Beautiful Things to See in Monterosso al Mare – Cinque Terre

Post author:Traveler with a Map
Post published:August 3, 2019
Post category:Blog / Cinque Terre / International Travel / Italy

Monterosso al Mare - Cinque Terre

Monterosso al Mare is the largest of the Cinque Terre villages with a population of about 1,500 residents. It is also the only town with an extensive beach. While it’s frequently referred to as a resort town, Monterosso still preserves its small town character. Although rows of umbrellas line the beach, there are no large hotels obscuring the natural beauty of the area. The beach is lovely with white pebbles and turquoise waters.

Monterosso - the beach area

There is a nice pedestrian promenade along the beach with beautiful bougainvillea flowers and oleander trees. A number of cafes and restaurants line the street inviting visitors in.

Many people come to Monterosso for the beach but the town has other attractions to offer as well. Monterosso is divided into two parts: the old town and the resort section (community of Fegina). They’re connected by a tunnel.

Monterosso - the old town

The old part of Monterosso charms visitors with its lovely narrow streets, pastel colored houses, and lemon trees – so characteristic of this area. Although there aren’t any big museums to see, several sites are worth a stop.

As you enter the town from the Sentiero Azzuro Vernazza-Monterosso trail, you’ll find yourself right in the main square on Piazza Garibaldi. Here, in addition to several cafes, you will find the Town Hall of Monterosso as well as a statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Not far from there, along Via Roma, you’ll walk upon a very distinctive church- Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista. It is a medieval church with lovely stripes of white and black marble.

Lovely views

For spectacular views of Monterosso and the rugged coastline climb up the San Cristoforo hill. Here, you will find the Aurora Tower which served as a watchtower against the pirates in the past. A lovely Capuchin Monastery is here as well with a beautiful statue of Saint Francis with a dog visible from afar.

If you look closely towards the north end of the beach you may notice a remarkable statue of the Giant built into the rock in the harbor. The statue portrays Neptun, the god of the sea, who at one point was holding a trident and a seashell in his hands. Unfortunately, the statue was partially destroyed during the bombings of WWII and the Giant is now without arms. The statue is currently under scaffolding but keep an eye out for it. It is quite remarkable, I hear.

A final word

Although Monterosso does not get as great of reviews as Vernazza or Manarola, I really liked it. I’m not sure whether I would choose it over Vernazza as a home base but it’s certainly a wonderful town to visit. And, especially after hiking the trail, its beaches offer a welcome respite from the heat.