Monesteroli is a tiny rural village between Portovenere and Cinque Terre, consisting of a couple of houses, ancient cellars and rows of vineyards. The peculiarity of this place is that you can only reach it by sea or via the famous Monesteroli stairway.
Also called “la scalinata grande” (or grand staircase), it is made up of 1200 stone steps (each way). There is no railing along the steep descent that leads to the sea. Only the sounds of nature “disturb” the panoramic view of the Cinque Terre coastline and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.
At the end of the steps, you will find a small beach of stones and rocks, ideal for cooling off with a regenerating swim before tackling the ascent. It is essential to keep in mind that you will find no parasols or shade here!
How to reach the Monesteroli Stairway
- To reach the Scalinata di Monesteroli, you can get to Campiglia by car (30 minutes from Portovenere) or use the Atc bus.
- You can follow various well-signposted hiking paths from Campiglia. Path number 535-536 is the one that leads to the large staircase passing through woods and vineyards.
- It is an original and extraordinary hike with breathtaking views, but it must be approached carefully. In fact, it is important to be a little fit and not suffer from dizziness. Equally important is to avoid the hottest hours of the day (especially in the summer months) and to have water, a hat and sunscreen with you.
To walk the steps, it takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes downhill and almost 2 hours uphill.
Before leaving on a trip, check the Cinque Terre National Park website to see if there are any reports on weather conditions or the opening/closing of paths.
