Liguria

Liguria is facing the Tyrrhenian Sea and is shaped as an imposing arc, with the Gulf of Genoa in its center. It is a mountainous and hilly region, which includes part of the Maritime Alps and the Ligurian Apennines. The region is divided in two sections: the Riviera di Ponente (to the west), from Ventimiglia to Genoa, and the Riviera di Levante (to the east), from Genoa to La Spezia. The terminal strip of the Riviera di Levante is known as "Le Cinque Terre" (the Five Lands) and still today represents a beautiful example of intact landscape.The regional capital is Genoa, which has the country’s largest commercial port and largest naval port. Other important cities are Imperia, Savona and La Spezia.

Like so much of Italy, Liguria is a land of contrasts, home to belle époque seaside resort towns in the style of Cannes and Monaco, like Portofino, Rapallo, San Remo and Portovenere with dozens and dozens of sandy strands, rocky coves and pebbly beaches.  

GENOVA is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in all of Italy, wonderfully situated on the Italian Riviera, in northwest Italy on the Ligurian Sea. It is a major seaport in Italy and is one of the leading ports in the Mediterranean. With its natural harbor and the mountains to protect it, Genoa rose to prominence as a sea based power. Genoa attracts visitors from all over the world each year. Many people say that Genoa has the largest and most historic city center in all of Europe mainly composed of medieval narrow alleyways with dozens of churches and museums along the way. The Lanterna, located on the harbor of Genoa, is one of the most magnificent lighthouses in all of Italy. Genoa is a city proud of its history and legends.  The places of the Via Balbi and Via Garibaldi, and the paintings and sculptures dotted around the city in churches and museums, are among the finest in northwestern Italy.

IMPERIA consist of the two historical districts Porto Maurizio and Oneglia, divided by the River Impero, which gives the city its name. Imperia is well known for its floriculture and olive industries, and is a popular tourist destination for maritime visitors in summer.

SAVONA is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea, at sea-level.

LA SPEZIA owes most of its development to the 1860s, when the Naval Arsenal was built here. It is still a heavily naval town, although its proximity to such beautiful tourist destinations as the Cinque Terre, and its mild climate have given it some appeal to holidaymakers. The town centre is pleasant; and although it's not a striking tourist destination in itself, La Spezia is well-connected by transport and makes a good, affordable base for exploring this part of the Italian Riviera.

PORTOFINO is the most exclusive harbour in Italy, crammed with the yachts of the wealthy.  You can reach Portofino by road or by boat from the resort of Santa Margherita. Portofino is very small; the little streets leading up from the harbour can be explored in very little time. As well as expensive boutiques, there are cheaper souvenir shops and also general stores. Via Roma leads upwards from the harbour and is the busiest street, with a range of shops. The pretty Piazzetta by the harbour is lined with cafe and restaurant tables making it a lovely place to relax. Wandering the waterfront and the lanes, you'll find yachting boutiques, jewelers and art galleries.

RAPALLO is a major seaside resort on the Ligurian Sea and on the Italian Riviera. From the promenade, walking between palm and olive-trees, you can enjoy a wonderful view of the whole bay. Facing the town, you see the beautiful colored buildings housing cafés, hotels and restaurants, while on the other side is the sea, the Castle and the port.

SAN REMO is the capital town of the Italian Riviera. Its views are extremely suggestive and its architecture and landscape make of this strip of land expanding up to the French boundary a real pearl of Italy. San Remo lies in a wide inlet between Capo Nero and Capo Verde.

The city is famous for its Casino, which was built in 1905 and is the undisputed realm of green cloth, roulette, and slot machines lovers. Several selected shows are held in San Remo every year. The Italian Song Festival is but a clear example.

San Remo is also called the Town of Flowers, its flowers are well-known all over the world -and this can be clearly seen in its luxuriant gardens, its colorful flowerbeds, and in the town parks where tropical plants flourish.

PORTOVENERE is named after Venus herself; it is one of the most romantic villages on the Ligurian coast. Situated near the southern border of Liguria, Porto Venere guards the mouth of the Golfo dei Poeti (Gulf of Poets).

LE CINQUE TERRE is a marvelous tourist destination featuring five seaside villages at the foot of terraced hills that fall steeply toward the sea. It is a wonderful place to enjoy the fabulous vista by hiking amongst the vineyards and olive groves above the villages.

The five villages that make up the Cinque Terre, from north to south are: Monte al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Levanto is the next town north of the Cinque Terre; Portovenere, to the south.

GETTING AROUND If you keep the the coast, transport in Liguria is straightforward. The A10-E80 motorway, becoming the A12-E80 at Genoa, and a mainline railway hug the shore from the French border to Tuscany. The main station along the route are at Ventimiglia, San Remo, Imperia, Savona Genoa and La Spezia. They are good road and rail links between Genoa, Milan and Turin.