Corniglia (Curnigia in the local dialect) is a hamlet of the municipality of Vernazza, in the province of La Spezia. It is one of the towns that make up the Cinque Terre, one of the most attractive tourist areas of the Ligurian Riviera.
Corniglia is in a central position compared to the other towns of the Cinque Terre. It differs from the other towns of the Cinque Terre in that it is the only village that does not directly overlook the sea, but is located on the top of a promontory about one hundred meters high, surrounded by vineyards placed on characteristic terraces in bands except the side that faces the sea.
To reach Corniglia you need to climb a long staircase called Lardarina, consisting of 33 flights of stairs with 380 steps, or take the road that connects it to the train station. The origins of the village date back to Roman times; the name of the town itself probably derives from Gens Cornelia, the family that owned the land. It is interesting to remember that during the excavations of Pompeii, wine amphorae were found on which the name “Cornelia” appeared. During the Middle Ages, similarly to the nearby villages, it was dominated by the Counts of Lavagna, the Lords of Carpena, and Luni. In 1254 Pope Innocent IV ceded possession of it to Nicolò Fieschi, until 1276 when power passed to Genova.
The entire town extends along the main street, via Fieschi, which leads from the parish of San Pietro to the panoramic terrace of Santa Maria. Directly under the square of the parish church, it is possible to identify on the facade of a house some remains of medieval architecture, including some small sculptures. Continuing along the street, you come across the carriage road, which forms the small square Ciapara (in the local dialect ciapà), beyond which you enter the carrugio of Corniglia. This narrow street leads to the main square of the town, Largo Taragio (in the local dialect er Taragiu), in the center of which is positioned the War Memorial, and dominated by the oratory of Santa Caterina. Behind the church, after a long and steep staircase, you arrive at a small square called “fosso”, from which you can recognize the Tower, the only remaining ruin of the Genoese fortifications dating back to around 1556. Once you climb to the top of what remains of this tower, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the sea and the coast towards Manarola.
Another breathtaking view of the entire Cinque Terre coast can be enjoyed from the Santa Maria terrace (90 meters above sea level, approx.), reachable from Largo Taragio by continuing along via Fieschi. In the corner of the panoramic terrace that looks towards Vernazza there was a small church, which fell into the sea in the mid-nineteenth century. On the same side you can see the small gulf that forms the “Marina di Corniglia”. Also on this side, on the mountains, you can see the sanctuary of Nostra Signora delle Grazie di San Bernardino.
From Largo Taragio, in front of the war memorial, there is also a staircase (via alla Marina) that goes down towards the Corniglia marina. The small and enchanting gulf is characterised by a small port with a few berths for the town’s citizens, enclosed on the left by a small pier that juts out towards the seafront and on the right by the imposing promontory known as the three crosses due to the presence of three crosses in memory of the death of Christ. On the opposite side of this promontory, following the coastline towards Vernazza, you reach the Guvano beach: located under what remains of the railway wall (which now runs inside the mountain, entirely in a tunnel) it can be reached by sea or via the now disused FS tunnel. This stretch of coast is perhaps one of the most beautiful of the entire Cinque Terre coastline, often a destination during the summer for numerous boats and naturist tourism.
Among the important monuments it includes, there is the parish church of San Pietro, a shining example of a Gothic-Ligurian monument from the 14th century, built on the remains of an 11th century chapel and which, after subsequent renovations, has Baroque overlays inside. Behind the high altar you can admire two colorful stained glass windows, the work of the Treviglio artist Trento Longaretti. A building with Gothic arches in black stone, located under the churchyard, is believed to be part of the ancient post station that belonged to the famous Ligurian family of Fieschi.
On June 29, the patron saint, San Pietro, is celebrated. The religious celebrations include the classic procession through the streets of the town, from the Church of S. Pietro to the terrace of Santa Maria. The typical gastronomic specialty of the festival is the rice cake, prepared with rice, cheese, eggs and baked in the oven. Equally typical is the distribution in the square of the Torta dei Fieschi to all the participants in the festival. As in many other Italian towns, on the evening of Good Friday, the typical procession takes place following the statue of the dead Christ, along the main street of the town.