Monterosso al Mare
|
Latest page update: 3 November 2024
|
By Dion Protani
|
|
Of the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre, Monterosso al Mare is the best-suited to a holiday. Not only does it have a larger population than the other four, it also has a larger centre and various beaches.
The brightly-coloured village centre is both aesthetically beautiful and practical at the same time with plenty of places to eat, drink and shop while the beaches come with crystalline water. There are two distinct areas of Monterosso al Mare; if you arrive by train, you'll come out at the beach resort known as Fegina. |
|
Related links
Fegina
You'll have seen photos of the Cinque Terre before planning a visit and Fegina might leave you questioning whether or not you're in the right place as its somewhat out of step with the rest of the area. It is, however, Fegina that turns Monterosso al Mare into a practical seaside town with good facilities including a long stretch of sandy beach. It is this that sets Monterosso al Mare apart from the four other villages and makes it the most popular of the five in terms of accommodation.
From Fegina and the area of the train station, it's just a short and pleasant walk to the more characteristic area of the town. Fegina and Monterosso are split by a headland. At the top of the headland sits the complex of the Convento dei Cappuccini from which you'll get some of the best views of the town.
The convent complex is accessed via a series of steps that lead up the rock from the main seaside path. From up there you get wonderful views down to the port area and town to the east of the headland or back across to Fegina in the opposite direction.
From Fegina and the area of the train station, it's just a short and pleasant walk to the more characteristic area of the town. Fegina and Monterosso are split by a headland. At the top of the headland sits the complex of the Convento dei Cappuccini from which you'll get some of the best views of the town.
The convent complex is accessed via a series of steps that lead up the rock from the main seaside path. From up there you get wonderful views down to the port area and town to the east of the headland or back across to Fegina in the opposite direction.
Views from the Torre Aurora
Of course there's no obligation to climb all the way up to the convent complex; you can still take the gentler incline around the headland, passing the Torre Aurora, a former watchtower used to defend against raiding Saracen pirates, before emerging at the town's main port area. Here the layout is slightly different to the beach resort of Fegina; there is still a beach at the front of the town (mainly pebbles) but enclosed on both sides by a headland to create a pretty bay.
Behind the beach is the most bustling area of the town; walk under the railway arches and you arrive at Piazza Garibaldi, the main square of Monterosso. Apart from the shops, cafes and restaurants, the main attraction here is the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista. From Piazza Garibaldi you can see the church's bell tower with the old market building (market day is every Thursday) just in front of it, while the main entrance is at the opposite end and memorable for its black and white-striped facade in the typical Ligurian Gothic style.
Behind the beach is the most bustling area of the town; walk under the railway arches and you arrive at Piazza Garibaldi, the main square of Monterosso. Apart from the shops, cafes and restaurants, the main attraction here is the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista. From Piazza Garibaldi you can see the church's bell tower with the old market building (market day is every Thursday) just in front of it, while the main entrance is at the opposite end and memorable for its black and white-striped facade in the typical Ligurian Gothic style.
Exploring the Cinque Terre
Continue beyond the church to Via Roma which leads away from the beach and is full of interesting shops and further places to eat. The streets are made up of an intricate web of buildings painted in pastel shades, creating a mesmerising effect.
You can get some of the best photos of the town centre and the bay by taking the footpath that heads east along the seafront and then climbs towards the Hotel Punta Roca. Many people will pass this point anyway as it's part of the main 'Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Trail) footpath that connects Monterosso al Mare with the next of the Cinque Terre villages to its east: Vernazza.
From the port of Monterosso you can sail to three of the other four villages (Corniglia is the only one that doesn't have a port), or to some of the nearby towns that many people choose as bases from which to explore the region.
The larger towns of Rapallo and La Spezia offer a wider and more competitive choice of accommodation than the Cinque Terre; they're both to the east of Monterosso al Mare, in the Gulf of Poets, while just a short distance to the west of the town and much closer, is the beautiful seaside town of Levanto.
You can get some of the best photos of the town centre and the bay by taking the footpath that heads east along the seafront and then climbs towards the Hotel Punta Roca. Many people will pass this point anyway as it's part of the main 'Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Trail) footpath that connects Monterosso al Mare with the next of the Cinque Terre villages to its east: Vernazza.
From the port of Monterosso you can sail to three of the other four villages (Corniglia is the only one that doesn't have a port), or to some of the nearby towns that many people choose as bases from which to explore the region.
The larger towns of Rapallo and La Spezia offer a wider and more competitive choice of accommodation than the Cinque Terre; they're both to the east of Monterosso al Mare, in the Gulf of Poets, while just a short distance to the west of the town and much closer, is the beautiful seaside town of Levanto.
Transport options
Mode of transport is a key consideration with all of the Cinque Terre villages. Car really isn't a practical option as the roads are so narrow, even treacherous in places and when you arrive at the villages you'll be in the minority if you find a parking space.
So the three options are to walk using one of the approved trails (the aforementioned blue trail is the most popular and takes around 5 hours west to east from Monterosso to Riomaggiore), one of the ferry options to the major towns nearby, or train.
Rail really is a great option for exploring the Cinque Terre; the train stations are all centrally-located (with the exception of Corniglia which requires a bit of a walk/climb or bus), and the trains run regularly. If you're so inclined or pushed for time, you can easily visit each of the five towns in one day, starting at Levanto train station to the west or from La Spezia at the eastern end.
So the three options are to walk using one of the approved trails (the aforementioned blue trail is the most popular and takes around 5 hours west to east from Monterosso to Riomaggiore), one of the ferry options to the major towns nearby, or train.
Rail really is a great option for exploring the Cinque Terre; the train stations are all centrally-located (with the exception of Corniglia which requires a bit of a walk/climb or bus), and the trains run regularly. If you're so inclined or pushed for time, you can easily visit each of the five towns in one day, starting at Levanto train station to the west or from La Spezia at the eastern end.
Comune di Monterosso al Mare
|
Province: La Spezia
Region: Liguria Population: 1,371 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 11 km² Maximum elevation: 12 metres Highlights: Convent, beaches, churches, old town, port Close by: La Spezia, Riomaggiore, Vernazza, Tellaro Recommended hotel: Stella della Marina |
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Year: 1997
Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Year: 1997
