Discover Corniglia-Vernazza-Monterosso hiking trail: adventures in Cinque Terre!

Whether you're in the process of making an itinerary for Cinque Terre or want to read about the fabulous trails in the area, you've come to the right place! If you want to know more details about how we got there and how we split our 4 days, I invite you to enter this link. In this article you will find information about the trails between Corniglia-Vernazza and Vernazza-Monteroso al Mare.

General information about the trails

Corniglia – Vernazza:

Vernazza – Monteroso al Mare:

General information about Corniglia, Vernazza and Monteroso al Mare

Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare are three of the five charming villages that make up the region Cinque Terre hiking card, located on the coast of Liguria in Italy. But none are quite like the other, and you'll see why.

Corniglia is the only one of the five villages that is not directly on the seafront, but about 100 meters above sea level. This makes it more airy in terms of tourists and makes it more special. To get to the city center, you need to climb the 377 steps from the central station or you can take the local bus. Once in the small town, enjoy the narrow, colorful streets that have an authentic charm.

Vernazza is considered the most picturesque of the five villages for its small cliff-protected harbor and traditional architecture. You can visit Doria Castle, the medieval fortress with spectacular views over Ligurian coast.Here, too, enjoy the colorful streets lined with cafes and restaurants serving traditional local dishes.

Monteroso al Mare is the largest and most accessible village, with extensive beaches, which is a special feature for the Ligurian coast. The town is divided into two areas: the old town and the modern area, also known as Fegina. It offers a more relaxed experience than the other villages and is the perfect place to end a full day of trails and recover at the beach.

Walking from Corniglia to Vernazza

From the central square in Corniglia, you need to follow the sign for Sentiero Azzuro to Vernazza, this being another name by which this route is known. It is very well marked and passes the church of San Pietro. At the beginning it goes very slightly uphill through the lanes of Corniglia and then down some stairs to leave the village. There will also be a point where you can buy your Cinque Terre hiking card if you didn't manage to buy it at the central station.

The hike is not hard at all, it has both uphill and downhill sections, but they are very easy. Don't forget to take in the views to the left towards Corniglia and the Ligurian coast. The thing I really liked is that much of the route passes vineyard terraces, olive groves and colorful houses perched on the hillside. It's a typical Italian picture!

For a great view and a well-deserved break, you can stop by the bar Il Gabbiano which has a super lemonade with local lemons. Continue on to Vernazza, which becomes a leisurely stroll along the coast and olive groves. The great advantage of starting this route this way, rather than the other way around, is the way Vernazza opens up: at a different angle to what you'd expect. Also, in this way, the uphill portions are only when leaving Corniglia and are few. Otherwise, the whole route is a gentle descent and continues all the way down to Vernazza.

We spent most of our time in Vernazza, about two hours, because we loved how lively the village is and how much it resembles the fictional village in Luca cartoon.We took advantage of the perfect weather and admired the little harbor and the bustle of the village while enjoying an Aperol and a slice of pizza. We also climbed to the highest point, Doria Castle, for another view of the city.

Walking from Vernazza to Monteroso al Mare

From the central square in Vernazza, follow the sign to Sentiero Azzuro that will take you to Monteroso al Mare. The start is a little steeper than what's to come. You'll climb up a series of pretty steep steps and pass along some pretty narrow paths, so be careful. The higher you climb, the more beautiful the view of Vernazza gets and it offers one of the best spots for photos. But, in my opinion, the whole Cinque Terre area is perfect for great photos!

Along the way, you'll pass numerous terraced vineyards and olive groves, and the coastal scenery is beyond words to describe. The climb doesn't take long, and after an hour or so of walking straight along the coast, with a gorgeous view, you'll start the descent to Monteroso.

The entrance to the village is through the old town center, the perfect opportunity to see something else than the classic tourist center. Again, I recommend to visit this area this way because you have the opportunity to have different angles on the villages and to visit other more non-touristic places once you get there. Going by train does not offer this perspective, and it is pity to miss such beautiful places.

As I said, Monteroso is the largest of the five villages, with a very long beach. It is also the most touristy village, next to Riomaggiore, which offers a much wider variety of artisan shops, restaurants and cafes. We spent an hour here at most, during which time we strolled the narrow streets and rested for a few minutes on the beach. We would have liked to have dinner, but the prices seemed much higher than in the other villages, so we quickly returned to Corniglia by train.

Conclusion

The total time spent on the trails was 5 hours and we left our accommodation in Corniglia at 9am in the morning. It was for the best because at least until Vernazza the path was clear, and we arrived there a short time before the crowds of tourists coming by train. You can probably start earlier, but being the middle of April, the very early morning temperatures are still quite low.

Both routes are exactly as you see in the pictures: small paths along the mountain, which often fit two people. And on some stretches, there are protective fences. I liked Vernazza of the two the most and in particular the lemon-decorated bar on the route; it was a place with an authentic italian vibe..

I sincerely hope this guide is helpful to you in planning your vacation here and if you need any more details, feel free to leave me a comment. I also invite you to visit the pages below for all the other Cinque Terre trails.