Path n. 6d – 7a from Volastra to Corniglia

Path 6d is the trail that from Volastra reaches Case Pianca and then Corniglia through path 7a. This trail is one of the most spectacular and well maintained throughout the National Park of Cinque Terre.
It is a very pleasant walk of about 1 hour and 15 minutes all together.
The trail starts from the square of the Romanesque church of Volastra, built in the X century. This sanctuary is dedicated to Our Lady of Health and right where the trail starts there is a beautiful sandstone block with an iron cross, expertly worked by the artists of that time.
A hundred meters after leaving the village of Volastra you will be immediately captivated by the view of the coast overlooking Manarola on your left and Corniglia on your right.As you proceed the path leads to the most cultivated area of the Cinque Terre where the two famous coastlines of “Valle dei Pozzi” and “Posa” are located. From the grapes grown in these areas of Cinque Terre a special wine of superior quality called “Costa da ‘ Posa di Volastra” is produced.
Walking through these hills you can appreciate the beautiful architecture that consists of thousands of stone walls supporting the hill that slopes sharply to the sea. Right here were installed the first two monorail racks that can transport grapes, stones and more from the lower part of the valley up to the road.
Leaving the coast of the “Posa” you will step into the very small village of Porciana, which possibly is also of Roman origin, consisting of stone houses partially renovated. From there you may enjoy a breathtaking sea-view.
After a half-an-hour walk, you pass another monorail junction and you will find a crossway, with trail 7a which leads up towards San Bernardino and then to path n. 1 that leads up to the ridge, while going down to the left you will reach Corniglia.
After passing through a forest of pine trees you will get behind the town of Corniglia where the terraces are mainly planted with olive trees.
The arrival in Corniglia is spectacular and you get right on the back of the church of St. Peter, in Gothic-Genoese style dating back to 1350 built on the remains of an earlier building dating from the twelfth century.
The facade of the building is embellished with a splendid rosette in white Carrara marble and a bas-relief depicting a deer, symbol of the village.
If you pass through the village you will reach the square of Santa Maria which has a fantastic lookout point over the entire coastline of the Cinque Terre, from Riomaggiore to Monterosso.
From Corniglia you can then walk to Vernazza hiking path n. 2 in about 1 hour and a half or walk down to the train station in 10 minutes or in 5 minutes by shuttle bus.