The hike from Vernazza to Corniglia (the “g” is silent) was slightly shorter than to Monterosso at 2.2 miles. It’s also easier as far as total altitude gain, but it’s still got plenty of stairs on the way up!
We left at 0830 this morning to avoid the crowds and the heat. While it was still a little warm by the end of the hike, we saw a small fraction of the number of people on the trail, so I highly suggest starting early. There is a perfect overview of Vernazza only a few hundred meters from the start of the trail (with Monterosso way in the background).
More stairs!
At the half-way point you come across Il Gabbiano, where they are known for their fresh orange juice and lemon slushies, which really hit the spot on a hot day!
This is the view from just above Il Gabbiano. There is a large patio area for you to enjoy your slushies (or food if you are hungry) before finishing the hike. This is a great spot for a picnic if you want to pack your own food.
All the trails have these informative signs so you know exactly how far you’ve come, and how far you still need to go.
You get a nice view of San Bernardino above the trail. Ahh, San Bernardino, such memories! My knees will never forget it!
Nearing Corniglia. This is the only village that’s not on the water, so the downhill hike into town is much easier since they are 100 meters above the ocean. You walk on a trail right through the vineyards to get into the village.
We found an excellent little restaurant that has an ocean view on their patio. They had a nice selection of local wines.
They also had a resident cat which found me immediately. I never knew cats loved burrata cheese! No, I didn’t use the fork again.
To get to the train station you need to hike down 33 flights of steps. Looks like the Italian version of Lombard Street. Glad we were going down!
To hike the trails between villages you need the Cinque Terre card. You can also buy a card that includes unlimited train rides for the day. We purchased these cards for two days since we were going to be using the trains so much. We took a train to dinner in Monterosso, and these villages are so close the train takes about 4 minutes to get there. One of the better restaurants in Monterosso is L’Ancora della Tortuga. Here is the view from the tables.
The weather was perfect, and the waterfront views never get old.
What great memories of Cinque Terra coastline