July 30, 2025, 5:15 am | Read time: 13 minutes
An Underrated Gem: With more than 300 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline, mountains up to 2,200 meters high, and many picturesque villages, Liguria is one of the most diverse vacation regions in Italy. TRAVELBOOK visited Liguria and presents some of the most beautiful travel destinations.
The clear waters off Sicily, the unique charm of Venice, and the impressive history of Rome: Italy undoubtedly offers a variety of dream vacation regions. One that is often still underestimated is Liguria. The region stretches from the border with France and the Principality of Monaco to Tuscany and is divided into four provinces: Imperia, Savona, Genoa, and La Spezia. The coast between Ventimiglia and Genoa is called the Riviera di Ponente, and the one between Genoa and La Spezia is called the Riviera di Levante. The vacation area around San Remo and Imperia is sometimes also referred to as the Flower Riviera (Riviera dei Fiori). No matter which region you travel to–you can look forward to authentic Italy. Which places are particularly worthwhile: an overview.
Overview
Riviera di Ponente in Liguria
The Riviera di Ponente in Liguria offers a variety of vacation spots. Traditional strongholds include San Remo, Alassio, and Finale Ligure. Imperia and its surroundings are also particularly popular with families. A particularly charming town west of Genoa is Noli in the province of Savona.
Beautiful Vacation Spots on the Riviera di Ponente
San Remo
San Remo is located just about 20 kilometers from the border with the Principality of Monaco. The Ligurian seaside resort attracted tourists as early as the 19th century: More than 25 hotels and hundreds of villas existed back then. Alongside Portofino and Portovenere, San Remo is still considered a meeting place for the rich and famous. Princes and kings vacationed during the so-called Belle Époque on the Flower Riviera. Although its glamorous reputation has somewhat faded, the spa town remains popular with sailors, older vacationers, and families.
For more than 100 years, the “Casinò Sanremo” has resided in a magnificent Art Nouveau palace in the city. The casino remains a meeting point for the jet set, similar to its rival establishment in Monte Carlo in the nearby Principality of Monaco. On any given evening, vast fortunes can change hands there. Of course, San Remo, with its charming old town, picturesque waterfront promenade, and surrounding beaches, is also perfect for a summer vacation. Numerous providers of vacation homes and apartments vie for tourists’ favor each year. As is the case almost everywhere in Italy, July and August are the most sought-after travel months.
Also interesting: The 10 Most Beautiful Beaches in Liguria
Alassio
Alassio, like San Remo and Portofino, was already a popular vacation spot for the jet set in the 1960s. Even today, many smaller hotels and apartment buildings can be found directly on the beach in the town located between Imperia and Genoa. The Riviera shore is firmly in the hands of sunshade renters and beach club owners in the summer. However, as is customary in Italy, there is at least one free and publicly accessible beach section in Alassio. Although Alassio is a classic seaside resort that is typically fully booked in July and August, it also traditionally attracts many vacationers in spring and fall.
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In addition to the medieval fortress tower Torrione Saraceno, a visit to the approximately 1,000-year-old Torre di Vegliasco in Alassio is worthwhile. Another popular meeting point is the Muretto di Alassio. In 1951, Ernest Hemingway was one of the first celebrities to attach an artistically decorated tile to this retaining wall of Alassio’s city park. Today, there are hundreds of such prominent signatures.
Imperia
As mentioned earlier, Imperia is very popular with many vacationers. This is partly because the city is well-connected and accessible by train, which is not a given for many places in the region. Additionally, Imperia offers not only beautiful, flat beaches but also an exciting downtown area that is divided, a feature rooted in the city’s history. Once, there were two towns here, Porto Maurizio and Oneglia. However, in 1923, both were merged and named after the Impero River, which once separated the two districts. Although Imperia has existed in its current form for more than 100 years, each district has retained its unique charm.
The old town of Porto Maurizio, Borgo Parasio, is particularly recommended. Here, you can leisurely stroll through the narrow streets–just let yourself drift and be sure to enjoy an Aperol Spritz in one of the small bars, which sometimes costs only five euros. Culturally interested vacationers should not miss the Cathedral of San Maurizio and the medieval fortress Forte di Santa Tecla.
If you want to shop, you should head to Oneglia, where there are significantly more shopping opportunities. A visit to Porto Oneglia is also worthwhile.
The Hinterland of the Riviera di Ponente
Of course, many vacationers in Liguria are drawn to the sea. But the hinterland also has numerous highlights to offer–especially for those who appreciate the unique charm of old Italian mountain villages. Above Imperia, there are several places worth visiting.
Dolcedo
One of the larger towns in the hinterland of the Riviera di Ponente is Dolcedo, located seven kilometers from Porto Maurizio in the heart of the Prino Valley. According to its own information, the town once consisted of ten smaller districts that were eventually merged. However, don’t be fooled: Dolcedo is still manageable. The town, home to about 1,200 people, can be explored on foot in an hour.
A visit is still worthwhile, if only for the enchanting view from the five bridges that connect the various districts. The Bridge of the Knights of Malta offers the best view of Dolcedo. However, don’t expect to be alone here, or in Dolcedo in general: The town is now so popular with Germans that at least half of all parking spaces are occupied by cars with German license plates.
Tavole
The small village of Tavole is much less crowded. Yes, you will likely encounter a few German vacationers here as well. But that doesn’t detract from Tavole’s charm in any way. Those seeking authentic Italy will find it here. In the small picturesque alleys, old women and men sit and chat; cats roam the streets. At midday, it is indescribably quiet and idyllic, and in the evening, life returns. Then people gather at the osteria in front of the church square or play a game of “Pallapugno,” an ancient ball game in which the locals are masters–a fact they are very proud of. You don’t need much time for Tavole; the village with fewer than 100 inhabitants is quickly explored. However, if you like, you can combine a visit with a roughly 30-minute hike to the next village…
Valloria
A visit to Valloria is worthwhile for two reasons. The first and most obvious is the village’s unique feature: the painted doors. The idea for this extraordinary open-air museum arose out of necessity. Valloria, like many small villages in the hinterland, was threatened with decay. Tourists rarely ventured here. So, in the early 1990s, a way was sought to attract vacationers, and contemporary artists were inspired to beautify the doors. Since then, new doors have been painted every year–the styles are completely different, ranging from modern-cubist to impressionist to realistic.
The more important reason to come to Valloria, however, is the food. In the middle of the village is the small restaurant “San Giuseppe Agriturismo.” While it doesn’t offer three-star cuisine, it does provide an excellent tasting menu that you should definitely try. For just 30 euros per person, you’ll be treated to a continuous stream of delicious dishes. During our visit, we enjoyed cheese and salami, vitello tonnato, several zucchini variations, homemade pasta, rabbit with side dishes, and a large selection of desserts. Particularly nice: The chef still comes to the table with the pasta pan and serves guests personally. The atmosphere is great, and you feel like you’re sitting at an Italian family’s table. Highly recommended!
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Riviera di Levante in Liguria
East of the picturesque city of Genoa, a powerful republic in the Middle Ages competing with Venice, lies the Riviera di Levante. Exclusive destinations such as the former fishing villages of Portofino and Camogli are not far from Liguria’s capital. Behind the seaside resorts of Bonassola and Levanto begins the Cinque Terre National Park, a vacation destination suitable for both beachgoers and hikers. Tourists are best off traveling between Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore by train or on foot.
Popular Destinations on the Riviera di Levante
Portofino
A fishing village on the Ligurian coast southeast of Genoa can hardly be more picturesque. Because of this, the jet set has been meeting there since the 1950s. A typical day for many established Portofino vacationers might involve sailing over from the Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, spending a weekend at the luxury hotel Splendido, and then quickly heading to a meeting in Milan.
There isn’t much space in the village, which has just 400 residents registered as primary residents. The central meeting point for locals and tourists alike is Via Roma and the central Piazetta, lined with small cafes, restaurants, shops, and boutiques. For visitors from outside, a walk past the Portofino lighthouse and the legendary Castello Brown to Punta Portofino at the end of the peninsula is worthwhile. Tip: If you stay longer, be sure to hike through the Portofino Nature Park along the coast to Camogli. The area is among the most beautiful spots in Liguria.
Cinque Terre National Park
In the 1980s, the Cinque Terre near La Spezia was mainly a destination for individual tourists. The term Cinque Terre refers to the coastal line of the five mountain and fishing villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare, which until the construction of a railway line at the end of the 19th century were only connected to the outside world by sea.
In the mountain villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, and Vernazza on the Ligurian Sea, there were already small hotels, private guesthouses, and vacation apartments. However, the larger Monterosso was always more touristically developed. The enchanted, wild paths along the coasts were quiet refuges for hikers. Most summer visitors were day-trippers and “Locali” (locals) who came for a swim during the day. Since 1997, the region has been a World Heritage Site.
Today, the Cinque Terre is marketed as a national park. Hiking is only possible with a ticket. The landscape and coastal waters are protected. Commercial fishing or construction is not allowed. You can still reach the villages and their surroundings by regional train or the relatively expensive excursion boat from La Spezia. Unfortunately, the originality and wildness of the area have somewhat diminished. From about April to October, tens of thousands of tourists come here. More English, Japanese, and German are spoken than Italian.
In groups, visitors walk the legendary “Via dell’Amore,” carved into the mountain, with romantic views of the sea, the cliffs, and the fishing villages between Riomaggiore and Manarola. In the characteristic fishing villages, the restaurants, ice cream parlors, and bars are always very busy during the high season. Also by day-trippers from Genoa. For the locals, tourism has long been the main source of income. The locally produced liqueur wine Sciacchetrà is more or less sold as a souvenir.
Also interesting: The Best Travel Tips for the Cinque Terre in Liguria
Gulf of La Spezia in Liguria
Directly adjacent to the Cinque Terre is the picturesque Gulf of La Spezia. Because poets like Dante, Byron, Shelley, and Goethe were inspired to create significant literary works there, the most beautiful and largest bay in Liguria is also called the “Gulf of Poets” (“Golfo dei Poeti”). Located in the vicinity of the port city of La Spezia, Lerici and Portovenere are the most beautiful, largest, but also most exclusive vacation spots.
Popular Destinations at the Gulf of La Spezia
La Spezia and Surroundings
When the painter Karl Blechen (1798-1840) painted the Gulf of La Spezia during his trip to Italy almost 200 years ago, only fishermen and a few shepherds lived where the port city with more than 100,000 inhabitants is now located. The painting can be seen in the New Pavilion of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin. Poets like Goethe, Shelley, and Byron were inspired by the beauty of the Gulf of La Spezia. The surroundings of La Spezia in Liguria have traditionally been a popular vacation region for Italians and, for decades now, for tourists from all over the world.
As part of the unification of Italy in 1861, Count Cavour had the then most important military port in the country expanded in the approximately five-kilometer-long and more than three-kilometer-wide bay. Today, La Spezia has a charming old town with many shops, a newly and stylishly developed marina, a palm-lined promenade–but also an important commercial and naval port. Some industrial companies are also located there.
Nevertheless, the La Spezia region offers beautiful bays with small clean beaches and wonderful vacation spots like Portovenere, Lerici, and Tellaro. Directly behind the mountain range surrounding the Gulf of La Spezia is the Cinque Terre National Park (see above) with its characteristic villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. The charming seaside resorts of Bonassola and Levanto are also not far away. The view from the medieval village of La Serra above Lerici over the Gulf of La Spezia to the other side with Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria and Tino is magnificent.
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