A Full Guide To Corniglia

Magical!

That is the best description I can offer about the little Ligurian village of Corniglia.

Corniglia is like a fairy tale kingdom perched on top of a hill. Just beyond the cliff lies the ocean blue, an expanse of clear blue sky and deep blue water amazing in the way it provokes your memories of happiness.

The journey to Corniglia herself is an adventure. Corniglia is placed o a hill surrounded by terraces of vineyards. When in season, just the smell of the fruit coming to season is enough to trap you. Between the light tree cover, small insects buzzing about, and the scents of flowers in the air, the hiking paths to Corniglia offer an adventurous experience that will make a hiker out of anyone.

And that is before you even hit Corniglia herself.

From the Scalinata Lardarina, 400 steps of hard climbing, you immediately fall into the sense you are on a quest. It is not meant to be easy because nothing easy is worth the memory.

Instead, they wind up into the air, higher and higher. You keep your eyes on the red brick steps below your feet. You are struggling, but you know it will be worth it. You take a rest at a turn, the sea breeze just below your gaze hits your back, egging you on. Yes, you can do it!

Then you hit the top; below is the coast, blue and inviting. There are sign posts all around you, and you immediately look towards the ones pointing to bars for refreshing drinks…

I wanted to share with you my experience of Corniglia and why I think this unique Cinque Terre village is worth your itinerary. Here’s a short-ish guide on what, where, and how to do Corniglia.

Check out my blog posts on the other four Cinque Terre villages of Vernazza, Riomaggiore, Manarola and Monterosso al Mare.

Why Travel to Corniglia

Corniglia is one of the Cinque Terre villages. It is also the only one of the five without a port, limiting what boating experiences you might have.

And yet, this brave little village won’t let itself be limited by its geography/.

1. Corniglia has a beach – three in fact – that have seen some hard times. Storms have destroyed part of her coast, but there are efforts to recover her beaches. We did some swimming too, but that was just for the bucket list of swimming in all the Cinque Terre
2. Corniglia is an ancient village with ties to ancient Pompeii. Enough time has passed since ancient Rome fell, but Corniglia’s narrow streets and arches between one building to the next made me feel as if I might have been walking through old Pompeii before her destruction
3. Corniglia’s wine is famous in the region, chief among them the Vernaccia di Corniglia, a white more than 700 years old
4. Old and new history can be found in the Largo aragio, the village’s main square, where alongside a memorial to WWI soldiers is the more ancient Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina
5. Finally, Corniglia’s viewpoints, from St. Mary’s Terrace, to balconies and terraces looking over the town, give you the sense that you are welcome in the tiny village. Corniglia has that quaint, home town closeness where everyone knows everyone and really wants to help you out. I found the locals half the experience factor of Corniglia. I did find their struggle with English a bit suspicious; Corniglia might not be a major tourist center, but there must have been millions of us gone through the village!

Corniglia and her Fantastic Viewpoints

1. The viewpoints going into Corniglia are probably what make people tour the little village. Starting from the Scalinata Lardarina, you find yourself immersed in the most incredible scenic views anywhere. The low parapet means that even kids become entranced in the calm of the waters below or to your back. In fact, one of the best ways to experience the climb, in my opinion, was to walk down from the town centre to the train station via the red brick stairs.
2. Secondly, there’s the viewpoints from the Volastra hiking trail. It is an alternative to the Blue Trail that has seen some hard times. The trail’s path looks out over the sea, coastline, and parts of the Scalinata Lardarina. It’s the best viewpoint that offers contrasting scenes of the reef and sea below.
3. Another viewpoint was from the La Torre, just above the Piazza Taragio, the main square. It faces towards Manarola and offers commanding views from up above the main square.
4. The view from the Chiesa di San Pietro can also offer good photo opportunities. Just as you walk up the steps from the Tratorria La Lanterna you are flanked by these stone walks to your sides and the low rock-hewn steps to your feet.
5. Then you hit this small square where there is a terrace looking out over the sea. Then more stairs hewn from rock heading up to more terraces. Just before you climb these steps you see this oddly crafted Cross I felt looked more like a totem than a cross. There are rock seats all over the place where you can relax and pose for some memories to take home with you.
6. The viewpoint from the Santa Maria Belvedere Terrace was undoubtedly the most panoramic of them all. It looks out over the sea and coastline and there’s a bar, the Bar Terza Terra, where refreshing drinks were available.
7. The paints used on the houses and doors was something else I found fascinating. The Ligurian houses favor bright colors and what I liked about the paints was how some chipping on door colors made everything seem so quaint. They reminded me of home where things looked worn out in some instances, but pride and love seemed to hold things together and give them a character of their own.

Corniglia as a Walk through History…

1. Via Fieschi

It feels like the history of the Cinque Terre region is a history of their roads and the names given. The Via Fieschi is the name of an old Tuscan family, the Fieschi family, that was granted dominion over the little village by Pope Innocent IV in the 14^th century.

It is old and quaint, with steps heading up and through arches linking village house to village house. Sadly, it is a very small piece of the village’s history in that you can cover the experience within minutes!

2. Chiesa di San Pietro

This is a Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque styled church much like many other small churches in the region. From the outside it looks rather small, like one of those Matryoshka dolls. Then inside is a collision of light and colors from the gold-painted chandeliers above to the yellow-painted vault ceiling telling a story.

3. Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina

This is a Baroque era Church whose murals depict the suffering that Saint Caterina underwent. I found he painting scene intriguing when compared to the older Church. The Oratorio is all white, and where the painted vaults in the Chiesa di San Pietro were ribbed, this one went for rounded arches with no painted scenes or frescoes.

I felt the oratio was appropriately ‘sterile’ in terms of the color and architectural scheme. Corniglia is an old yet small village, and older Church was like a chronicle of Corniglia’s history whereas the newer church barely represents the new era.

This is promising in my opinion, because I can imagine 4 generations later when my great grand children are comparing photos of their visit to my own and we – yes, me too! – all get to remark on how time passes.

4. Memorial To The Fallen Soldiers In The World War I

This is a lone standing statue right in the middle of the Piazza Largo Taragio. It is dedicated to the soldiers who gave their lives for their country and belief in WWI.

I found the statue to be another piece of Corniglia’s magic. It is like one of Michelangelo’s Davids in that the statues bears no arms despite being dedicated to soldiers. In fact, the palms are open and face the viewer to the front, while the boy’s gaze is outwards, as if facing the challenge that is about to come.

My feeling was that the statue is meant to represent Corniglia’s youth and the brevity of what she has to offer. The boy is naked – covered by a fig across his waist – yet the gaze outwards made me feel he is not ashamed to be coming from such a small village, but rather that he is brave for even leaving this small, isolated part of Italian history to call out to the greater world outside.

Things To Do in Corniglia

1. Swimming, Diving, and Snorkeling

Swimming in Corniglia is not easy. The waters around Corniglia are a very inviting blue, but the reef, coral, and rocks are not. Still, the sheltered cove Corniglia has to offer gives opportunities for diving and snorkeling for some.

From the village square, there’s a steep staircase leading down to where the locals stash their boats. A sign post reading “Via al Marina” lets you know you are on the right path.

An alternative option is to use Corniglia as a staging post to head towards Guvano Beach, some 1.5 km from Corniglia. It is a nudist beach…and getting there requires a boat or kayaking. In either case, try out either option.

Unfortunately, I did not get to sample other sea options like diving of snorkeling, though Corniglia can still serve as a staging ground for other places on the Cinque Terre that offer the same.

2. Shopping

Bazar Profumo di Mare is a shopping spot where there’s beautiful handcrafted necklaces on offer. I felt that Marzia’s crafting was all the more special because of how small Corniglia’s population – just over 150 – was.

Fanny Bazar di Sondra Righelli also has these cute little coffee cups and saucers colored in the most vivid blues, reds, and oranges! Again, they wre special to me just because of the rarity of hand crafted ceramics from a small village high up in the hills.

MG cinque terre is arguably he biggest attraction with a big shop filled with all manner of souvenirs and gifts you can carry away. I was attracted to these rings with turquoise and aquamarine gems in the center. I don’t know whether the ring was also handcrafted because the geometric design was really intricate, but I do know they dived for the gems themselves.

3. Hiking

Hiking is a specialty of the Cinque Terre region because of the ancient goat and donkey paths presenting a good challenge to experienced hikers. However, the inexperienced should not be deterred from trying the same.

Hiking the Cinque Terre Blue Trail from Manarola to Corniglia took several hits from rock slides and erosion and the local authorities are really trying to recover the paths. Fortunately, there is the alternative of the Via Volastra, a more ancient foot path far longer that the section of the Sentiero Azzure Corniglia has to offer.

The best part about this path was the incredible scenery of vineyards interspaced with flora and the sea off to the side. There were sections that are narrow, the stone walls and parapets walling you in and only offering a glimpse of the path ahead. Then they suddenly open up to a vast expanse of blue sea and sky and you feel all the strain of the hike suddenly ease from you.

The Manarola to Corniglia path can look treacherous though, but there are offsets. Along the path you encounter vineyards – I already said this – and some of the farmers have locally made statues and sculptures on their fields. Then there’s the contrasting viewpoints of terraced vineyards and the sea.

4. Ice Cream, Gelato and Wine

Corniglia’s uniqueness comes from the ice cream, gelato, and wines produced from local farms and vineyards. At the Alberto Galeria we got ice cream flavored in basil and olive oil sourced from Corniglia herself. The honey and lemon-flavored gelato at the Miele di Corniglia is another reason to spend some time – however brief – in Corniglia.

Again, I felt the Cinque Terre DOC and the Sciacchetrà DOC just as special as the tniy village. Not that they were much different from other local wines – though I simply don’t have the tongue for it.

No, it was because of how much harder the villagers have to work to make things work out. Corniglia has no fishing to speak off as a reliable source of income, and the hills are very steep. For the local farmers to match what the rest of the Cinque Terre, Liguria, and Tuscan region has to offer speaks volumes of how strong and dedicated the locals are to remain in their little version of paradise.

5. Crafting and Cooking Classes

Unfortunately, there were no cooking classes to be encountered in Corniglia. The village only has a population of some 150 souls, and most tourists don’t even plan Corniglia in their itinerary.

Still, Corniglia can serve as a staging post for the larger and more popular Riomaggiore and La Spezia where there are many cooking class opportunities to be had. I have mentioned some of the more interesting ones in my other blogs of the Cinque Terre region so please visit for a look.

I wanted to mention the perfume making classes in Caste though. Caste is a very small hamlet close to Corniglia, about 7 km away. Again, I was intrigued at how much more you can make out of the little things around you that you ignore or take for granted. The locals use local herbs and vines and plants to create unique blends of scents and just the lessons in perfume-making alone were enough to draw me into the art.

Where To Eat and Drink in Corniglia Cinque Terre

Despite her size and population, Corniglia offers some eating and drinking spots and experiences worth mentioning.

Ristorante Cecio is just outside the village and specialize in sea foods brought up from the sea below. The thing worth noting was the terrace and viewpoint offered from the restaurant because you can see the entirety of Corniglia from their tables.

KMO has this courtyard from which you can get away from the small crowd of tourists hounding the even smaller square. The Bruschetta was noice, and the local beers were better!

The Osteria Cantina de Mananan does anchovies, burrata, octopus and tiramisu to die for. They do sea foods of the day so it will be impossible to have the meal of your choice, but the fish is very fresh and cooked with local herbs so you will still gain an lovely experience.

Where to Stay in Corniglia

Despite her size and population, Corniglia has a surprisingly large number of hotels for a village many tourists do not tend to stop by. I feel this is a blessing for we travelers, for it lets the locals focus on our persons.

Not that they would not anyhow; I found Corniglia’s residents very welcoming despite my short stay, and their willingness to welcome and answer my queries and investigations of their accommodations was very pleasant.

1. Affittacamere Le Terrazze numbers high on the list of suggested places to stay. Tey decorated their rooms to have this Oriental/Mediterranean furnishings inside. The rooms have balconies and terraces with beach chairs looking out over Corniglia herself or the sea beyind.

2. il Magàn – Cinque Terre let me inside despite my telling them I would not be staying, and I think I know why. They have this incredible terrace looking out over the sea and the towering hillside to your right. The balconies were no lightweights either with their beach beds and commanding views of the terraced hills surrounding the village.

3. Cecio 5 Terre Rooms is interesting because it is quite isolated from the main village. This made it quiet and a good option for travelers looking to spend more time in the Cinque Terre yet away from the larger crowds inside the villages. It mainly looks out over Corniglia rather than the sea, but the balconies themselves catch good breeze coming in from the sea and can be rather cool in the Summer I hear.

4. Affittacamere Arbasia De Ma, Terre Marine is very close to the main piazza and takes good advantage of the views offered from their terrace. The rooms are the best part about the accommodations and we almost broke our itinerary because of them. The beds are massive and very welcoming, though nothing when set against their kitchens. These were well furnished and give you the opportunity to try out what you learnt from cooking classes elsewhere.

5. We checked out Madüneta 5 Terre as well and were drawn to the place because of the quietness of the streets around her. And though well inside Corniglia, the hotel is high enough up the hill to offer a near-panoramic view of the sea and coast from their very very spacious balconies and very very modernly decorated rooms.

Getting to Corniglia

1. By Car

An option, though not a friendly one. Some parking space is to be found but not only is most parking reserved for residents, the alleys are really tight.

2. By Boat and Ferry

Nope!

Corniglia has no harbor, so boat and ferry services do not stop here. You can get to Corniglia by boat if you care for the long climb from the beach below, but this means private boat or kayaking. These can be expensive and with trains available, consider otherwise.

3. By Train

By far the best – if not the only – option to consider.

Once you land in La Spezia, there are trains like the Cinque Terre Express and the Regionale that cost you 15 min and €5 between 4 am and 1am everyday. The wisest option would be to go for the Cinque Terre Terrano train card that lets you ride the train all day. We went for this option because we did not intend to stay in Corniglia, to our eternal shame and disappointment.

➡️From Pisa:

you are looking at 1.5 hrs of train travel to La Spezia. There are taxi and bus services available, but the best and cheapest are train services running from 5:30am to 11pm for about €12.

➡️From Florence:

to Corniglia will cost you 2.5hrs and scheduling to catch one of the regular trains to the Cinque Terre from between 4: 30 am and 9:30 pm at €18. The good thing is that there are stops along the way where you can book accommodations and sleep overnight before heading off to Corniglia the next day if you came in via the evening flights.

➡️The Levanto option:

is advised for those with private transportation because it is only 15min away by car, and also because trains charge just €5 and are regular, early (4:50 am) and late (11:30pm) enough to catch any incoming flights.

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➡️Here’s another short story that I like to tell at the end of all my Cinque Terre blogs⬅️