Corniglia
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Corniglia is often overlooked in day trips to Cinque Terre because it is the smallest village. It is set on a cliff 100 meters above sea level, and the railway station is located in the lower part of the village. Corniglia can be reached on foot by climbing the staircase (382 steps) or with the bus that leaves every 10 minutes after arrival of the train, as long as it is carrying tourists. The ticket is included in the Cinque Terre Card. If you don’t have the Card, you can buy a single ticket from the driver (2.50 euro) or at the station (1.50 euro). To return to the station from Corniglia, it is better to descend on foot.
If you have time, don’t miss the opportunity to go to this village! You will discover another Italy when you visit the friendly village of Corniglia.
Places of interest in Corniglia
Open this page from your mobile phone and you can start the navigator for any point of interest or monument described here.
The main street of the village and the panoramic terrace
Via Fieschi (marked on the map in orange) runs the entire length of the village of Corniglia, from the bus stop. It is a small and narrow little street where tourists always go for a walk and reward themselves with a basil-flavored ice cream. Via Fieschi passes through the main square of Corniglia and terminates on the panoramic terrace of Santa Maria, from where there is a view of the Riviera.
The central square, the monument and the Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina
On Largo Taraggio, a square with cafes and benches, you can take a break and admire the local architecture. In particular, you will see the historic Monument to the Fallen of 1926 and the Oratory that at first glance goes unnoticed, but behind it is a terrace and the view from here is simply fascinating.
The Church of San Pietro
The church of San Pietro, a religious building in Gothic style, was built in the XI century in the high part of Corniglia. The facade of the church, in gray stone, is not at all striking; it is decorated with windows framed in white marble and arranged in the form of a rose; over the portal there is a small sculpture of Saint Peter. The interior furnishings are in Baroque style and the church itself is adorned with paintings, polyptychs and stained glass works by local artists.
The small beach
Due to its altitude, Corniglia is not the best place for people who like sand beaches. The beaches are located just outside the village and the only place where you can have a swim (in addition to the nudist beach of Guvano) is a small rocky piece of coast, which can be reached from Corniglia following the signs from the main square and descending a stairway of 343 steps. If you want to sunbathe, you’ll have to lie on the rocks jutting into the sea, but the location itself is very special.
The nudist beach of Guvano
Unfortunately, the descent to the beach from the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) was damaged by a landslide and in 2024 the descent is very dangerous. Now only a dark tunnel 1 km long leads to this beach. At the moment there is no light in the tunnel, so take torches (usually just the one on your phone is enough).
Warning! The tunnel has been closed in 2016.
More information on the page “Nudist beach of Guvano”.
Map of the places to visit and the trails of Corniglia
Pedestrian routes near Corniglia
The trails in Corniglia are very popular because it is much easier to start from here and the trail has no steep climbs.
Corniglia – Manarola (short route)
The current condition of the route: closed for a long period. Reason: landslides and instability of the terrain. It should fully open from May 2026. More info: only the first 300 meters (950 ft) are open (from the Manarola side).
It will not be possible to reach Manarola from here on the short route for some time to come, as landslides prevent the reconstruction of the trail in a stable manner.
Corniglia – Manarola (long route)
The current condition of the route: Open.
The trail crosses the small locality of Volastra. Once here, if you are tired, we advise you to take the bus to Manarola and avoid a rather steep descent of about 1200 steps. As well as saving your strength, you will also save about 45 minutes of time.
Corniglia - Vernazza (short route)
The current condition of the route: Open. Opening date: June 06, 2020.
Along this route you can fully enjoy the landscapes of the Cinque Terre, the beach of Guvano and the village of Corniglia: the position of the trail makes it possible to admire everything from above.
Corniglia - Vernazza (long route)
To walk the short trails connecting all five villages of the Cinque Terre you will need to purchase the “Cinque Terre Card”. It is also a good idea to check the conditions of the trails in advance, as some of them could be closed due to the weather conditions and other reasons (more information on the page “Conditions of trails and map”).
* Kcal - more information on the consumption of calories and the complexity of the various trails can be found in the section “Walking trails”.
Recommended hotels in Corniglia
Hotels in Corniglia have one drawback: in order to get to another village of the Cinque Terre you must go down to the station. But tourists who are looking for a little isolation will appreciate the few tourists in the village and the absence of cars.
On this page you can read visitor comments on all the hotels and compare them. In addition, you should consult:
Low-cost hotels in Corniglia.
Romantic hotels in Corniglia.
Luxury hotels in Corniglia.
Use a filter to search for a hotel in Corniglia.
Parking in Corniglia
500 meters from Corniglia there is a parking area with 60 places, price: 2.50 euro/h. But reaching Corniglia by car is complicated, as the road is very narrow and there are road works in progress in many areas due to the frequent landslides.
