredients, or onboard meals like BBQ fish lunches and aperitivi with wine and focaccia. Arbaspaa also offers private tours, self‑guided hiking packages, and specialty courses such as pesto and kneading classes in nearby towns. Safety and respect for local environments are emphasized through operations in Marine Protected Areas and guided snorkeling and diving protocols. Booking options cover small groups and private bookings. For travelers seeking authentic Ligurian food, coastal exploration, photography coaching, or active sea adventures, Arbaspaa provides locally grounded, professionally guided options across the Cinque Terre and surrounding Liguria coastline. Sample activities include cooking lessons, snorkeling, diving, kayak and boat tours, photography walks, e‑bike routes, pesto and bread courses, and guided wine tastings across Liguria.