Corniglia - Cinque Terre VIllage
Corniglia is one of five villages in Cinque Terre and lays on a small cape smack in the middle of everthing about 100 meters above sea-level. Of the five villages, this is the only town without access from the sea and has approximately 150 inhabitants.
Set on a clifftop, Corniglia is the highest of the Cinque Terre five villages and is surrounded by vineyards and terraced fields. And because of it’s location, its architecture is closer to that of a rural island village than that of a coastal village. By the way, it is very difficult to reach by car, so plan on walking, bus or using the train.
Artifacts found in Pompeii dates Corniglia as one of the oldest villages in Cinque Terre dating back to the Roman age. Since Corniglia does not have a port, they rely mostly on their farming skills and in doing so producing their specialt white wine of Vernaccia di Corniglia.
Before heading out to the next village, make sure you stop and check out these favorite spots in Corniglia:
Saint Mary’s Terrace - reachable by foot is a perfect spot for taking pictures and soaking in the amazing view.
Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina - an 18th century Oratory
The 14th century Chiesa di San Pietro is the village’s most iconic sight. Located in the main square of Corniglia, it is the only place on the coast where you can see all five villages of Cinque Terre at one time.
Lardarina - located 100 meters above sea level is a 370 step stairway that takes you from the train station to the town of Corniglia. Keep in mind that this is not an easy trek. The difficult climb to the top is extremely rewarding, but a bit arduous. If you do not want to climb all those steps or cannot do it for health reasons you can always take the bus.
