Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre village situated on a rock promontory over the sea. The village lays at 100 m. altitude and is surrounded by vineyards. Corniglia can be reached from Volastra in a hour and a half with an easy and fascinating path which runs through woods and vineyards.

The village has roman origins ( the village's name stems from Gens Cornelia, the roman family which owned the area).

The village's main street is named Via Fieschi. On the one side houses face the main street and the other they face the sea. At the end of Via Fieschi there is a terrace from which people can see all the other four villages.

On the eastern side Corniglia has a long rocky beach and on the western one it has a small slipway. Guvano, a world-wide famous   isolated nudist beach, can be reached with a 30 minute long path.