MONESTEROLI
Index of information on Monesteroli:
- The village
- Map of Monesteroli
- How to get there
- Parking
- Monesteroli Beach
- Security
The village
Inside the Cinque Terre National Park, but in the municipality of La Spezia, it is found clinging to the cliff Monesteroli. Almost uninhabited, the village can only be reached by a long and steep staircase of a thousand and more steps. Most of the houses are abandoned, they were the cellars in which the grapes were vinified, while others have been recovered as holiday homes.
Monesteroli can be reached by taking the Monesteroli staircase or Scala Grande, made up of more than a thousand steps in sandstone, of different heights, which descends steeply for more than 400 meters.
Map of Monesteroli
How to get there
To get there, it is possible to follow various paths that all connect with the path 536 (Bivio 504-Monesteroli).
A first option is the path 535 Campiglia-Monesteroli, approx. an hour and a half/two hours of travel, passing by the fountain of Nozzano, built at the behest of Napoleon in 1805, to quench the thirst of the troops encamped nearby. After arriving at the small village, you can go down to the sea, with many precautions due to the instability of the area, suitable only for the most experienced. Between Monesteroli and the beach there are 30-40 meters in altitude, it is an area subject to landslides.
Google Street View has mapped the entire trail.
Start of path 535 in Campiglia:
A second option is the path 504 Biassa-Sant'Antonio-Schiara, which descends from the west towards Monesteroli, joining precisely with the 536.
Where to park
The best option is to leave the car in Campiglia. There are several parking lots along both sides of the road before reaching the town. The road is not very big, be careful. Just before the village, the parking is for residents only, in any case it is signposted.
For the rest, access to Campiglia by car is also for residents only, if you are wrong, you can maneuver in the small square of the church, despite the limited space.
Monesteroli Beach
Monesteroli beach is rocky, without shade, with the Montonaio rock in front of a step from the coast, vaguely reminiscent of the Fegina rock in Monterosso. As indicated above, be very careful when descending.
Security
In fact it is very important to prepare well to walk this path and the staircase. Some advices:
