Description
Among olive groves, panoramic views and caruggi in the beautiful villages of Corniglia and Vernazza.
From the railway station, we tackle the ‘Lardarina’, the zigzag red brick staircase of almost 400 steps.
It will take us to the small village of Corniglia, a pearl perched on a rocky promontory 100 metres above the sea.
After a short visit to the centre, its narrow “Caruggi” and its panoramic terraces, we start the trail that climbs up an old stone mule track through the terraced olive groves.
Here the green of the leaves combines with the silvery grey of the bark and the different colours of the olive harvesting nets. We will come across several viewpoints: above Corniglia, above the small deserted beaches, and the small village of San Bernardino that appears hanging on the slope above us.
After another short climb, we arrive at the panoramic hamlet of Prevo, a fantastic terrace overlooking the open sea, here of an intense blue colour due to its depth.
Continuing on a slight slope through olive groves and panoramic views, we descend towards Vernazza.
We will be surrounded by lush, fragrant Mediterranean scrub; majestic agaves and prickly pears enrich our descent with vivid colours. We will encounter some of the most beautiful viewpoints of the Cinque Terre (not surprisingly part of the UNESCO World Heritage), especially those over Vernazza and its towers.
From the top of the path it looks like the grey prow of a ship about to set sail into the deep blue Ligurian Sea.
The route ends directly in the centre of the village. Between the sea, the wonderful Church of Santa Margherita, the colourful houses, the narrow streets and alleys full of everyday life, we will be surrounded by small and curious shops and the scents of the tasty Ligurian cuisine.
3 hours
(9-12)
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Length: 4 Km.
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Height difference: 250 metres
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Difficulty: medium