A Guide To Monterosso al Mare

The first thing you need to know about Monterosso al Mare is that it is all about the sea and having fun in water….and lots of beach space to lay your towel…..something you won’t find in the other four Cinque Terre villages.

The second thing you should know about Monterosso al Mare is that fun in water and other activities are just the tip of the ice berg to your titanic.

Monterosso al Mare is like the first port of call to an epic adventure laid out for you. There is swimming, diving, snorkeling, and boating trips in some of the bluest and freshest waters in the world.

Sightseeing on foot and bike across some of the friendliest and scenic streets.

Food, drink, cooking and wine classes, and crafting classes on every subject from making gelato, wine tasting, to making your own original, hand-made perfumes.

Walking tours into deep caverns filled with lights and rocks are one thing, but coupled with a dive into the culture and history of the Italian Liguria region, you get an interesting blend of nature and nurture unlike what you can find anywhere else in Tuscany.

From Gladiator (2000) to The Italian Job (2003), to the re-imagination of Shakespeare’s very own Much Ado About Nothing (2003), film makers and producers set their minds on the Tuscan region, and it was not simply because of the food, architecture, old history about the region. It was about the rolling hills filled with vineyards, the epic expanse of green, brown, sky and sea, and the wholesome panorama that a single viewpoint can offer.

My hope is to convince you that scheduling a trip to Monterosso al Mare first on your list in the Cinque Terre region – or last because it does not matter – could just be the smartest qand best experience you could go for.

Why Tour Monterosso al Mare?

1. Boat Tours

The answer to this question lies in the water.

When we went for Monterosso al Mare, we aimed for the boating experience…and it was what we hoped to get. And more.

There we were, the waters choppy and the gangplank aimed right at Monterosso al Mare’s port. To the far left we can see this cream and gold building perched high about the cliff. Below are other buildings, looking as if they were hewn right into the cliff wall like some of those old monasteries you see in epic medieval films. To the left of the port are rolling hills, green-covered and filled with terraces and vineyards.

Just below your eye is the most startling blue of water you have ever seen. I didn’t even mind the water sprays thrown up by wind and propeller. All that was in my mind was the thought of how later we would set off on another boating ride around the coast.

Much of the coast is rocky and unfriendly to casual swimmers. But what you miss out in one thing, you gain loads more in another. The Waters around the Cinque Terre villages, Monterosso al Mare’s coastal line in particular, is filled with caves, caverns, and quiet spots hidden from sight. Just the experience of a private boat ride into one of these caves, some wine in hand, was enough to cap off our trip to Monterosso al Mare.

2. Snorkeling and Swimming

The snorkeling in Monterosso al Mare can be extremely fun, entertaining, and educational.

If you arranged for a local to guide you, you will find they are experienced in the waters and marine life around Monterosso al Mare.

For one, the sea urchin – what locals called ricci di mare – were legion! At first, I feared that the shallow waters would leave me with stings all over my feet, but we saw many of the sea urchin were within recesses in the coral. Maybe they adapted to the human presence around Monterosso al Mare waters?

Ha!

Salpa were in plenty. Salpa are these small, near translucent fish that have such a reputation for causing dream like states that Arabs call them “the fish that makes dreams.” Unlike the respectful sea urchins that keep out of the way, these salpa swim really close to you, daring you to take a bite at them.

There were so many fish species it is impossible to take count. Their colors were vivid yellows and cream and gold. I think the main inspiration for how the Liguria region colors their houses comes from the marnie life around them.

Octopi hid in many recesses in the bottom, shyly glancing out with their big black eyes to make sure we didn’t have a net around us or something, the smart little fellows.

No sharks though; the waters are too shallow for them.

What I loved most about this adventure was how the waters were shallow enough that sun light struck the bottom, illuminating this small underwater kingdom for our eyes. Yet, the blue of the sea remains strong, painting the whole place.

3. Beaches

Absolutely the number one reason Monterosso al Mare is ranked first in terms of swimming opportunities!

First off, it has the longest beach among the Cinque Terre five.

Secondly, where the other beaches are rocky and uncomfortable, Monterosso al Mare has ze most sandy sand beaches you will find anywhere.

Remember what I said about water being Monterosso al Mare’s chief selling point?

You pass through this long tunnel, linking the Old Town to the new Monterosso al Mare. I liked the tunnel because there were these small windows displaying various marine life around Monterosso al Mare and primed me for the swimming later.

You exit the tunnel onto a footpath with guardrails against the sea below. To the far right is the beach and already you can see huge crowds, beach chairs and towels on the sand, restaurants and cafes along the beach front.

I think most were like us, visiting the beach just to get a feel for what the waters around here were like. Many were back packers and hikers trying out the Cinque Terre’s other major attraction.

4. Hiking

There are a number of options when thinking about hiking in Monterosso al Mare.

The main is the Sentiero Azzuro aka The Blue Path from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore. Here’s my Hiking Cinque Terre Blue Trail article to give you a more in-depth guide while visiting.

The Blue Trail starts from Monterosso Al Mare, the newer and more crowded half of Monterosso al Mare. Best plan is to start this adventure early enough because you are mostly alone – and very very safe – along the path. Once through the tunnel, you walk along this path by the sea that is protected by a low stone wall and metal rails. To your left are these metal meshing that keep the rocks from causing more damage to the trail.

They have ticket booths along the path where you can pay if you didn’t get a ticket earlier on. Touring this part of Italy can be expensive, but also because it is very costly to maintain. The rock slides have actually destroyed much of the Blue Trail so please help maintain this adventurous part of the world with your help.

The good thing about the Monterosso al Mare – Vernazza section is the calming blue waters to your right, and the sea breeze slashing in every time you build up a sweat.

The bad thing is the sweat. The climb is steep, going from 3.5 m at the bottom to as high as 200 m.

The good thing – again – is there are sections where the incline levels off before you mount some steps.

The bad thing is some of these steps can go forever! They were a strain on our quads but we had a secret advantage that allowed us to power through and add our names to the list of hikers…

The scenes are gorgeous!

The steps are hewn into the countryside and hill, looking so natural you would not be far wrong to think they were naturally formed. Plus, what guardrails you encounter were wooden, again, maintaining the natural look. All around you are woods and flowers and beautiful rock bridges spanning gulleys and water streams.

The closest reference I can use to describe the adventure is the Lord of the Rings, from when the companions are crossing the continent through the Elven realm of Lothrien. It is that green, wholesomely quiet, adventurous, and epic.

We couldn’t help but try out Monterosso al Mare proper just to see whether she was as epic as her trails suggested.

Seeing Monterosso al Mare Through Her History

1. Monumento a San Francesco d’Assisi

One of the best – if not the best – viewpoints in Monterosso al Mare. It looks out over the Old Town, the towering hills, and a section of the blue waters out and below.

Getting there was slightly hard. First, you get to the tunnel and to your left is the path upwards hidden by some buildings. After a steep but okay climb you reach up at the bronze statue.

The statue is bronze and life-sized, and shows St. Francis of Assissi taming a wolf and opjnting out to sea. The wolf appreciates it; the sea out there is enough to tame the most savage amongst us!

2. Church of San Francesco – Capuchin Friars Monastery

Just next to the statue is this church from 1618. I liked how the colors of the church – black and white – were a contrast from the plain grey rock of the cliffs around, to say nothing of the bright Liguria colors of the buildings, or the sea beyond. Its like it set itself aside from the rest of the world deliberately. It is on a promontory, itself a place set aside from the rest.

Then inside, you are thrown off for a loop by the brightness of the paints and candle light. The short climb made us breath heavily for a bit, but then the calming scene of the paintings set us down so softly we almost forgot the climb. Then the priest were another surprise with how friendly and welcoming they were to us.

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3. Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista

The oldest part of Monterosso al Mare at circa 1244 and 1307, the Church was built in the Gothic period as can be seen from the pointed arches. There are ribbed vaults as well, although the remodeling of the Church after the Baroque fashion is what struck me the most. Like the Friar Monastery, this Church is a work in contrasts. Inside the columns and arches are stripped in white and black, but the inner nave, benches, paintings and statues of Mary, Jesus, and the Saints are a clash of vivid colors and lifeness.

4. Walking Through Monterosso al Mare’s Streets

Monterosso al Mare’s streets were something of an adventure. There are several statues that have their own stories to tell. Il Gigante is the most interesting, looking like Atlas bearing the weight of the world. It is found at the end of Fegina Beach and used to represent the God of water with trident in hand. Hard times have befallen the ancient god, what with submarines all over the place, people fallen from the old religion; the god’s powers have fallen and what he once commanded destroyed his arms in a storm way back in 1966.

The Monumento a Giuseppe Garibaldi is an interesting addition to Monterosso al Mare’s main square. The charismatic father of modern Italy is a primer to the adventurous spirit to be found ni Monterosso al Mare. He is on foot, rather than a horse, sports a bandana around his neck is poses saucily – if the word can be used on a man – with hand on hip.

5. Festivals

So, we were not lucky enough to be in Monterosso al Mare during a festival, but they sounded like a really big deal. These festivals are basically holiday periods celebrated during the Spring and Summer and in some ways, are part and parcel of Monterosso al Mare’s history. There are legion; Monterosso al Mare is old, and Italy is older. The number of festivals is beyond count if you include the Catholic festivals, and if you are lucky enough to encounter one of the more ‘pagan’ festivals like Bastionne then you are in for a treat.

Here are some I felt were worth mentioning. We arrived at a sort of in-between time because we wanted to avoid the huge crowds, but if you are patient and adventurous enough, you are bound to hit one at the right moment.

The Fiesta di lemoni, or the lemon festival, is encountered in May and is a celebration centered around just how much lemon the region produces. There are several recipes of gelato surrounding lemon by the way, and fortunately, we did not have to wait for the holiday to come around for us to partake.

The Corpus Domini is a June Catholic holiday that consists of a procession through the village. In Monterosso al Mare, this particular holiday is a really big deal because the residents flood the alleys, main square, and their own terraces with intricately designed murals and arrangements of flower petals, leaves, twigs, seeds, salt and sawdust. What I liked about the idea is the freshness of the event in that the materials, like the fish and other gastronomic delights in Monterosso al Mare al Mare, are sourced directly from the village’s hills and beaches and surroundings.

Another June festival is the Fried Anchovy festival which, as you rightfully guessed, centers around anchovies, a local product with centuries of traditional, local, and private recipes designed over time.

6. Wine Tours and Tasting

Wine tastings can be had at a number of places in Monterosso al Mare al Mare, the biggest of the five villages. There are a number of the more popular wine tasting joints and classes you can try out such as the Canterina Sassini, Buranco Winery, Vetua’s,and the Enoteca Internazionale.

For this region of the Italian Riviera, we are talking about Cinque Terre white wine DOCs and Sciacchetra. They usually serve some crostini, cantucci, focaccia, and salami alongside some wines, but these are just appetizers in my opinion. What interested me was the differences in wine making philosophies and ideas some of the wine makers in Monterosso al Mare have developed personally or through their families. Some are purists and only blend using local products, others mix reds from other regions, some, like at Vetua’s, even produce event wines you can only get at certain times of the year.

Finally, Monterosso al Mare can serve as a staging post for explorations of other Cinque Terre places in Tuscany. From there, you can try out wine tasting in Florence, La Spezia and others while pivoting around Monterosso al Mare. I felt this was somewhat expensive since it is cheaper to book hotels in the larger towns, but the views and activities Monterosso al Mare offers in return is spiritually rewarding in of itself.

Eating in Monterosso al Mare

Eating in Monterosso al Mare is another way to have an adventure because many places are small mom and pop operations that cannot cater to large crowds. What they give instead is loads of love and uniqueness from family recipes created and perfected over time.

1. Ristorante Via Venti was an interesting experience with the pear pasta and quiet setting, to say nothing of the anchovies and swordfish.

2. Da Eraldo made us book in advance, but the carbonara and calamari with the outside view was worth the long wait.

3. La Cantina del Pescatore was something of a specialty service because of their vegan and gluten free options, but I also sampled some of the tuna salad. What I liked about the place was the quiet of the street (Via Vittorio Emanuele), a wonderful side mission when out exploring the alleys of Monterosso al Mare.

4. Torre Aurora Mare Cucina on the Via Bastione might have had the best viewpoint with their terrace. The spacing was tight, but the sea expanse freed our souls. I would advice going for the cocktails in the evening, and booking in advance just in case.

Where to Stay in Monterosso al Mare

1. Hotel Villa Adriana is very close to the train station with the added advantage of not losing their ‘nature adventure’ aesthete. They had this wonderful garden filled with hibiscus flowers – I think – and palm trees and from the balconies in the rooms you are surrounded by the green hills, palm trees, and the idea that you are in Galadriel’s tree-borne home.

2. Hotel Baia goes the other way; they are a sea front hotel and went for that modern aesthetic of that neat, clean accommodations for those more interested in the world outside than for rest and calm within their rooms.

3. Affittacamere Lo Scoglio (Guesthouse) was this guesthouse that drew my eyes while out investigating Monterosso al Mare. It is a bit far from the sea front, but high up enough to offer a great and panoramic view of the beach and cliffs to the right. The best and worst part about it was the terrazzo commune or common terrace so I’m thinking group tours will best enjoy this one.

4. La Pavona Villa Luxury Collection was quite far from the village main square and I only stumbled on to the place while on the Via Privata Montale. It was very quiet, and the beach beds they had in their garden looked out over the hills, making me feel I was resting in Galadriel’s garden before setting off on the hike. Very accommodating staff too!

5. Hotel Margherita was unfortunately full and we hadn’t booked ahead as advised because we had other plans. It is smack in the middle of the village and from the size of the dining room, should be the first choice for many groups looking to stay and move together.

How to Get to Monterosso al Mare

1. Ferry and Boat

A rather good choice if you are out more for fun than travel. The ferry services are many, with the main one from La Spezia being very regular. Ferry services are halted during rough weather so…

Rent a private boat for serious adventure!

2. Train

Main mode of access to Monterosso al Mare. The main trains also come in from Genoa, Milan, Florence and Pisa, the main airports into the region. They take several hours to get to Monterosso, depending on the origin, and from 8-17€. Most drop you off at La Spezia before connecting to Monterosso and the rest of the villages, so be sure to go for a Cinque Terre Treno Card for the cheapest fare to visit all five villages.

3. Car

Like the others, Monterosso frowns on private cars on her streets. Unlike the rest of the Cinque Terre villages, Monterosso has car parking available at Loreto and Fegina. This might be because of the high number of tourists visiting only for the beaches in the region. They charge up to 25 euro a day for parking, and parking space is limited so opt for other modes of travel.

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