CINQUE TERRE BELOVED BY EXCURSIONISTS

Thanks to its location, Corniglia remains outside the mass tourism circuits, but this certainly doesn’t reduce its appeal, which actually is increased by this uniqueness.

Corniglia develops along its main road, via Fieschi, that joins the old town centre and the San Pietro parish to the belvedere of the Santa Maria terrace.

Beneath the church square you can admire the remains of some medieval sculptures and from the terrace you can enjoy a spectacular panorama: on one side the mountains and the Madonna delle Grazie Sanctuary, on the other the sea with the small bay of Marina di Corniglia and the Guvano Beach.

A panoramic footpath starts in Corniglia and goes all the way to Manarola passing through Volastra, “Il villaggio degli uliveti” (the olive tree village), along the way you can watch farmers attending their olive groves and vineyards.

CORNIGLIA BETWEEN SEA AND TREKKING

Corniglia (Curnigia in the local dialect – Corniggia in Ligurian), is an ancient hamlet in the east Ligurian Riviera, part of the Vernazza municipality in the province of La Spezia, the cradle province of the Cinque Terre..

Praised for its beauty and uniqueness even by Boccaccio in the Decameron, hamlet of a village enclosed between cliffs and sea as Eugenio Montale wrote in his poems, Corniglia is actually not directly on the seaside like the other Cinque Terre. It stands on a promontory 90 metres high and

CORNIGLIA AND THE SEA

Sea lovers may choose the Guvano beach, a small paradise reachable by the 377 steps of the Lardarina staircase. Because of its hidden and secluded position, it’s the Cinque Terre nudist beach by excellence. During the ‘70s it was renowned for being one of the destinations preferred by hippies. It probably is the most beautiful beach, surrounded by rocks and with a crystal-clear sea.

Alternatively, Guvano offers another option: the large Corniglia beach, definitely easier to reach. Indeed, it’s in front of the railway station and you can reach it by going down a staircase that cuts through the row of bungalows. This beach is nestled in another reef and is characterised by large white stones. The beach is connected to Manarola by a footpath.

HOW TO REACH CORNIGLIA

To reach Corniglia you can catch a regional train from La Spezia Centrale or Levanto. Corniglia has a train station from which the Lardarina staircase starts, and with its 377 steps it takes you to the centre.

By car, drive along the A12 Genova – La Spezia motorway and take the Santo Stefano di Magra exit. From here continue towards La Spezia and, once you’ve crossed the city, take the Cinque Terre coast road towards Portovenere and in roughly 50 minutes from the motorway exit you will reach Corniglia.

Car access is only allowed to residents, everyone else has to park in the car park just outside the village and go up on foot. If instead you reside in one of the other Cinque Terre, for instance Vernazza, the San Bernardino hamlet or Manarola, it’s possible to walk along a well-equipped path that has wonderful views.