Corniglia:
If you think of the Cinque Terre as the Beatles, Corniglia is Ringo. This tiny, sleepy town is the only one of the five not directly on the water.
According to legend, the town was originally settled by a Roman father who named it for his mother, Cornelia (which is how Corniglia is pronounced). Locals claim that its ancient residents produce a wine so widely exported that vases have been found at Pompeii stamped with the town name. Wine remains Corniglia’s lifeblood today.
Less visited than the other Cinque Terre towns, Corniglia has fewer tourists, cooler temperatures, a laid-back main-square, a few restaurants, a windy overlook on its promontory, and plenty of private rooms for rent.
You don’t come here for the beach – its once fine beach below the station has washed away. From the town center, signs for al mare or Marina point to where a stepped path leads steeply down to sunning rocks.
On the main square, tables from two bars and a trattoria spill around a WWI memorial and the towns old well. It once piped in natural spring water from the hillside to locals living without plumbing.
What looks like a church is the Oratory of Santa Caterina.
Behind the oratory there is a terrace that children have made into a soccer field. One can look thru the fence for a beautiful view.
The Santa Maria Belvedere, named for a church that once stood here, marks the scenic end of Corniglia.
High on the west, one can see the village and sanctuary of San Bernardino straddle a ridge.
There is a significant flight of steps to climb to get to Corniglia from the train station. There is a tram bus one can take up ($5) and it is small and likely very crowded. We took the bus up and walked the stairs back down to the train station.
Manarola
Mellow Manarola fills a ravine, bookended by its wild little harbor to the west and a diminutive hilltop church square inland to the east.
Manarola is exceptional for being unexceptional: While Vernazza is prettier, Monterosso glitzier, Riomaggiore bigger, and Corniglia more rustic, Manarola hits a fine balance, giving it the “just right” combination of Cinque Terre qualities.
Perhaps that’s why it’s a favorite among savvy Europeans seeking a relatively untrampled home base. The touristy zone squeezed between the cement -encased train tracks and the harbor can be stressfully congested, but head just a few steps uphill and you can breathe again.
Manarola, whose hillsides are blanketed with vineyards, also provides the easiest access to the Cinque Terre’s remarkable dry-stone terraces.
The trail ringing the town’s cemetery peninsula, adjacent to the main harbor, provides some of the most strikingly beautiful town views anywhere in the region.
Manarola is tiny and picturesque, a tumble of buildings bunny-hopping down its ravine to the fun-loving waterfront. The breakwater – which attempts to make this jagged harbor a bit less dangerous – was built just over a decade ago.
Built in 2004, this square is an all-around great idea, giving the town a safe, fun zone for kids.
The mosaic in the middle of the square depicts the varieties of local fish in colorful enamel.
Via Discovolo – Manarola’s main street – twists up through town, lined by modest shops.
This waterwheel recalls the origin of the town’s name – local dialect for “big wheel.” Mills like this one once powered the local industry.
Hiking is a really big deal in the Cinque Terre – and Cinque Terre Trekking is a mecca of sorts for getting outfitted if you did not come prepared.
The Top of Manarola is found by a square – faced by a church, an oratory (now a religious and community meeting place) and a bell tower, which served as a watchtower when pirates raided the town.
Former Oratory – now a meeting place.
Nice views from the top of town square.
A WWI memorial is etched into the Bell Tower.
The Parish Church of St. Lawrence (San Lorenzo) dates from MCCCXXXVIII (1338).
Inside there are two altarpiece paintings from the unnamed Master of the Cinque Terre, the only painter of any note from this region. While the style is Gothic, the work dates from the time of Michelangelo, long after Florence had entered the Renaissance.
A prayer for our families.
The Manarola Vineyard Trail starts just off the top of town square. You don’t want to miss this experience. Following a mostly flat path, you’ll get a close-up look at the region’s famous dry-stone walls and finely crafted vineyards (with dried-heather thatches to protect the grapes from southwest winds).
The smell of Rosemary fills the air. Looking back into town, one can note the S-Shape of the main road – once a riverbed – that flows through town. The town’s roofs are traditionally made of local quarried slate and held down by rocks during windstorms.
The path can get a little muddy at times, but the views were gorgeous. 🙂
Ever since Napoleon – who was king of Italy in the early 1800s – decreed that cemeteries were health risks, Cinque Terre’s burial spots have been located outside of towns. The result: the dearly departed generally get first-class sea views. Each cemetery – with evocative photos and finely carved Carrara marble memorial reliefs – is worth a look. Manarola’s is the most easily accessible.
Manarola may be our favorite Cinque Terre town. Not as overrun by tourists, and oozing charm.