What is a fun fact about Corniglia?

The Romans knew Corniglia very well thanks to its delicious wine. During Pompei archeological excavations wine vases were found bearing the name “Cornelia”. In the Middle Ages it was a possession of the counts of Lavagna, the lords of Carpena and of Luni.



A unique fun fact about Corniglia, the middle village of Italy's Cinque Terre, is that it is the only one of the five villages without direct sea access. While its neighbors (Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore) sit right on the water, Corniglia is perched on a 100-meter-high promontory. To reach the village from the train station, you must climb the Lardarina, a massive brick stairway consisting of 382 steps and 33 flights. Historically, this isolation protected it from pirate raids more effectively than the other towns. Because of its height, it also boasts the only "panoramic point" in the entire region from which you can see all five Cinque Terre villages at once. Additionally, Corniglia is famous for its "Vernaccia di Corniglia" wine, which was so renowned in the Middle Ages that it was even mentioned by Boccaccio in his 14th-century masterpiece, The Decameron.

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Corniglia beach You can find a beach below the railway station of Corniglia. You have to go down the steps at the station and start walking towards Manarola. When you get to the end of the row of old cabins on your left, you will find an entrance to an underpass.

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What to see in Corniglia. Corniglia is a coastal village full of old-world charm. There are streets where both the ground and walls are stone, there are little churches and of course the houses and buildings in those beautiful pastel colours. Corniglia also offers some fantastic views.

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By Train. Corniglia has its own train station and can be reached from either La Spezia or Levanto. From La Spezia, take the local train (treno regionale) in the direction of Sestri Levante and get off at the Corniglia stop.

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Corniglia and Vernazza are more difficult to reach by car, due to narrow roads and limited parking space. You can also drive to La Spezia or Levanto and then proceed by train. Portovenere has the legendary Pathway no. 1, the original trail to Cinque Terre and many towns also offer ferry service like Lerici.

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Best to Walk Down... Up is just too challenging! Corniglia is the only town of the 5 that does not have a port... which means, its located on a hilltop! To get to the town centre, if you are coming by train, you will have to climb for a good 10-15mins up the stairs.. and mind you, its non stop stairs.

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Only regional trains stop at Corniglia, though other direct trains pass at full speed through the station, so it is important to remain behind the yellow safety lines on the platforms. The station has a small bar, public restrooms, and tourist information office. There is no staffed ticket office or luggage storage.

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If you start at Corniglia station you will have 300 steps up from the station then a long slow downhill with hundreds of steps. If your problem is going down suggest you start at Vernazza and if you have problems you could catch the shuttle bus back from Corniglia village to the station.

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