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Monterosso (in olden times "Mons Ruber" because of the reddish colour of its rocky soil) is the most western village of the Cinque Terre, formed by two different centres at the bottom of a narrow valley.
At Monterosso there are still some old buildings, but hotels and nice little houses have been built lately. The village is situated between two inlets, both covered with houses, olive groves, lemon trees, vines and ending with sands.
The modern center is developed around the rain station. The old centre, with the houses leaning one against the other, is climbing on the hill.
The old fishermen houses cluster round the picturesque beach of "Marina Piccola", while the new buildings face the bay of "Fegina": in summer lots of bathing huts, sunshades and bathers are to be seen on the beach. The quait "Agavi" promenade is so called after the name of the trees thriving along the sides of the road.

To visit:

The parish church of St. John the Baptist
built in the XIII century (1282 - 1307) in Romanesque gothic-Ligurian style has a wonderful front built with a green and white stones. The precious rose-window is attribuited to Pietro and matteo from Campiglio. The church has three naves. The bell-tower itself had a defensive use. It has an imbattled edge with a square basement and it stands by itself, detached from the church. It was built before it.

The Monastery of the Capuchins Frairs
from Monterosso, walking along a pedestrian road you can reach the Monastery, built on XVII century (1618 - 1623). In the Capuchins church and in their monastery there are some important paintings: a crucifixion by Van Dyck is to be found.

The Ancient Fieschi Castle
from Monterosso, walking along a pedestrian road you can reach the relics of a Castle, on the St. Cristopher hill.

The Shrine of Soviore (il Santuario di Soviore)
: Monterosso posses the most famous shrine of all the 5 Terre's shrines, which is poised on the ridge which divides the valley of Levanto from those of Vernazza. It is situated near "Albereto" and was the matrix of the present Monterosso.


Excursions

From Monterosso to Soviore (Our Lady of Soviore's Sanctuary): Path n.9
The path starts from the ancient nucleus of Monterosso near the White Brtotherhood's oratory and at once it goes up the flight of steps.
The sandstone pavement looks intact, particularly where the flight of steeps gets larger to shelter a little altar surmounted by a big wrought iron crucifix.
After having crossed the asphalted road, path n.9 goes up to the wood, meeting here and there steps and landings formed by stones of exceptional dimension.
On the right, in the middle of the wood you can find a little fountain.
More ahead there is a sheltered place of prayer for the wayfarer when caught by bad weather. More ahead there is the legendary little Chapel of "the Finding": in that place, according a popular tale, a white dove guided a priest to discover a wooden little statue representing the Holy Virgin, concealed by the refugees from Albereto at the time of Rotari's Longobard invasion.
They dedicated to the Madonna the Sanctuary which was built a short distance.

From Monterosso to St. Antonio of Mesco: Path n. 10
It starts from Fegina ( a residential quarter of Monterosso, just behind the beach between the Giant and Autora Tower).The path passes behind The Giant, near the villa where the poet Montale Eugenio used to spend his "faraway summers".
The very steep path crosses in its initial section, reaching a carriage road which serves the "Hotel Suisse" over Mesco Cliff.
The path covers a short section of Mesco Cliff, then it pass in front of the Hotel and goes on through the Mediterranean bush.
The exsausting slope ends on a flat piece of land which in a few minutes goes to the branch to St. Antony of Mesco archeological place.