The only village not on the sea, with the Lardarina
In the middle of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is the smallest and quietest of the five villages, and the only one that does not reach the sea: it stands on top of a rocky promontory about 100 metres above the water, surrounded on three sides by terraced vineyards that descend steeply towards the sea, with a view that sweeps along the whole coast, from Monterosso to Manarola. Its origins are very ancient: the name is said to derive from a Roman family, Cornelia, and in Roman times its wine was already famous and exported as far as Pompeii.
To reach the village from the railway station, below near the sea, you have to climb the Lardarina, a long brick staircase of 33 flights and almost 400 steps, which zigzags up the hill, or take the shuttle bus. The reward is a peaceful village of narrow lanes and stone houses, with the Gothic church of San Pietro, of 1334, with a beautiful marble rose window, the small Largo Taragio square with its cafés, and, at the end of the main street, the Belvedere of Santa Maria, a terrace hanging over the sea with a breathtaking view. Corniglia is known for its white wine and its ice cream with local honey. Below the village, the beach of Guvano, reached through an old railway tunnel, is one of the wildest of the coast. From Corniglia, the Blue Path to Vernazza, among vineyards and olive groves, is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Cinque Terre.
Tip: if you have luggage, take the shuttle bus from the station; at sunset, the Belvedere of Santa Maria is magical.
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