Liguria, Piedmont & Valle d’Aosta      

LIGURIA
   GENOA
   AROUND GENOA
   RIVIERA DI LEVANTE
   RIVIERA DI PONENTE
PIEDMONT
   TURIN
   THE MILKY WAY
   SOUTHERN & EASTERN PIEDMONT
   NORTHERN PIEDMONT
VALLE D’AOSTA
   AOSTA
   AOSTA VALLEY CASTLES
   PARCO NAZIONALE DEL GRAN PARADISO
   VALTOURNENCHE
   VALLE D’AYAS, VAL DI GRESSONEY & VALSESIA


Cathedral-like mountains, Fiat cars, ritzy Mediterranean resorts and artistic football – Liguria, Piedmont and the Valle d’Aosta are the country in microcosm: three culture-defining northwestern enclaves that also generously provided the nation with its first king (Vittorio Emanuele II) and its first capital (Turin).

But, fresh from kick-starting the Risorgimento (Italian unification), the northwest didn’t just turn around and retreat back into its shell. On top of its valuable historical relics, Liguria-Piedmont has also ignited many of Italy’s gastronomic traditions. The fertile plains of the Po river valley harvest culinary delicacies that are an intrinsic part of any Italian dinner plate – arborio rice, grapes for Barolo wine, basil for earthy pesto and wheat for aromatic focaccia, while its seas are awash with anchovies, octopuses and prawns.

Through the annals of history, erstwhile northwestern movers and shakers include Christopher Columbus, the Count of Cavour, Giovanni Agnelli and Giuseppe Mazzini. It’s an illustrious list which, along with some cerebral museums and fine architecture, puts Piedmont-Liguria at the forefront of Italian culture. Yet it fails to explain why the region consistently plays second fiddle to other limelight-hogging highlights such as Tuscany, Venice and Rome.

The upside is there’s more elbow room here, and more serendipity. Who knew that the Aosta Valley has a German-speaking Walser minority, or that Cuneo’s main square outsizes San Marco, or that in Turin you’re more likely to bump into a Torino supporter than a Juventus fan?

HIGHLIGHTS

POPULATION: LIGURIA 1.6 MILLION; PIEDMONT 4.4 MILLION; VALLE D’AOSTA 127,000

AREA: LIGURIA 5413 SQ KM; PIEDMONT 25,399 SQ KM; VALLE D’AOSTA 3262 SQ KM

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LIGURIA

A sinuous arc of land wedged between Piedmont and the sea, Liguria is where the Alps and Apennines cascade precipitously into the Mediterranean. The result is as striking as it is unique, with ancient settlements clinging precariously to granite cliffs, a spectacle that reaches its apex in Cinque Terre: five quintessential Ligurian fishing villages that dangle like crazily perched medieval colonies above the foaming ocean.

Only 7km wide at its narrowest point, Liguria is dominated by Genoa, Italy’s largest port. To the west stretches the Riviera di Ponente, a sun-flecked coastal Shangri La that continues as far as the border with France. To the east is the Riviera di Levante, a swankier, more precipitous holiday strip where busy resorts mingle with plusher palm-fringed retreats such as Portofino and Porto Venere, crammed with expensive yachts and Prada-wearing prima donnas.

Despite its diminutive size, Liguria has played a major role in Italian culture. Genoa was once a powerful independent city-state with possessions as far away as the Middle East, while the ingeniously terraced terrain around Cinque Terre remains a showcase for high-quality local produce.

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GENOA

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Contrasting sharply with the elegance of Turin, Genoa is a gargantuan port with a seedy underbelly; its narrow, twisting streets (caruggi) are more reminiscent of a Moroccan medina than a romantic Venetian cityscape. The birthplace of such groundbreaking Italians as Columbus and Mazzini, Genoa has a markedly cosmopolitan air, with remnants of a once-great empire evident in its concealed doorways and arty museums.

Deep in the maze of the gritty old town, beauty and the beast sit side-by-side in streets that glimmer like a film noir movie set. Old men smoke languidly outside noisy bars and prostitutes stand like sentries in dark doorways, while on the periphery the quintessential Italy awaits – a glistening fountain, a piazza packed with pigeons and tourists, and one of the most spectacular cathedrals (San Lorenzo) on the whole peninsula.

The Most Serene Republic of Genoa ruled the Mediterranean waves during the 12th to the 13th centuries before deferring to the superior power of Piedmont. Its crusading noblemen once established colonies in the Middle East and North Africa, and its emblematic flag, the red cross of St George, was greedily hijacked by the English.

Since hosting Expo 1992 and being championed as 2004’s European City of Culture, Genoa has undergone some radical renovations with its once-tatty port area now boasting Italy’s largest aquarium and the Biosfera, a dome-shaped greenhouse crammed with contrasting ecosystems.

History

Genoa’s name is thought to come from the Latin ianua, meaning ‘door’. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was an important Roman port and later occupied by Franks, Saracens and the Milanese. The first ring of Genoa’s defensive walls was constructed in the 12th century. (The only remaining section of these walls, Porta Soprana, was built in 1155, although what you see today is a restored version.)

A victory over Venice in 1298 led to a period of growth, but bickering between the Grimaldis, Dorias, Spinolas and other dynasties caused internal chaos. The Grimaldis headed west, establishing the principality of Monaco – hence the similarity of Monaco’s language, Monegasque, to the Genoese dialect.

In the 16th century, under the rule of Imperial Admiral Andrea Doria, Genoa bene­fited from financing Spanish exploration. Its coffers swelled further in the 17th century, which saw an outer ring of walls added as the city expanded, and its newly built palaces filled with art, in turn attracting masters such as Rubens. Celebrated architect Galeazzo Alessi (1512–72) designed many of the city’s splendid buildings.

The end of the Age of Exploration came as a blow and as the Mediterranean’s mercantile importance declined, so did Genoa’s. The city languished for centuries.

Genoa was the first northern city to rise against Nazi occupation and the Italian Fascists during WWII, liberating itself before the arrival of Allied troops. After the war the city developed rapidly along the coast, although, by the 1970s, decline had set in once more as big industries folded.

Christopher Columbus is Genoa’s most famous son (if indeed he was – see the boxed text, Click here). In 1992 the 500th anniversary of his seminal voyage to America transformed Genoa’s ancient harbour from a decaying backwater into a showpiece for the city. Renzo Piano orchestrated the overhaul, adding a number of striking permanent attractions. Two years later, Genoa was named a European City of Culture, spurring on further renovations and additions to the cityscape, including several new museums and a much-needed metro system. But for all its sprucing up, Genoa retains a rough-and-tumble charm.

REGIONAL ITINERARY

NORTHWESTERN FOOD FORAY         Two Weeks / Riomaggiore / Aosta

While Catholicism is Italy’s state religion, the alternative ‘faith’ of foodism ranks a close second. Never far from the high altar of the national cucina (kitchen), the northwest’s gastronomic flavours and traditions are globally revered – and there’s nothing better than tasting them on their home turf. Start in the Cinque Terre, where fertile clifftops and equally fertile seas have been farmed for centuries. Hit Riomaggiore for its delicious seafood and Manarola for its sweet Sciacchetrà wine. Focaccia is kneaded all over Italy, but Liguria proudly claims historical ownership.

You can ply the coast sampling the regional variations, though the crunchy herb bread of Camogli is hard to beat. Go green in Genoa, where basil, garlic, cheese, pine nuts and olive oil are blended into a fragrant earthy sauce known as pesto, best served alla genovese over trofie pasta. Farinata is another Ligurian speciality, and you can see the chickpea-flour pancakes being deftly made at the Vino e Farinata in Savona.

Veering inland in time for dessert, you’ll fall upon vastly underrated Cuneo, famous for its rum-flavoured chocolates. Remember to leave room for Bra, birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, before raising a glass to Barolo, where robust Nebbiolo grapes are used to concoct the ‘king of wines’. Alba is a veritable food heaven plunked in the middle of truffle-land, while Barbaresco is where smoother, younger reds play queen to Barolo’s king. Asti holds an annual September food festival, the Delle Sagre, and the area around Casale Monferrato offers a wine-tasting landscape extraordinaire and turreted castles.

Venerated for a Shroud, a football team and one of history’s most durable cars, Turin also hosts some of the most evocative coffee bars in the nation. For risotto, head to the rice-growing region of Vercelli, before having all your Italian food preconceptions blown out of the water in mountainous Aosta, home of polenta, spicy sausages and tangy fontina cheese.

OUR TOP FIVE RESTAURANTS IN LIGURIA, PIEDMONT & VALLE D’AOSTA

Orientation

Genoa sprawls along the coast for 30km and is served by an impressive 15 train stations. The city centre stretches between the two main stations, Stazione Principe (to the west) and Stazione Brignole (to the east). Via XX Settembre, the elegant main shopping strip, starts just southwest of Stazione Brignole and spills into the city’s focal point, Piazza de Ferrari. The old town winds west of the piazza towards the port and around the waterfront towards Stazione Principe.

Information

BOOKSHOPS

EMERGENCY

INTERNET ACCESS

There’s a handful of small internet cafes in and around Via Balbi near Stazione Principe. Others regularly pop up (and close down) in the city centre – check with the city’s tourist information kiosk for updates. Online access costs around €3 to €5 per hour.

LAUNDRY

LEFT LUGGAGE

Expect to pay around €3 for 24 hours at station offices (Stazione Brignole; Piazza Giuseppe Verdi; 7am-9pm; Stazione Principe; Piazza Acquaverde; 6am-midnight).

MEDICAL SERVICES

POST

TOURIST INFORMATION

There are tourist offices at the airport, ferry terminal and Stazione Principe. There’s also a kiosk (Genova Informa; 010 24 87 11; www.apt.genova.it; Piazza Giacomo Matteotti; 9.30am-7.45pm) in the city centre adjacent to Piazza de Ferrari.

Sights

Dozens of Genoa’s palaces built between 1576 and 1664 were placed on the Unesco World Heritage list in 2006; the website www.irolli.it maps their locations.

PIAZZA DE FERRARI

After the asphyxiation of the caruggi, this fountain-embellished main piazza ringed by magnificent buildings feels as if you’ve just come up for air. Showcase architecture includes the art nouveau Palazzo della Borsa (closed to the public), which was once the country’s stock exchange; and the neoclassical Teatro Carlo Felice.

Also on the square is the Palazzo Ducale ( 010 557 40 00; www.palazzoducale.genova.it, in Italian; Piazza Giacomo Matteotti 9; €5-10; exhibitions 9am-9pm Tue-Sun), accessed via Piazza Giacomo Matteotti. Once the seat of the city’s rulers, it hosts a few small specialist museums and archives, including the Museo del Jazz ( 010 58 52 41; www.italianjazzinstitute.com, in Italian; admission free; 4-7pm Mon-Sat, by reservation), with a collection of original recordings. High-profile temporary art exhibitions are held in the palazzo, which also has a bookshop, cafe and restaurants.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR EURO

Serial museum-goers should pick up the Card Musei (Museum Card; www.museigenova.it; card €16). The card gives free admission to around 20 of Genoa’s museums and discounted access to several more over a period of 48 hours. You can buy it at various museums, information booths or online at www.happyticket.it.

CATTEDRALE DI SAN LORENZO

A stunner even by Italian standards, Genoa’s black-and-white-striped cathedral (Piazza San Lorenzo; 9am-12.30pm & 3.30-7pm) owes its continued existence to the poor quality of a British WWII bomb that failed to ignite here in 1941. Fronted by twisting columns and crouching lions, it was first consecrated in 1118. The two bell towers and cupola were added in the 16th century.

Inside, above the central doorway, there’s a great lunette with a painting of the Last Judgment, the work of an anonymous Byzantine painter of the early 14th century. In the sacristy, the Museo del Tesoro ( 010 247 18 31; adult/child €5.50/4.50; tours 9am-noon & 3-6pm Mon-Sat) preserves various dubious holy relics, including the medieval Sacro Catino, a glass vessel once thought to be the Holy Grail. Other artefacts include the polished quartz platter upon which Salome is said to have received John the Baptist’s head, and a fragment of the True Cross.

CHIESA DEL GESù

The highlight of the Chiesa del Gesù (Piazza Giacomo Matteotti; 4.30-7pm), built in 1597 on the foundations of a medieval church, are two works by Rubens. Circoncisione hangs over the main altar, and Miracoli di San Ignazio is displayed in a side chapel.

VIA GARIBALDI & AROUND

Skirting the northern edge of what was once the city limits, pedestrianised Via Garibaldi (formerly called the Strada Nuova; www.stradanuova.it) was planned by Galeazzo Alessi in the 16th century. It quickly became the city’s most sought-after quarter, lined with the palaces of Genoa’s wealthiest citizens.

The most elaborate facade belongs to the 1563 Palazzo Lomellino ( 010 595 70 60; www.palazzolomellino.org; Via Garibaldi 7; admission varies depending on exhibit; vary). The grey blue exterior is festooned with stucco adornments, while the internal courtyard is dominated by an 18th-century nymphaeum (monument to the nymphs). Upstairs, the remarkably preserved 17th-century frescoes by Bernardo Strozzi were only uncovered in 2002, after languishing for almost 300 years above a false ceiling. They depict allegories of the New World, in homage to the palace’s one-time owners, the Centurione family, who financed Columbus’ voyages.

Just east of Via Garibaldi, a path from Piazza Corvetto twists through terraced gardens to the Museo d’Arte Orientale ( 010 54 22 85; Piazzale Mazzini 1; adult/child €4/2.80; 9am-1pm Tue-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun). With some 20,000 items, including porcelain, bronzes, costumes and musical instruments, it brings together one of Europe’s largest collections of Japanese art. Heading southwest, elegant Via Roma, with its art nouveau boutiques, and adjacent glass-covered Galleria Mazzini, is Genoa’s most exclusive designer-shopping street. It links Piazza Corvetto with Piazza de Ferrari.

Musei di Strada Nuova

Three of Via Garibaldi’s grand palaces, Rosso, Bianco and Doria-Tursi, comprise the Musei di Strada Nuova ( 010 246 77 86; combined ticket adult/child €8/free; 9am-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun). Between them, they hold the city’s finest collection of old masters.

Tickets must be purchased at the bookshop inside Palazzo Doria-Tursi ( 010 247 63 51; Via Garibaldi 9). The palace’s Sala Paganiniana has a small but absorbing collection of legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini’s personal effects. Pride of place goes to his ‘Canone’ violin, made in Cremona in 1743. One lucky musician gets to play the maestro’s violin during October’s Paganiniana festival. Other artefacts on show include letters, musical scores and his travelling chess set. The palace has housed Genoa’s town hall since 1848.

Lavishly frescoed rooms in Palazzo Rosso ( 010 247 63 51; www.museopalazzorosso.it; Via Garibaldi 18) are the backdrop for several portraits by Van Dyck of the local Brignole-Sale family. Other standouts include Guido Reni’s San Sebastiano and Guercino’s La morte di Cleopatra, as well as works by Veronese, Dürer and Bernardo Strozzi.

Flemish, Spanish and Italian artists feature at Palazzo Bianco ( 010 247 63 51; www.museopalazzobianco.it; Via Garibaldi 11). Rubens’ Venere e Marte and Van Dyck’s Vertumna e Pomona are among the highlights, which also include works by Hans Memling, Filippino Lippi and Murillo, as well as 15th-century religious icons.

OLD CITY

The heart of medieval Genoa – bounded by Porta dei Vacca, the waterfront streets Via Cairoli, Via Garibaldi and Via XXV Aprile, and the Porta Soprana – is its maze of caruggi. As evidenced by the washing pegged on lines strung outside the buildings, these dark, almost cavelike laneways and dank, odoriferous blind alleys are largely residential, with a sprinkling of bars, shops and cafes. Particularly after dark, parts of the caruggi can feel somewhat unnerving. Although it’s not overly dangerous (especially compared with a decade ago), take care in the zone west of Via San Luca and south to Piazza Banchi, where most of the old city’s lowlife (prostitution, drugs and so on) concentrates. East of the piazza is Via Orefici, where you’ll find market stalls.

Terraced gardens surround Palazzo Reale ( 010 27 1 01; www.palazzorealegenova.it, in Italian; Via Balbi 10; adult/child €5/3; 9am-7pm Thu-Sun, to 1.30pm Tue & Wed), which has a fine collection of Renaissance works. A combined ticket costing €7 also covers admission to the Galleria Nazionale ( 010 270 53 00; www.palazzospinola.it; Piazza Superiore di Pellicceria 1; adult/child €5/3; 9am-8pm Tue-Sat, 2-8pm Sun). The latter, a 16th-century mansion, was owned by the Spinolas, one of the Republic’s most formidable dynasties. Their ancestral home displays Italian and Flemish Renaissance art, but is also worth visiting to gape at the awesome architecture.

HOME OF COLUMBUS?

Genoa is heralded as the birthplace of Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), but some believe he may have actually been born in Calvi, on the island of Corsica (then under Genoese rule and now part of France), which is a ferry ride to Genoa’s south.

So the theory goes, when Columbus went looking for underwriting at the Spanish court, he could not very well admit to being of Calvian origin because the Calvians had massacred a Spanish garrison, putting an end to Spanish ambitions there. Certainly numerous Calvians figured in his crews and there’s a plaque marking the house in Calvi’s citadel where the navigator was supposedly born.

You can make up your own mind during a visit to his alleged Genoa birthplace, Casa della Famiglia Colombo ( 010 246 53 46; Piazza Dante; admission free; 9am-noon & 2-6pm Sat & Sun).

Towering over the western end of town, Castello D’Albertis houses the eclectic Museo delle Culture del Mondo (Museum of World Cultures; 010 272 38 20; www.castellodalbertisgenova.it; Corso Dogali 18; adult/child €6/4.50; 10am-5pm Oct-Mar, to 6pm Apr-Sep). The neo-Gothic edifice was built in 1892 on the ruins of a much older castle for the globetrotting Capitano Enrico D’Albertis, who hauled back all manner of ‘curiosities’ from his extensive sea voyages. Where else could you find a stuffed platypus, a fragment of the Great Wall of China and a handful of sand from San Salvador (Columbus’ first disembarkation point) in the same cabinet? If you don’t fancy the climb up to Corso Dogali, there’s a lift from Via Balbi (€0.70) to the castle gates.

Further west, on the waterfront, is the beautiful Palazzo del Principe ( 010 25 55 09; www.palazzodelprincipe.it; Via Adua 6; adult/child €9/6.50; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun), once home of the 16th-century admiral Andrea Doria. The sumptuous Renaissance interiors, with frescoes, tapestries, furniture and paintings, have been painstakingly restored, and the formal gardens provide a calm respite from the frenetic city.

PORTO ANTICO

Since its recent facelift, Genoa’s historic port (www.portoantico.it) gets packed with locals and visitors enjoying a passeggiata (stroll). The city centre information kiosk (Click here) has details about all of the old port’s attractions and events, including various activities here for kids.

Jutting out over the water, Genoa’s bright blue Acquario (Aquarium; 010 234 56 78; www.acquariodigenova.it; Ponte Spinola; adult/child €17/11; 9.30am-7.30pm Mon-Wed & Fri, to 10pm Thu, to 8.30pm Sat & Sun Sep-Jun, to 11pm Jul & Aug) has more than 5000 sea creatures, including sharks, swimming in six million litres of water. The adjoining floating barge takes visitors on a voyage through the Age of Discovery and into a Madagascan rainforest. The aquarium has disabled access.

Two of Renzo Piano’s most distinctive new additions to the port are the Biosfera (Biosphere; 335 599 01 87; Ponte Spinola; adult/child €5/3.50; 10am-sunset Tue-Sun), a giant glass ball housing a humid mini-ecosystem with tropical plants, butterflies and birds; and a panoramic lift, Il Bigo (Calata Cattaneo; adult/child €4/3; 2-6pm Mon, 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), which hoists a cylindrical viewing cabin 200m into the air. The lift has access for disabled visitors.

The best place to gain an appreciation for Genoa’s relationship with the sea is the excellent Galata Museo del Mare ( 010 234 56 55; www.galatamuseodelmare.it, in Italian; Calata di Mari 1; adult/child €10/5; 10am-7.30pm Mar-Jul, Sep & Oct, 10am-7.30pm Sat-Thu, to 10pm Fri Aug, 10am-6pm Tue-Sun Nov-Feb), which traces the history of seafaring from earliest times through the ages of sail and steam to the present via high-tech exhibits.

Marco Polo was once an inmate of the frescoed Palazzo San Giorgio (Piazza Caricamento). Built in 1260, it became a prison in 1298; Polo worked on Il Milione here. These days it hosts occasional exhibitions; the city centre info kiosk has information.

GENOA-CASELLA RAILWAY

Spectacular views of Genoa’s forts can be seen from the 1929 narrow-gauge railway, which snakes 25km north from the Stazione Genova ( 010 83 73 21; www.ferroviagenovacasella.it, in Italian; Via alla Stazione per Casella 15) to the village of Casella (one-way/return €2/3.20, one hour, eight to 12 daily) in the Scrivia Valley.

Tours

Information and tickets for boat trips around the port and destinations further afield are available from the ticket booths ( 010 25 67 75; Ponte Spinola; 9.30am-6.30pm Sep-Jun, 9am-8pm Jul & Aug) beside the aquarium at Porto Antico.

Five-hour springtime whale-watching exped­itions ( 010 26 57 12; www.whalewatchliguria.it; adult/child €32/15; depart 1pm Sat Apr-Oct), run in consultation with the World Wide Fund for Nature, include fascinating background on the world’s largest mammals provided by an onboard biologist.

Genova Tours ( 010 275 93 18, 010 59 16 25; adult/child €10/7) runs three or four open-topped bus tours daily, with headphone commentary in five languages. It’s best to confirm the departure point for your specific trip; tourist offices can provide departure details. Tickets are sold on the bus.

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Dozens of hotels are spread around town. The greatest concentration is near Stazione Principe on and around Via Balbi.

BUDGET

Hostel Genova ( 010 242 24 57; hostelge@iol.it; Via G Costanzi 120; dm/s/d incl breakfast from €16/23.50/44; reception 9am-3.30pm & midnight-7am Feb—mid-Dec; ) A steep 2km north of the centre, Genoa’s only hostel has rules that won’t endear it to free-spirited backpackers: its eight-bed dorms are single-sex, there’s a lockout from 9am to 3.30pm, a 1am curfew, and Hostelling International (HI) cards are mandatory. Catch bus 40 from Stazione Brignole to the end of the line. Has access for disabled guests.

Albergo Carola ( 010 839 13 40; Via Groppallo 4; s/d from €28/50, with bathroom from €35/60) Albergo Carola’s well-kept rooms can be found on the 3rd floor of a lovely old building near Stazione Brignole. Staff is charming, though if you don’t speak Italian you may want to have your phrasebook handy.

Hotel Acquaverde ( 010 26 54 27; www.hotelacqua verde.it; Via Balbi 29; s/d from €30/50, with bathroom from €40/70; ) On the top three floors of a restored 17th-century town house (accessed by a lift), the Acquaverde’s rooms are simple but comfortable. If you’re self-catering, four rooms have their own kitchen facilities. Ask about the hotel’s parking arrangements nearby when booking. Has access for disabled travellers.

Hotel Della Posta Nuova ( 010 25 29 29; Via Balbi 24; s/d from €70/100; ) No real surprises at this journeyman hotel 150m from Stazione Principe, though it’s clean, safe and relatively friendly for such a transient quarter. Rooms are smallish and simple but admit plenty of natural light. The ones on the top floor have a terrace overlooking Via Balbi.

MIDRANGE

Hotel Cairoli ( 010 246 14 54; www.hotelcairoligenova.com; Via Cairoli 14/4; s €65-90, d €85-105; ) Mondrian lurks three flights up in this Genoa palazzo. Themed around various modern artists, the rooms at the funky Cairoli all exhibit different colourful personalities. Then there’s the communal library, chill-out area, internet room, fully equipped gym, free newspapers, terrace and informative maps on the wall. The whole package is centrally located and a snip at the price.

Hotel Cristoforo Colombo ( 010 251 36 43; www.hotelcolombo.it; Via di Porta Soprana 27; s €55-90, d €85-110) Recently overhauled (with bathrooms for all 16 rooms), this charming family-run hotel is ideally situated in the old town. On balmy nights, take in the twinkling city lights from the rooftop terrace.

Hotel Europa ( 010 25 69 55; www.hoteleuropa-genova.com; Via delle Monachette 8; s €60-118, d €80-185; ) Tucked down a little laneway a few footsteps from Stazione Principe, Hotel Europa’s rooms aren’t large but they come with elegant peach-toned decor and amenities such as flat-screen satellite TV and mini-bar. Wi-fi costs €10 per 24 hours.

TOP END

Hotel Bristol Palace ( 010 59 25 41; www.hotelbristolpalace.com; Via XX Settembre 35; s €130-300, d €160-420; ) Under the huge portales of Via XX Settembre lies one of Genoa’s fanciest pads, a belle époque masterpiece exhibiting atmospheric, airy rooms with geometric parquet flooring and original antiques (as well as mod cons). Enter the domain via a sweeping staircase with an ornamental glass roof visible at the top.

Eating

It’s practically impossible to leave town without tasting pesto genovese (the famous sauce that appears on menus everywhere). Other local specialities are focaccia (especially topped with cheese), farinata (a thin pancake made from chickpea flour), torta pasqualina (spinach, ricotta cheese and egg tart), pansotti (spinach-filled ravioli with a thick, creamy hazelnut sauce) and freshly caught seafood.

There are numerous cheap eateries around the Old Port area.

Pizzeria di Vico dei Biscotti ( 010 251 89 90; Vico dei Biscotti 4; pizzas €6-8; ) This cavernous place with marine blue decor and mezzanine seating fills to the brim with locals tucking into a quattro stagione (four seasons) pizza and a beer or two.

Antica Trattoria del Porto Maria ( 010 246 18 45; Piazza Caricamento 22; meals €20-30; lunch Tue-Sun, dinner Fri & Sat) Classic Genoese cuisine such as seafood risotto, scampi in brandy, and pasta of all shapes and sizes doused with pesto is dished up at this atmospheric little old-port trattoria. Its green-and-white-checked tables are down a flight of steps in an old storeroom with low, vaulted ceilings.

Mentelocale ( 010 595 96 48; Palazzo Ducale, Piazza de Ferrari; meals €20-26; restaurant lunch & dinner, cafe 8am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 1am Fri, 10am-1am Sat & Sun; ) Tuna with sesame and lime, tempura prawns and red chicken curry with apples feature at this fusion restaurant inside the Palazzo Ducale. Mentelocale’s salads easily constitute a meal and come in a creative range of combinations using fresh local produce. The adjacent cafe, with funky designer furnishings, is a chic spot for a drink.

Trattoria delle Raibetta ( 010 246 88 77; Vico Caprettari 10-12; meals €20-30; lunch & dinner Tue-Sun) Family-run, authentic Genoese joint in the warren of streets near the cathedral. The food here is unfussy and fish-biased. Try the seafood with riso venere (a local black rice) or the signature homemade trofiette al pesto. The octopus salad makes a good overture while the wine is a toss-up between 200 different vintages.

I Tre Merli ( 010 246 44 16; Palazzina Millo, Porto Antico; snacks €7-12, meals €20-25) Grander than some of its portside counterparts, this well-positioned restaurant is flanked by towering black-and-white-striped columns. Excellent Ligurian cuisine includes salted cod fritters, and veal stuffed with porcini mushrooms and potatoes. Otherwise, you can just have a glass of wine with wood-fired snacks such as focaccia col formaggio (Liguria’s answer to cheese-on-toast).

Lupo ( 010 26 70 36; Via delle Monachette 20; meals €25-30; 12.30-3pm & 7.30pm-midnight) Inviting aromas of home cooking – cuttlefish in tomato sauce, ravioli in walnut sauce and homemade desserts – greet you at the door, as do owners who welcome you like they’ve known you forever. Lupo’s wine list is outstanding, and its antiques and objets d’art, such as cast-iron candelabras, a grandfather clock and black-and-white photographs suspended on wire strings create a refined yet relaxed ambience.

Drinking

The revamped Porto Antico buzzes with bars. You’ll also find sophisticated new drinking spots intermingled with old-time favourites throughout the city, particularly in the streets just northwest of Piazza de Ferrari. Piazza della Erbe is clad with cafe terraces where you can linger over a coffee or something stronger.

La Nouvelle Vague ( 010 25 62 72; Vico de Gradi 4r; to 1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat) A bohemian crowd hangs out in this subterranean bookshop and bar. You can sip Italian wine while leafing through a book, or just savour the surroundings over a cocktail.

La Madeleine Café Teatro ( 010 246 53 12; Via della Maddalena 103) Live bands blast their stuff from 10pm most nights at this energetic cafetheatre-music bar.

TO MARKET, TO MARKET…

Shop for everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to cheese, meat and a plentiful assortment of fish at Genoa’s ornate Mercato Orientale (covered market; entrances at Via XX Settembre 75r & Via Galata; 8am-noon & 3-7pm Mon-Sat). Flower stalls are grouped in front of the market hall on Via XX Settembre.

In the old town, fruit and veg stalls are set up on Piazza Banchi and Via degli Orefici, immediately east of the Mercato Orientale.

Works by local artists and second-hand books can be picked up from the open-air stalls beneath the arcades on Piazza Colombo, a pretty square at the southern foot of Via Galata. On the first Saturday and Sunday of the month from October to July, an antique market fills the interior courtyards of Palazzo Ducale.

Café degli Specchi ( 010 246 81 93; Via Salita Pollaiuoli 43r; mains €7-10; Mon-Sat) A bit of Turin disconnected and relocated 150km to the south, this roaring-’20s, tiled art deco showpiece was (is) a favourite hang-out of the literati. You can sink your espresso at street level or disappear upstairs amid the velvet seats and mirrors for coffee, cake and an aperitivo (happy hour) buffet.

Café di Barbarossa ( 010 246 50 97; Piano di Sant’Andrea 21-3r; mains €10; 7am-4pm Mon, to 2.30am Tue-Fri, 5pm-2.30am Sat & Sun) A life-size statue of Elvis rocking out on his guitar greets you at the entrance of this good-time bar set in a medieval red-brick cellar below the towering 12th-century Porta Soprana. Outside there’s a leafy deck.

Entertainment

At the western end of the Porto Antico, the Magazzini del Cotone, one-time cotton warehouses, have been converted into an entertainment area with a multiplex cinema, games arcade and shops.

Tickets for cultural and sporting events are sold at box offices inside Ricordi Mediastore ( 010 54 33 31; Via alla Porta degli Archi 88-94) and FNAC ( 010 29 01 11; Via XX Settembre 58).

Take in a play or opera at Teatro Carlo Felice ( 010 5 38 11; www.carlofelice.it, in Italian; Passo Eugenio Montale 4), Genoa’s stunning four-stage opera house. Casanova trod the boards of Teatro della Tosse ( 010 247 07 93; www.teatrodellatosse.it, in Italian; Piazza Renato Negri 4), the city’s oldest theatre, which dates from 1702.

Getting There & Away

AIR

Regular domestic and international services, including Ryanair flights, use Christopher Columbus airport (Aeroporto Internazionale di Cristoforo Colombo; GOA; 010 601 54 10; www.airport.genova.it), 6km west of the city, in Sestri Ponente.

BOAT

Ferries sail to/from Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and Tunisia from the international passenger terminal (terminal traghetti; 24hr information 166 15239393; www.porto.genova.it; Via Milano 51). Only cruise ships use the 1930s passenger ship terminal on Ponte dei Mille.

Fares listed following are for one-way, low-/high-season deck-class tickets. Ferry operators based at the international passenger terminal include the following:

From June to September, Cooperativa Battellieri del Golfo Paradiso ( 018 577 20 91; www.golfoparadiso.it) operates boats from the Porto Antico to Camogli (one-way/return €10/15), Portofino (€10/15), and the Cinque Terre/Porto Venere (€20/30).

Consorzio Liguria Via Mare ( 010 26 57 12; www.liguriaviamare.it) runs a range of seasonal trips from here to Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Portofino, Monterosso in the Cinque Terre, and Porto Venere.

BUS

Buses to international cities depart from Piazza della Vittoria, as do buses to/from Milan’s Malpensa airport (€16, two hours, twice daily at 6am and 3pm) and other inter-regional services. Tickets are sold at Geotravels ( 010 59 28 37; geotravels@statcasale.com; Piazza della Vittoria 30r) and Pesci Viaggi e Turismo ( 010 56 49 36; pesciros@tin.it; Piazza della Vittoria 94r).

TRAIN

Genoa’s Stazione Principe and Stazione Brignole are linked by train to Turin (€15, 1¾ hours, seven to 10 daily), Milan (€15.50, 1½ hours, up to eight daily), Pisa (€15, two hours, up to eight daily) and Rome (€36.50, 5¼ hours, six daily). Stazione Principe tends to have more trains, particularly going west to San Remo (€13, two hours, five daily) and Ventimiglia (€15, 2¼ hours, six daily).

Getting Around

TO/FROM THE AIRPORT

AMT ( 010 5582414) line 100 runs between Stazione Principe and the airport at least every hour from 5.30am to 11pm (€4, 30 minutes). Tickets can be bought from the driver.

A taxi to or from the airport will cost around €15.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

AMT ( 800 08 53 52, 010 599 74 14; www.amt.genova.it, in Italian) operates buses throughout the city and there is an AMT information office (Via d’Annunzio; 7.15am-6pm Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm Sat & Sun) at the bus terminal. Bus line 383 links Stazione Brignole with Piazza de Ferrari and Stazione Principe. A ticket valid for 90 minutes costs €1.20 (single ride €0.70) and an all-day ticket costs €3.50. Tickets can be used on main-line trains within the city limits, as well as on the new wheelchair-accessible metro (www.genovametro.com), which has numerous stations across the city.

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AROUND GENOA

Nervi

A former fishing village engulfed by Genoa’s urban sprawl, modern Nervi classifies itself as a ‘resort’. Though, with plenty of ritzier Riviera competition, it’s rarely top of anyone’s vacation list. Its saving graces are its bounty of museums – four in total – and its 2km cliffside promenade, the Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi.

The most celebrated museum is the Galleria d’Arte Moderna ( 010 372 60 25; Via Capolungo 3; adult/child €6/5; 10am-7pm Tue-Sun), displaying works by 19th- and 20th-century artists such as Filippo De Pisis, Arturo Martini and Rubaldo Merello.

More 19th- and early-20th-century Italian art, including Eduardo Rubino’s sensual marble nude, Il Risveglio, is displayed at the Raccolte Frugone ( 010 32 23 96; Via Capolungo 9; adult/child €4/2.80; 9am-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun), which is housed in the Villa Grimaldi Fassio, overlooking the leafy, squirrel-filled Parchi di Nervi.

Some 18,000 items of a similar period are displayed at the Wolfsoniana ( 010 323 13 29; www.wolfsoniana.it; Via Serra Gropallo 4; adult/child €5/2.80; 10am-7pm Tue-Sun). On show are items documenting this turbulent time in Italy’s history, including advertising and propaganda posters, along with architectural drawings, paintings and furnishings.

Going back earlier in time, the Museo Giannettino Luxoro ( 010 32 26 73; Via Mafalda di Savoia 3; adult/child €4/2.80; 9am-1pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) has a rich collection of 18th-century clocks, silverware, ceramics and furniture, displayed in a splendidly restored villa.

All four museums can be accessed in a combined ticket (€10) or they’re included on the Genoa Museum Card.

On the seafront, live music is often performed at the Chandra Bar ( 010 860 36 40; Passeggiata Garibaldi 26r; meals €18-25; 3pm-2am Tue-Sat, 11.30am-2am Sun), which serves up pasta and daily specials of freshly caught fish, and occasionally spices things up with Thai and Brazilian dishes.

Nervi is 7km east of Genoa and best reached by frequent trains from Stazione Brignole and Stazione Principe (€1.20, 20 to 25 minutes).

Pegli

Flower-filled parks make Pegli a peaceful spot to retreat from Genoa’s urban tumult. Like Nervi, this former seafront village now lies within the city boundaries of Genoa; it is roughly 9km west of the centre. And, like Nervi, it has yet more museums. A combined ticket for all of the following sights costs €8.

The Museo di Archeologia Ligure ( 010 698 10 48; www.museoarcheologicogenova.it; Via Pallavicini 11; adult/child €4/2.80; 9am-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun), in the striking Villa Pallavicini, holds displays of locally excavated artefacts from the prehistoric through to the Roman period, as well as a collection of Egyptian antiquities.

Maritime matters are covered in the Museo Navale ( 010 696 98 85; www.museonavale.it; Villa Doria, Piazza Bonavino 7; adult/child €4/2.80; 9am-1pm Tue-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun), with an exhibition of models, photographs and other reminders of the days of sail.

Also worth a wander is the Parco Villa Pallavicini ( 010 66 68 64; Via Pallavicini; admission €3.50; 9am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar), with its formal lawns, lakes and glasshouse, and the neighbouring Giardino Botanico ( 010 66 68 64; admission €3.50; 9am-12.30pm Tue-Sun), home to a small collection of exotic plants.

Frequent trains from Genoa’s Stazione Brignole and Stazione Principe (€1.20, 20 to 25 minutes) travel to Pegli.

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RIVIERA DI LEVANTE

Running claustrophobically from Genoa’s eastern sprawl, you’re quickly apprehended by the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean fringed by some of Italy’s most elite resorts, including jet-set favourite Portofino. Anything but off the beaten track, this glittering stretch of coast is hugely popular, but never tacky. Heading further east, swanky resorts battle bravely with increasingly precipitous topography. You can drop the martinis and escape the crowds on some exhilarating walks on the Portofino promontory or along the cliffs of the Unesco-protected Cinque Terre.

Camogli

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This still-colourful fishing village, located 25km east of Genoa, has trompe l’œil decor­ating the alleys and cobbled streets, beneath a canopy of umbrella pines and voluptuous olive groves.

Camogli’s name means ‘house of wives’, hailing from the days when the women ran the village while their husbands were at sea. Fishing traditions continue here, especially during the second weekend in May when fishermen celebrate the Sagra del Pesce (Fish Festival) with a big fry-up – hundreds of fish are cooked in 3m-wide pans along the busy waterfront.

From the main esplanade, Via Garibaldi, boats sail to the Punta Chiappa, a rocky outcrop on the Portofino promontory where you can swim and sunbathe. The tourist office ( 0185 77 10 66; www.camogli.it, in Italian; Via XX Settembre 33; 9am-12.30pm & 3.30-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun) has a list of diving schools and boat-rental operators.

If you’d like to stay overnight, the 16th-century villa Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi ( 0185 72 41; www.cenobio.com; Via Cuneo 34; s €111-155, d €153-208; ) has more than 100 refined rooms yet still manages to feel intimate.

Delve down the lanes away from the water to escape the lunchtime crowd and search for some of the town’s extra-crunchy focaccia.

ATP Tigullio ( 0185 28 88 34) runs buses to/from Rapallo and Santa Margherita at least every hour, leaving from the bus stop just past the tourist office on Via XX Settembre.

Camogli (€2.40, 40 minutes, hourly) is on the Genoa—La Spezia train line.

The Cooperativa Battellieri del Golfo Paradiso runs boats year-round to and from Punta Chiappa (one-way/return €5/7.50) and San Fruttuoso (€7/10); and boats between June and September to Genoa’s Porto Antico (€10/15), Portofino (€9/15), and the Cinque Terre and Porto Venere (€18/25).

San Fruttuoso

The yin to Portofino’s yang, San Fruttuoso is a slice of ancient tranquillity preserved amid some of Italy’s ritziest coastal resorts. There are no roads here – thank heavens! Access is either by boat or on foot.

The hamlet’s extraordinary Benedictine abbey (Abbazia di San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte; 0185 77 27 03; adult/child €4/2.50; 10am-6pm May-Sep, to 4pm Mar, Apr & Oct, also to 4pm public holidays & day prior to public holidays only Dec-Feb) was built as a final resting place for Bishop St Fructuosus of Tarragona (martyred in Spain in AD 259). It was rebuilt in the mid-13th century with the assistance of the Doria family. The abbey fell into decay with the decline of the religious community, and in the 19th century it was divided into small living quarters by local fishermen.

In 1954 a bronze statue of Christ was lowered 15m to the seabed, offshore from the abbey, to bless the waters. Dive to see it or view it from a boat if the waters are calm – the Cooperativa Battellieri del Golfo Paradiso, Click here, can provide details. Replicas were lowered in St George’s harbour, Grenada, in 1961, and off Key Largo in Florida in 1966.

San Fruttuoso’s isolation is maintained by its lack of road access. You can walk in on foot from Camogli (a tricky, rocky hike with metal hand supports) or Portofino, a steep but easier 5km-long cliffside walk. Both hikes take about 2½ hours one-way. Alternatively you can catch a boat from Camogli or Punta Chiappa (one-way/return €5/6.50).

Portofino

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A byword for refined luxury, stately Portofino is beyond the wallet-stretching capabilities of most budget-minded travellers. That’s not to say you can’t linger over an expensive cappuccino next to its yacht-filled harbour logging the ubiquity of Gucci handbags and Prada sunglasses.

Backed by shapely cypress trees and characterised by an extravagant array of pastel-shaded villas, Portofino sits on a small promontory of protected land that juts out into the azure Mediterranean. Unbeknownst to the plethora of soft-top-sports-car drivers who zoom in via the sinuous road from Santa Margherita, the promontory is criss-crossed with copious trails, many of them surprisingly remote and all of them refreshingly free.

INFORMATION

Portofino’s tourist office ( 0185 26 90 24; www.apttigullio.liguria.it; Via Roma 35; 10am-1pm & 1.30-4.30pm Tue-Sun) has free trail maps for the Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino (opposite) and information on mountain-bike rental, as well as seasonal sail and motorboat rental.

SIGHTS

From the sublime harbour, a flight of stairs signposted ‘Salita San Giorgio’ leads past the Chiesa di San Giorgio to Castello Brown ( 0185 26 71 01; www.portofinoevents.com; Via alla Penisola 13a; adult/child €3.50/free; vary), a 10-minute walk altogether (confirm the opening times with the tourist office prior to setting out, as the castle often hosts private events). The Genoese-built castle saw action against the Venetians, Savoyards, Sardinians and Austrians and later fell to Napoleon. In 1867 it was transformed by the British diplomat Montague Yeats Brown into a private mansion. The fabulous tiled staircase is one of the showpieces of the neo-Gothic interior, while there are great views from the garden. For a better outlook continue for another 300m or so along the same track to the lighthouse.

Heading 2km north along the coastal road is the Abbazia della Cervara (Abbazia di San Girolamo; 800 652110; www.cervara.it; Lungomare Rossetti, Via Cervara 10; guided tours by reservation), built in 1361 and surrounded by formal gardens. Over the centuries, the abbey has hosted Benedictine monks, three popes and a saint (Catherine of Siena), and the French king, François I, who spent a less convivial time here as a prisoner after the 1525 Battle of Pavia. Tours take in the gardens, 15th-century chapterhouse, 16th-century cloister and the Saracen Tower.

SLEEPING & EATING

Portofino favours Serie A footballers and lottery winners, though the average traveller can usually rustle up sufficient cash (€5) for a harbourside cappuccino. The least expensive accommodation options include Eden ( 0185 26 90 91; www.hoteledenportofino.com; Vico Dritto 18; d €140-270; ), on a quiet cobbled side street not far from the harbour front; and Hotel Argentina ( 0185 28 67 08; www.argentinaportofino.it; Via Paraggi a Monte 56; d from €160; ) on the coast road towards Santa Margherita. Both are intrinsically posh without being too pretentious. If you’re intent on blowing your life’s savings, check into Hotel Splendido (www.splendido.orient-express.com; Salita Baratta 16) and follow in the footsteps of the Duke of Windsor, Frank Sinatra and countless other zillionaires.

Fashionable eateries overlook the port; Magazin ( 0185 26 91 78; Calata Marconi 34; meals €28-35; Fri-Wed), decked out like the cabin of a boat, serves authentic Ligurian luxuries. Caffè Excelsior ( 0185 26 90 05; Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta 54; meals €30) is another good perch with romantic outdoor booths – where Greta Garbo used to hide behind dark glasses – serving up octopuses and prawns.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

Regular buses run between Portofino and Santa Margherita (see opposite for details) but by far the best way is to walk. A designated path tracks the gorgeous coastline for 3km.

From April to October, Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio (opposite) runs daily ferries from Portofino to/from San Fruttuoso (€7.50/10.50), Rapallo (€7/10.50) and Santa Margherita (€5.50/8.50).

Motorists must park at the village entrance with obligatory parking fees starting from €4.50 per hour (cash only).

Santa Margherita

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Elegant hotels with Liberty facades overlook million-dollar yachts in this fishing-village-turned-wealthy-retirement-spot that looks like a museum to art nouveau. The good news is you don’t have to be a millionaire to stay here.

INFORMATION

The tourist office ( 0185 28 74 85; www.apttigullio.liguria.it; Via XXV Aprile 2b; 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat) has a raft of information about water sports along the gulf.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Santa Margherita’s idyllic position in a sheltered bay on the turquoise Golfo di Tigullio makes it a good base for sailing, water-skiing and scuba diving. Those feeling less active can simply stretch out on its popular beach.

Pop into the headquarters of the Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino ( 0185 28 94 79; www.parks.it/parco.portofino; Viale Rainusso 1) to pick up maps and information on walking. Alternatively, you can take an aromatic stroll among lemon trees, hydrangea and camellia hedges, and other flora typical of Santa Margherita’s hot climate, in the lavish gardens surrounding the 17th-century Villa Durazzo ( 0185 29 31 35; entrances at Piazzale San Giacomo 3, Via San Francesco d’Assisi 3 & Via Principe Centurione; admission free; 9.30am-6.30pm Mar-Oct, 9.40am-4.30pm Nov-Feb), a favourite wedding spot.

SLEEPING

Fasce ( 0185 28 64 35; www.hotelfasce.it; Via Luigi Bozzo 3; s/d €98/108; ) This is one of Santa Margherita’s cheaper options, with a rooftop sun deck, 16 decent-size rooms (though bathrooms are teensy) and a limited breakfast. Parking costs an extra €18.

Lido Palace Hotel ( 0185 28 58 21; www.lidopalacehotel.com; Via Doria 3; s €105-187, d €130-210; ) Right on the waterfront in the centre of town, this Liberty-style grande dame offers the quintessential Santa Margherita experience. Rooms are generously proportioned, the breakfast buffet is bountiful. The restaurant has an outdoor terrace with elevated views and there are half- and full-board options.

EATING & DRINKING

Trattoria dei Pescatori ( 0185 28 67 47; Via Bottaro 43-44; meals around €35; Wed-Mon Sep-Jun, daily Jul & Aug) Moscardini affogati (spicy stewed baby octopus) is the summertime speciality of Santa Margherita’s first-ever restaurant, opened in 1910. Autumn brings wild mushrooms to the table, while year-round Pescatori serves a delicious regional fish soup, oven-baked fish with olives and pine nuts, and handmade pastas in all shapes and sizes.

Bar Colombo ( 0185 28 70 58; Via Pescino 13; until late Tue-Sun) A celebration of art nouveau, this resplendent coffee bar—restaurant on the seafront is the former hang-out of silver-screen stars such as Burton and Taylor.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

ATP Tigullio Trasporti ( 0185 28 88 34; www.tigullio trasporti.it, in Italian) runs buses to/from Portofino (every 20 minutes) and Camogli (every 30 minutes).

By train, there are hourly services to/from Genoa (€2.40, 35 minutes) and La Spezia (€4.40, 1½ hours).

Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio ( 0185 28 46 70; www.traghettiportofino.it; Via Palestro 8/1b) runs seasonal ferries to/from Cinque Terre (one-way/return €17/24.50), Porto Venere (€21/32), San Fruttuoso (€9.50/14.50), Portofino (€5.50/8.50) and Rapallo (€3.50/4.50).

Rapallo

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WB Yeats, Max Beerbohm and Ezra Pound all garnered inspiration in Rapallo and it’s not difficult to see why. With its bright blue changing cabins, palm-fringed beach and diminutive 16th-century castle perched above the sea (hosting temporary art exhibitions), the town has a refined and nostalgic air. That’s not to say it isn’t friendly. Rapallo’s compactness gives it a less elite atmosphere than its jet-set neighbours. It’s at its busiest on Thursdays, when colourful market stalls fill central Piazza Cile.

Since 1934 a cable car ( 0185 5 23 41; Piazzale Solari 2; one-way/return €5.50/7.75; 9am-12.30pm & 2-6pm) has threaded its way up to Santuario Basilica di Montallegro (612m), a sanctuary built on the spot where, on 2 July 1557, the Virgin Mary was reportedly sighted. Walkers and mountain bikers can follow an old mule track (5km, 1½ hours) to the hilltop site. The tourist office ( 0185 23 03 46; www.apttigullio.liguria.it; Lungo Vittorio Veneto 7; 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat) has details of other walks in the area and stocks walking maps.

SLEEPING & EATING

Hotel Miro ( 0185 23 41 00; www.hotelmiro.net; Lungomare Vittorio Veneto 32; s €70-125, d €90-145; ) Right on the seafront, this charming boutique hotel is ensconced in a 19th-century town house, and has retained much of its historical character, with canopied beds and floral-print wallpaper. Ask about horse-riding lessons and boat rental, which can be booked through the hotel.

Hotel L’Approdo ( 0185 23 45 45; www.approdohotel.it; Via San Michele di Pagana 160; d €98-156; ) Set on the hillside, L’Approdo has some great sea views, but if you’re willing to forego them and look out onto the garden instead you can negotiate a lower rate. Rooms are shiny and modern, and some are wheelchair accessible. Parking (€10 per day) needs to be booked ahead.

Behind rows of parked scooters, the waterfront has plenty of places to eat, drink and snack.

Handmade pastas at Antica Cucina Genovese ( 0185 20 60 36; Via Santa Maria del Campo 133; meals €18-30; Tue-Sun; ) include a huge varietyof designated vegetarian options such as chestnut ravioli with pesto, as well as vegan fare such as potato and mushroom stew. The open kitchen also prepares meat and fish dishes, and there’s a great range of Ligurian wines.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Trains run along the coast to Genoa (€2.40, 40 minutes) and La Spezia (€4.40, one hour).

Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio runs boats to/from Santa Margherita (one-way/return €3.50/4.50), Portofino (€7/10.50), San Fruttuoso (€10/15.50), Genoa (€13.50/19), the Cinque Terre (€17/24.50) and Porto Venere (€21/32). Not all operate daily, and many are seasonal – the website posts updated schedules.

Chiavari to Levanto

The stretch of coast between the Portofino promontory and the Cinque Terre has some of the Riviera di Levante’s best beaches, but the area’s rash of resorts gets jam-packed in summer.

Inland from Chiavari (which is located 12km east of Santa Margherita) you can lose the crowds and breathe fresh mountain air in the Parco Naturale Regionale dell’Aveto ( park office 0185 34 03 11; www.parks.it/parco.aveto; Via Marrè 75a, Borzonasca; 2.30-5.30pm Thu & Fri, 8.30am-12.30pm Sat & Sun), a nature reserve at the northern end of the Val d’Aveto. The tranquil valley starts 12km north of the coast in Borzonasca.

Heading north, Santo Stefano d’Aveto (population 1280) is a small cross-country skiing centre and the main village in the valley. Between the two is Lago delle Lame, a glacial lake whose shallow waters have preserved fir-tree stumps from 2500 years ago.

Cinque Terre

A film director aiming to shoot an authentic period drama set in 17th-century Italy need look no further than Cinque Terre. Bar an overabundance of ogling tourists and a busy 19th-century railway line that burrows through a series of coastal tunnels, barely anything about these five crazily constructed Ligurian villages has changed in over three centuries. Even cars – those most ubiquitous of modern interferences – are missing, thanks to a 1997 Unesco ban.

Rooted in antiquity, Cinque Terre’s five towns date from the early medieval period. Monterosso, the oldest, was founded in AD 643 when beleaguered hill dwellers moved down to the coast to escape from invading barbarians. Riomaggiore, the next oldest, was purportedly established in the 8th century by Greek settlers fleeing persecution in Byzantium. Much of what remains in the towns today dates from the late Middle Ages, including several castles and a quintet of architecturally eclectic parish churches.

Buildings aside, Cinque Terre’s most unique historical feature is the steeply terraced cliffs bisected by a complicated system of fields and gardens that has been hacked, chiselled, shaped and layered over the course of nearly two millennia. So marked are these man-made contours that some scholars have compared the extensive muretti (low stone walls), to the Great Wall of China in their grandeur and scope.

Inseparable from the sea, the history of Cinque Terre is also intrinsically linked to the story of the Italian kitchen. Aside from the ubiquitous prawns, octopuses and anchovies, numerous land-reared products are also nurtured on these lovingly farmed cliff terraces. Notable gastronomic gifts that have originated in Cinque Terre include focaccia bread, pesto sauce and the celebrated Sciacchetrà white dessert wine.

Hugging the coast, the 12km Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) consists of a one-time mule path that linked all five oceanside villages by foot. Today’s protected trail dates back to the early days of the Republic of Genoa in the 12th and 13th centuries and, until the opening of the railway line in 1874, it was the most practical means of getting from village to village. For thousands of visitors, it still is.

INFORMATION

Online information is available at www.cinqueterre.it and www.cinqueterre.com.

MONTEROSSO

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The most accessible village by car and the only Cinque Terre settlement to sport a tourist beach, Monterosso is the furthest west and least quintessential of the quintet (it was briefly ditched from the group in the 1940s). Noted for its lemon trees, the village’s old and new quarters are linked by an underground tunnel.

Footsteps from the sea, Carla ( 0187 82 90 39; Via IV Novembre 75; d €60-70) has charming affittacamere (rooms for rent). Monterosso also has a handful of hotels, including good value for money at the four-star Hotel Palme ( 0187 82 90 13; www.hotelpalme.it; Via IV Novembre 18; d from €140; Apr-Oct; ), where you can laze in the palm-filled gardens.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR EURO

Easily the best way to get around the Cinque Terre is with a Cinque Terre card.

Two versions of the card are available: with or without train travel. Both include unlimited use of walking paths (which otherwise cost €5) and electric village buses, as well as the elevator in Riomaggiore and cultural exhibitions. Without train travel, a basic one-two-/three-/seven-day card for everyone over the age of four costs €5/8/10/20. A card that also includes unlimited train trips between the towns costs €8.50/14.70/19.50/36.50.

Both versions of the card are sold at all Cinque Terre park information offices.

Along the seafront, restaurants dish up local anchovies straight out of the sea, served fried, raw with lemon juice, pickled in brine or in a tian (baked with potatoes and tomatoes). To wash them down, stop in at one of several wine bars throughout the village.

To pack an authentic Ligurian beach picnic, head to Focacceria Enoteca Antonia ( 0187 82 90 39; Via Fegina 124; focaccia per slice around €2.20; 9am-8pm Fri-Wed Mar-Oct) where Paola and her husband Giuseppe make 15 kinds of piping-hot focaccia from scratch and also stock well-priced local wines.

VERNAZZA

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Guarding the only secure landing point on the Cinque Terre coast, Vernazza is the quaintest of the five villages. Its tiny harbour is framed by the 1318-built Chiesa di Santa Margherita, while the ruins of an 11th-century castle look out to sea.

Lined with little cafes, Vernazza’s main cobbled street, Via Roma, links seaside Piazza Marconi with the train station.

To spend a romantic night here try L’Eremo sul Mare ( 339 268 56 17; Via Gerai; d €90; mid-Mar—mid-Oct; ), a charming cliffside villa with just three rooms and a lovely sun terrace, a 10-minute hike up the hillside.

Traditional Cinque Terre seafood is served up at Trattoria Gianni Franzi ( 0187 82 10 03; Piazza Matteotti 5; meals €22-30; mid-Mar-early Jan); and in the cosy stone-and-wood dining rooms of Trattoria da Sandro ( 0187 81 22 23; Via Roma 69; meals €20), whose specialities include baked stuffed mussels, and swordfish with tomatoes, capers, olives and pine nuts.

CORNIGLIA

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Corniglia, the middle village, sits atop a rocky promontory surrounded by vineyards and is the only Cinque Terre settlement with no direct sea access. Narrow alleys and colourfully painted four-storey houses characterise the ancient core, a timeless streetscape that was namechecked in Boccaccio’s Decameron.

The best panoramas unfold from La Torre, a medieval lookout reached by narrow lanes and stairways. From Corniglia’s central square, Via Fieschi leads through the village heart to Belvedere Santa Maria, another lookout with sweeping sea views.

If you’re stopping for the night, Dai Fera’ ( 0187 81 23 23; Via alla Marina 39; d €60-80) offers clean and simple rooms close to the seafront.

As elsewhere in the Cinque Terre, fish is the mainstay of Corniglia’s restaurants – you can’t go wrong by asking for whatever’s fresh.

MANAROLA

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Bequeathed with more grapevines than any other Cinque Terre village, Manarola is fam­ous for its Sciacchetrà wine and awash with priceless medieval relics supporting claims that it is the oldest of the five. Despite its proximity to Riomaggiore, the village remains unhurried and distinct, with locals speaking a local dialect known as Manarolese.

At the northern end of Via Discovolo, you’ll come upon Piazzale Papa Innocenzo IV, dominated by a bell tower used as a defensive lookout. Opposite, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo dates from 1338 and houses a 15th-century polyptych. If you’re geared up for a steep walk, from nearby Via Rollandi you can follow a path that leads through vineyards to the top of the mountain.

The Cinque Terre’s only hostel, Ostello 5 Terre ( 0187 92 02 15; www.cinqueterre.net/ostello; Via Riccobaldi 21; dm €20-23, d €55-65; reception 7am-1pm, 4pm-midnight Feb-Jun & Sep-Nov, 7am-1pm & 5pm-1am Jun-Aug, hostel open Mar-Dec; ), rents out mountain bikes, kayaks, Nordic walking poles and snorkelling gear. Its single-sex, six-bed dorms come with their own bathrooms, and there’s English-language satellite TV, Playstation and a book exchange. Lockout times are 10am to 4pm, or 5pm (June to August).

A shoal of fish dishes and the house speciality zuppa di datteri (date soup) are served up at Marina Piccola ( 0187 92 01 03; www.hotelmarinapiccola.com; Via Lo Scalo 16; s/d from €87/115, meals €22-30) along with sea views. If you want to stay, the ‘little marina’ has good deals for half- and full-board.

RIOMAGGIORE

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Cinque Terre’s easternmost village, Rio­maggiore, is the largest of the five, and acts as its unoffical HQ (the main park office is based here). Its peeling pastel buildings tumble like faded chocolate boxes down a steep ravine to a tiny harbour – the region’s favourite postcard view – and glow romantically at sunset. The famous Sentiero Azzurro coastal path starts here.

Outside the train station near the water’s edge, murals depict the backbreaking work of Cinque Terre farmers who, over the centuries, built the Cinque Terre with their bare hands.

Bird life and local flora can be seen from the Torre Guardiola ( 0187 76 00 52; admission free; 9am-1pm Aug, 9am-1pm & 4-7pm Feb-Jul, Sep & Oct), a nature observation and bird-watching centre located on Fossola Beach, immediately southeast of Riomaggiore marina. From the centre a botanical walking trail leads along the coast. To dive or snorkel in the translucent waters, contact Cooperative Sub 5 Terre ( 0187 92 05 96; Via San Giacomo; vary seasonally), which also rents canoes and kayaks.

B&Bs and a handful of hotels are situated in the village, as well as room and apartment rental agencies such as Edi ( 0187 92 03 25; Via Colombo 111) and La Dolce Vita ( 0187 76 00 44; Via Colombo 120). Some of the cheapest harbourside rooms are with La Casa di Venere ( 349 075 31 40; www.lacasadivenere.com; Via Sant’Antonio 114; s without bathroom €30-50, d without bathroom €40-60, d with bathroom €50-70), just off the upper stretch of the main street.

Places to eat and drink line arterial Via Colombo including Bar Centrale ( 0187 76 00 75; Via Colombo 144; snacks from €5; 7.30am-midnight), the liveliest late-night and early-morning spot, and La Lampara ( 0187 92 01 20; Via Malborghetto 2; meals €25; 7am-midnight), with pizza and pasta al pesto.

La Lanterna ( 0187 92 05 89; Via San Giacomo, Loc Marina; meals €25-33) is perched within pebble-lobbing distance of Riomaggiore’s snug harbour that’s crammed with fishing nets and overturned boats. You can sit on the charming terrace and choose from recently caught fish chalked up on a blackboard. Leave room for a dessert, such as babà al limoncello (brioche drenched in sweet lemon-scented liqueur). Across the laneway, local wine is served by the glass at Dau Cila ( 0187 76 00 32; Via San Giacomo, Loc Marina; wine & snacks €10; 8am-2am Mar-Oct), accompanied by cold plates such as smoked tuna with apples and lemon or lemon-marinaded anchovies with pears and parmesan. To reach the harbour, follow the flight of steps leading down from the south end of Via Colombo.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

Boat

In summer Cooperativa Battellieri del Golfo Paradiso runs boats to the Cinque Terre from Genoa.

CINQUE TERRE WALKS

There’s a reason why the Sentiero Azzurro is one of Italy’s most crowded trails, and one of the few you have to pay to enter. Arguably the most drop-dead-gorgeous coastal hike in the country, the route follows an ancient network of walking paths that has linked the five Cinque Terre villages for over a millennium. Studded with panoramic vistas, it traverses windswept olive groves and seemingly impregnable vineyards, dipping serendipitously into each of the flavourful maritime villages where a bundle of historical distractions can quickly turn this moderate 12km hike into an elongated all-day marathon.

Far from flat, the Azzurro is a narrow, precipitous hike, though people of all shapes and sizes complete it every day. The most popular direction of traffic is east—west, beginning in Riomaggiore and finishing in Monterosso, starting on the famed Via dell’Amore. If you’re not up to going the full distance, try hiking as far as the middle village, Corniglia, and getting a train back.

Just a few kilometres shy of a full-blown marathon, the 38km Sentiero Rosso – which runs from Porto Venere to Levanto – dangles a tempting challenge to energetic hikers who aim to complete it in nine to 12 hours. It’s an accomplishment you won’t forget, especially when you hit the swanky beach resort of Levanto and settle down for that long-dreamt-about gelato and/or glass of cold beer.

The other benefit is (relative) solitude. For every 100 people you see on the Sentiero Azzurro, there are less than a dozen up here plying their way along a route that is mainly flat, tree-covered and punctuated with plenty of shortcuts. An early start is assured by an efficient train and bus connection to Porto Venere (via La Spezia), while refreshments en route are possible in a liberal smattering of welcoming bars and restaurants.

Labelled as Trail No 1 on maps, the Sentiero Rosso is well signposted throughout, making it difficult to get lost.

Seasonal boat services to/from Santa Margherita (one-way/return €14/24.50) are handled by Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio.

From late March to October, La Spezia—based Consorzio Maritimo Turistico Cinque Terre Golfo dei Poeti runs daily shuttle boats between all of the Cinque Terre villages, except Corniglia, costing €16 one-way including all stops, €21 return on weekdays and €23 on weekends.

Car & Motorcycle

Private vehicles are not allowed beyond village entrances. If you’re arriving by car or motorcycle, you’ll need to pay to park in designated car parks (€2.30 per hour or €19 per 24 hours). Getting from the car parks to the villages involves a steep hike of 1km or more, although in some villages, minibus shuttles depart from the car parks (one-way/return €1.50/2.50) – park offices have seasonal schedules.

Train

Between 6.30am and 10pm, one to three trains an hour trundle along the coast between Genoa and La Spezia, stopping at each of the Cinque Terre’s villages. Unlimited 2nd-class rail travel between Levanto and La Spezia is covered by the Cinque Terre Treno Card (see the boxed text, Click here).

La Spezia

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To nonresidents, the hardworking port town of La Spezia is little more than a gateway to Cinque Terre. But, though not as attractive as its famous Unesco-honoured neighbour, Italy’s largest naval base has its architectural merits. Echoes of Genoa ring through the narrow winding streets of the Old Town capped by the medieval Castello di San Giorgio and demarcated by pedestrianised Via Prione. In keeping with lip-smacking northwestern gastronomy, there’s a handful of slow-food restaurants scattered around the main drag along with a small network of cosy trattorias showcasing the standard Ligurian delicacies of wine, bread and pesto sauce.

La Spezia’s bustle peaks on 19 March, the feast day of the city’s patron saint, San Giuseppe (St Joseph). Celebrations see a giant market fill the port and surrounding streets, and the naval base (off-limits the rest of the year) opens to the public for the day.

INFORMATION

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

La Spezia’s star attraction is the Museo Amedeo Lia ( 0187 73 11 00; www.castagna.it/mal; Via Prione 234; adult/child €6/3; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), a fine-arts museum in a restored 17th-century friary. The collection covers the 13th to 18th centuries and includes paintings by masters such as Tintoretto, Montagna, Titian and Pietro Lorenzetti. Also on show are Roman bronzes and ecclesiastical treasures such as Limoges crucifixes and illuminated musical manuscripts. Next door, pop into the Museo del Sigilio ( 0187 77 85 44; Via Prione 236; admission €3; 4-7pm Tue, 10am-noon & 4-7pm Wed-Sun) to see some 1500 seals dating from the 4th millennium BC to the present day.

Other highlights on La Spezia’s museum circuit include an assortment of local archaeological artefacts from prehistoric to medieval times at the Castello di San Giorgio ( 0187 75 11 42; www.castagna.it/sangiorgio; Via XXVII Marzo; adult/child €5/4; 9.30am-12.30pm & 3-6pm Wed-Mon May & Sep-Oct, 9.30am-12.30pm & 5-8pm Wed-Mon Jun-Aug, 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Nov-Apr), and model ships and polene (statuettes that graced the prows of vessels) at the 1870-founded naval museum, Museo Tecnico Navale (Naval Museum; 0187 78 30 16; Viale Amendola 1; admission €1.55; 8am-6.45pm Mon-Sat, to 1pm Sun).

Contact La Spezia—based dive organisation CNA ( 347 490 90 66; www.consorzioliguriadiving.it, in Italian) for a list of dive operators in the gulf.

SLEEPING & EATING

There are a number of cheap hotels around the train station, but many tend to be scruffy. The waterfront has plenty of relaxed places to wine and dine.

Albergo Birillo ( 0187 73 26 66; Via Dei Mille 11/13; s €30-50, d €55-75) A homey haven where rather tight-fitting rooms are made up for by the ultrafriendly owners who’ll fill you in on the town’s hidden attractions and even offer you a lift to the station. Situated a few blocks from Via Prione and near plenty of good eateries, it makes an economical alternative to digs in Cinque Terre.

Hotel Firenze e Continentale ( 0187 71 32 00; www.hotelfirenzecontinentale.it; Via Paleocapa 7; s €50-94, d €68-134; ) Retaining some of its early-1900s atmosphere, with high ceilings, heavy drapes and wall-mounted lamps in many rooms, the three-star Florence is one of the best options near the train station.

Le Ville Relais ( 0187 73 52 99; www.levillerelais.it; Salita al Piano 18/19; s €80-100, d €100-120; ) In a rarefied hillside location 3km from the city centre, this chic new villa has sublime views over the Gulf of Poets, with eye-level views from the swimming pool. Light, airy rooms have sophisticated beachy furnishings and free broadband. In addition to the homemade cakes served at breakfast, a new on-site restaurant is due to open by the time you’re reading this.

Vicolo Intherno ( 0187 2 39 98; Via della Canonica 22; meals around €20; Tue-Sat) Take a seat around chunky wooden tables beneath beamed ceilings at this Slow Fish—affiliated restaurant and wash down the torte di verdure (Ligurian vege­table pie) or stockfish with local vintages.

Zanzibar Cafe ( 334 804 59 41; Via Prione 289; snacks €5-10; 6.30am-8.30pm Tue-Thu, till 1am Fri & Sat) Via Prione is full of cafes and eateries. Toss a coin and you might end up at the rarely empty Zanzibar, where zebra-striped seats and mood lighting suggest delusions of trendiness. Wear your best sunglasses and sit down for frappé, antipasti, panini and desserts.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Buses run by Azienda Trasporti Consortile (ATC; 800 322322; www.atclaspezia.it, in Italian) are the only way to reach nearby towns, including Porto Venere (€1.45, approximately every 30 minutes) from Via Domenico Chiodo, Lerici (€1.45, approximately every 15 minutes) and Sarzana (€1.60, two or three daily), both from the train station. Fewer buses operate on Sunday.

La Spezia is on the Genoa—Rome railway line and is also connected to Milan (€21, three hours, four daily), Turin (€24, three hours, several daily) and Pisa (€5, 50 minutes, almost hourly). The Cinque Terre and other coastal towns are easily accessible by train – Click here.

Consorzio Maritimo Turistico Cinque Terre Golfo dei Poeti ( 0187 96 76 76; www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it; Passeggiata Constantino Morin) runs boat ser­vices to Genoa and Lerici, as well as coastal towns including all Cinque Terre towns except Camogli.

Porto Venere

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Perched on the Gulf of Poets’ western promontory, Porto Venere has a riddle of little lanes and staircases, a petite harbour and no small amount of history. The Romans built Portus Veneris as a base en route from Gaul to Spain, and in later years, Byzantines, Lombards, the Genovese and Napoleon all passed through here. Cinque Terre’s marathon-length Red Trail to Levanto starts here, just behind the castle. Hikers, take a deep breath…

The tourist office ( 0187 79 06 91; www.porto venere.it; Piazza Bastreri 7; 10am-noon & 3-6pm Thu-Tue Sep-May, 10am-noon & 3-8pm daily Jun-Aug) sells a couple of useful maps and walking guides in English. Outside the hectic summer season, Porto Venere is something of a ghost town.

SIGHTS

From the waterfront, narrow steps and cobbled paths lead uphill to the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, built in 1130. In the church’s shadow is the 16th-century Castello Doria (adult/child €2.20/1.20; 10.30am-1.30pm & 2.30-6pm daily Apr-Aug, 10.30am-1.30pm & 2.30-6pm Sat & Sun Sep-Mar), a formidable example of the Genoese military architecture offering magnificent views from its ornate terraced gardens.

At the end of the quay a Cinque Terre pan­orama unfolds from the rocky terraces of Grotta Arpaia, a former haunt of Byron, who once swam across the gulf from Porto Venere to Lerici to visit his mate, Shelley. Traces of a pagan temple have been uncovered on the quay, inside the black-and-white-marble Chiesa di San Pietro, which was built in 1277. Just off the promontory lie the tiny islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.

SLEEPING & EATING

Albergo Genio ( 0187 79 06 11; www.hotelgenioportovenere.com; Piazza Bastreri 8; s €75-90, d €95-120; mid-Feb—mid-Jan; ) From Piazza Bastreri, scale the spiral stairs in the round tower to reach this charming seven-room hotel. In summer breakfast is served alfresco beneath the vines, and some rooms are equipped with air-conditioning.

La Lanterna ( 0187 79 22 91; www.lalanterna-portovenere.it; Via Capellini 109; d €75-85; ) Down by Porto Venere’s picturesque harbourfront, this little guesthouse has just two airy rooms (there’s also an option of a four-person apartment on request). Breakfast isn’t included, but can be arranged; otherwise stroll to a nearby cafe.

Locanda Lorena ( 0187 79 23 70; Via Cavour 4) Situated on the island of Palmaria, this place has a delightful restaurant and rooms – call for more information, and for them to send their boat over.

A half-dozen or so restaurants line Calata Doria, by the sea. A block inland, Porto Venere’s main old-town street, Via Cappellini, has several tasty choices.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Porto Venere is served by daily buses from La Spezia – Click here.

From late March to October, La Spezia—based Consorzio Maritimo Turistico Cinque Terre Golfo dei Poeti sails from Porto Venere to/from the Cinque Terre (one-way with all stops €15, return €20 to €22) and runs boat excursions to the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto (€9), as well as services to La Spezia and Lerici (call for seasonal information).

Lerici & Around

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Magnolia, yew and cedar trees grow in the 1930s public gardens at Lerici, an exclusive retreat of pool-equipped villas clinging to the cliffs along its beach.

For outstanding views make your way on foot or by public lift to the 12th-century Castello di Lerici (Piazza San Giorgio 1). Lerici’s tourist office ( 0187 96 73 46; info@aptcinqueterre.sp.it; Via Biaggini 6; 9am-1pm & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun) can advise on walking and cycling in the area, as well as accommodation.

From Lerici a scenic 3km coastal stroll leads north to San Terenzo, a seaside village with a sandy beach and Genoese castle. The Shelleys stayed at the waterfront Villa Magni (closed to visitors) in the early 1820s and Percy drowned here when his boat sank off the coast in 1822 on a return trip from Livorno.

Another coastal stroll, 4km south, takes you past magnificent little bays to Tellaro, a fishing hamlet with pink-and-orange houses cluttered about narrow lanes and tiny squares. Sit on the rocks at the Chiesa San Giorgio and imagine an octopus ringing the church bells – which, according to legend, it did to warn the villagers of a Saracen attack. Tellaro is home to the gourmands’ hideaway, Locanda Miranda ( 0187 96 40 12; www.locandamiranda.com; Via Fiascherina 92; d €120, d with half-board €180, set menus €40-60, mains €20; ), an exquisite seven-room inn with art- and antiques-decorated rooms, and a Michelin-starred restaurant specialising exclusively in seafood (not for vegetarians or carnivores!).

Val di Magra

On the Tuscan border, the Magra Valley’s main town, Sarzana (population 20,120), was an important outpost of the Genoese republic. In its cathedral you can see the world’s oldest crucifix painted on wood. Before embarking on nature walks in this pretty region’s protected park, the Parco di Montemarcello-Magra, pop into its information centre ( 0187 69 10 71; www.parcomagra.it, in Italian; Via Paci 2) in Sarzana.

The centre also has information on the Val di Magra’s archaeological sites, including Luni ( 0187 6 68 11; adult/child €2/free; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun), 6km southeast of Sarzana. Established as a Roman colony in 177 BC, it thrived as a wealthy trading centre until the Middle Ages, when the port began to silt up, making it a breeding ground for malaria. The town was abandoned in 1204. Today you can see remains of an amphitheatre, forum, temples and houses, along with some remarkable mosaic floors and frescoes.

Return to beginning of chapter

RIVIERA DI PONENTE

Curving west from Genoa to the French border, the Ponente stretch of the Ligurian coast is flatter and more down-to-earth than the flashy Rivieria di Levante. As a result it shelters some unlikely escape-hatches, particularly along the stretch of coast from Noli to Finale Ligure.

The coast’s chalky cliffs draw free climbers from far and wide; above the cliffs, the mountains hide a warren of hilltop villages.

Savona

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Behind Savona’s sprawling port facilities, the city’s unexpectedly graceful medieval centre is well worth getting off the train for. Among the old-town treasures to survive destruction by Genoese forces in the 16th century are the baroque Cattedrale di Nostra Signora Assunta (Piazza Cattedrale) and the lumbering Fortezza del Priamàr (Piazza Priamar). This imposing fortress guards a couple of sculpture museums and the Civico Museo Storico Archeologico ( 019 82 27 08; Piazza Priamar; adult/child €2.50/1.50; 10am-noon & 3-5pm Tue-Sat, 3-5pm Sun Jun-Sep, 9.30am-12.30pm & 3-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-noon & 3-5pm Sat, 3-5pm Sun Oct-May), which displays archaeological finds.

Art aficionados won’t want to miss the Pinacoteca Civica Savona ( 019 81 15 20; Piazza Chabrol 1/2; adult/child €4/2; 8.30am-1pm & 2-7pm Mon, Tue & Thu, 2-9pm Wed & Fri, 8.30am-1pm & 8-11pm Sat & Sun Jul & Aug, 8.30am-1pm & 2-7pm Mon, Tue & Thu, 2-9pm Wed & Fri, 8.30am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm Sep-Jun), which has an important collection of religious paintings, including a Madonna and child by Taddeo di Bartolo, dating from the 14th to 15th centuries, and two Picassos.

The tourist office ( 019 840 23 21; iatsavona@infocomm.it; Corso Italia 157r; 9am-12.30pm & 3-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-12.30pm Sun Apr-Sep, 9am-12.30pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sat Jan-Mar, Oct & Nov) is a short stroll from Savona’s sandy beach.

Six- to seven-hour whale-watching trips ( 010 26 57 12; www.whalewatchliguria.it; adult/child €35/23) depart Savona at 10am from July to September.

SLEEPING & EATING

The tourist office can help book accommodation, both in the city and the coastal towns to the west. Savona also has one of Liguria’s few hostels, Villa de’ Franceschini ( 019 26 32 22; www.ostellionline.org; Via alla Strà ‘Conca Verde’ 29; dm/d €13/32; mid-Mar—Oct; ), situated 3km from the train station in a sprawling park. Another cheap sleep is Albergo Savona ( 019 82 18 20; Piazza del Popolo 53; s €30-40, d €45-62), a no-frills affair wedged between the train station and the old town.

To enter Vino e Farinata (Via Pia 15; meals €17-20; Tue-Sat) in the cobbled centre, you’ll have to walk past the two ancient chefs: one shovelling fish into a wood-fired oven and the other mixing up batter in a barrel-sized whisking machine. The result: Ligurian farinata, the menu staple in this very local restaurant that also hordes some excellent wines.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

SAR ( 0182 2 15 44) and ACTS ( 019 2 20 11) buses, departing from Piazza del Popolo and the train station, are the best options for reaching points inland. Bus 2 links the train station and the fortress. On foot, Via Collodi and Via Don Minzoni lead from the station across the Letimbro river towards Piazza del Popolo, from where Via Paleocapa runs to the marina.

LIGURIA’S TOP FIVE DIVE SITES

Protected marine reserves, wrecks and underwater caves and crevices offer scuba divers of all levels of experience fascinating underwater explorations. Dive operators are listed in the Sights & Activities sections of this chapter.

  • BR-20 This Italian Fiat BR-20 fighter bomber crashed in 1940 near Ventimiglia, but wasn’t damaged on impact and remains structurally intact. Difficult.
  • Secca Isuela In a protected conservation area, this rocky peak rising from the seabed near Camogli sees a frenzy of fish feeding on a blizzard of anchovies. Average level.
  • Parete On the western side of the tiny island of Tino, near Porto Venere, the fissured Parete rock face shelters scorpion fish and conger eels. Easy.
  • Punta Portofino Boulders big enough to hide groupers lie just off Portofino, but currents here can be treacherous. Difficult.
  • Bettolina A 10-minute boat ride from Sestri Levante, this upright WWII German barge has rare jewel anemones on its stern ladder. Average level.

Trains run along the coast to Genoa’s Stazione Brignole (€3.30, 45 minutes, almost hourly) and San Remo (€5.70, 1¾ hours, eight daily).

Corsica Ferries ( 019 21 55 11; www.corsicaferries.com) runs up to three boats daily between Savona’s Porto Vado and Corsica.

Noli

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West of Savona, Noli is one of Liguria’s coastal jewels and a welcome lifeline for beleaguered tourist-phobes. From its historic centre, an astonishingly intact medieval battlement zigzags up Monte Ursino (120m); it is topped by a ruined 11th-century castle. Following the wall to the castle gives you a spectacular panorama of the village’s eight remaining Genoese towers.

The existing Romanesque form of Noli’s most historic church, San Paragorio, was built in AD 1000, and the original structure has long been thought to date back to AD 800. However, in late 2006 new archaeological finds suggested that the church may in fact be much older – watch this space.

Fishing boats sell their unloaded catches to villagers each morning on Noli’s pretty beach, from where views extend to Tuscany.

Noli’s little tourist office ( 019 749 90 03; Corso Italia 8; 9am-noon & 2.30-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun Apr—mid-Sep, 9am-noon & 2.30-6pm Mon-Sat mid-Sep—Mar) has information about sleeping and eating options, as well as water sports including windsurfing.

SAR ( 0182 2 15 44) buses travel every 30 minutes along the coast to/from Savona (€2.20, 30 minutes), continuing to Finale Ligure and Finalborgo (€1.30, 20 minutes).

Finale Ligure

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Set amid lush Mediterranean vegetation, this township actually comprises several districts. Finale Ligure has a wide, fine-sand beach; the walled medieval centre, known as Finalborgo, is a knot of twisting alleys set 1km back from the coast on the Pora river. Finale Marina sits on the waterfront, while the more residential Finale Pia runs along the Sciusa river in the direction of Genoa.

Each year in March, Finalborgo’s cloisters are home to the Salone dell’Agroalimentare Ligure, where local farmers and artisan producers display delicacies and vintages.

Hotel Florenz ( 019 69 56 67; www.florenz.it; Via Celesia 1; s €52-75, d €74-120; closed Nov & Feb; ), a rambling 18th-century former convent just outside Finalborgo’s village walls (800m from the sea), is one of the most atmospheric spots to sleep. Offering stiff competition is Castello Vuillermin ( 019 69 05 15; Via Generale Caviglia 46; dm/d €15.50/44), a youth hostel in a castle, no less, with stunning views from its terrace. It’s 1km from the station and up 300-plus steps. It accepts nonmembers for a small supplement.

Delicious Ligurian cuisine is cooked up at the rustic Osteria ai Cuattru Canti ( 019 68 05 40; set menus €20; Tue-Sun) in Finalborgo’s historic centre.

From the train station on Piazza Vittorio Veneto, at Finale Marina’s western end, walk down Via Saccone to the sea and the tourist office ( 019 68 10 19; finaleligure@inforiviera.it; Via San Pietro 14; 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm Mon-Sat & 9am-noon Sun Jul & Aug). The promenade along Via San Pietro and Via Concezione is crammed with eateries.

SAR ( 0182 2 15 44) buses yo-yo every 30 minutes to/from Finale Ligure and Savona (€2.20, 50 minutes), stopping en route in Finalborgo (€1, five minutes) and Noli (€1.30, 20 minutes).

Albenga to Imperia

Some of Liguria’s only flat land stretches out along this section of coastline, making it ripe for growing fruit, vegetables and garden plants. The area is well served by trains and SAR buses (€3.40 to Savona).

Albenga (population 22,760) is the most interesting stop. Settled as far back as the 5th century BC, Albenga grew from its Roman roots to become an independent maritime republic during the Middle Ages, and retains a preserved medieval centre today. Albenga’s tourist office ( 0182 55 84 44; albenga@inforiviera.it; Lungocenta Croce Bianca 12; 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm Tue-Sat) has plenty of useful information on the town’s sights. Highlights include the Museo Diocesano di Arte Sacra (Via Episcopio 5; adult/child €3/1; 10am-noon & 3-6pm Tue-Sun), featuring a painting by Caravaggio. It is located near a 5th-century baptistry and Romanesque cathedral. A collection of 1st-century amphorae, recovered in 1950 from the wreck of a Roman cargo vessel 4km offshore, is at the Museo Navale Romano (Roman Naval Museum; 0182 5 12 15; Piazza San Michele 12; adult/child €3/1; 9.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-7.30pm Tue-Sun Jul & Aug, 10am-12.30pm & 2.30-6pm Tue-Sun Sep-Jun).

More touristy (and more expensive) is Alassio (population 11,365). The town’s 3km of white, sandy beaches have made it a long-time favourite with visiting luminaries such as Hemingway, who have left their mark on its autograph-engraved Muretto di Alassio. This wall of fame runs between the sea and the art nouveau train station. While in town, be sure to try Alassio’s version of Baci – two biscuit whirls sandwiched together with chocolate cream.

Busy Imperia (population 39,518) was created in 1923 by Mussolini when he bridged the Impero river and unified the towns of Oneglia (east) and Porto Maurizio (west). The latter is dominated by a large neoclassical cathedral and merits an afternoon stroll.

Savona’s tourist office Click here can provide information about the area.

San Remo

pop 50,900

Fifty kilometres east of Europe’s premier gambling capital lies San Remo, Italy’s wannabe Monte Carlo, a sun-dappled Mediterranean resort with a casino, a clutch of ostentatious villas, and lashings of Riviera-style grandeur. Known colloquially as the City of Flowers for its colourful summer blooms, San Remo also stages an annual music festival (the supposed inspiration for the Eurovision Song Contest) and the world’s longest professional one-day cycling race, the 298km Milan—Sanremo Classic.

During the mid-19th century the city became a magnet for regal European exiles such as Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Czar Nicola of Russia, who favoured the town’s balmy winters. Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel maintained a villa here and an onion-domed Russian Orthodox church reminiscent of Moscow’s St Basil’s Cathedral still turns heads down by the seafront.

Beyond the manicured lawns and belle époque hotels, San Remo hides a little-visited old town, a labyrinth of twisting lanes that cascade down the Ligurian hillside. Curling around the base is a new 25km bike and walking path that tracks the coast as far as Imperia, following the course of a former railway line and passing through the town’s two character-filled harbours.

INFORMATION

Pick up a copy of Rivieri dei Fiori News, a free monthly newspaper available at the tourist office. For more information about the area, check out www.sanremoguide.com, www.sanremonet.com and www.sanremomani festazioni.it (in Italian).

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Close to the tourist office, the multicoloured Chiesa Russa Ortodossia ( 0184 53 18 07; Via Nuvoloni 2; admission €1; 9.30am-noon & 3-6pm) was built for the Russian community that followed Tsarina Maria to San Remo. The Russian Orthodox church – with its onion domes and pale blue interior – was designed in 1906 by Alexei Shchusev, who later planned Lenin’s mausoleum in Moscow. These days it’s used as an exhibition space for Russian icons. Nearby is the famous casino (Corso degli Inglesi), built in 1905 and still a winner with punters.

On shop-lined Corso Matteotti, the sumptuous Palazzo Borea d’Olmo was built during the 15th century and today houses the Museo Civico ( 0184 53 19 42; Corso Matteotti 143; admission free; 9am-noon & 3-6pm Tue-Sat). Several rooms, some with fine frescoed ceilings, display local prehistoric and Roman archaeological finds, paintings and temporary exhibitions. Highlights include Maurizio Carrega’s Gloria di San Napoleone, painted in 1808 as a sycophantic homage to the Corsican despot of the same name, and bronze statues by Franco Bargiggia.

A short stroll east of town, elegant villas include the Moorish Villa Nobel (Corso Felice Cavallotti 112; admission free; 11am-12.30pm Tue-Fri), housing a museum dedicated to Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who established the Nobel Prize while living here; and the peaceful Japanese gardens of Villa Ormond ( 0184 50 57 62; Corso Felice Cavallotti 51; admission free; gardens 8am-7pm).

You can watch the frenetic bidding at Italy’s principal flower market (Via Frantoi Canaii; 6-8am Oct-Jun), 6km east of town.

About 10km northeast of San Remo is the intriguing artist colony Bussana Vecchia. On Ash Wednesday 1887, an earthquake destroyed the village, and survivors were eventually forced to abandon it. It remained a ghost town until the 1960s, when artists moved in and began rebuilding the ruins using the original stones from the rubble. After successfully standing up to authorities who wanted to remove them, a thriving community of international artists remains in residence today.

In a spirit befitting a city that hosts professional cycling’s greatest Spring Classic, San Remo is in the process of building a 25km walking and cycling path known as the Italian Cycling Riviera. Much of the path – which runs along the route of a former railway line – is now open and offers bike hire en route. Inquire at the tourist office Click here. Polo Sub Dive Centre ( 0184 53 53 35; Via Lungomare, Arma di Taggia) offers diving for €35 per immersion from the Darsena Porto in Taggia, 5km to the east.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

SLEEPING

San Remo has no shortage of hotels, although summer and festival times can be busy and a few places shut from September until just before Christmas.

Albergo Ambrosiano ( 0184 57 71 89; www.hotel ambrosiano.it; Via Roma 36; d €60-100; ) This friendly hotel has eight immaculate rooms with plenty of space to stretch out, although those with lots of luggage may find the miniature lift a challenge.

Hotel Eletto ( 0184 53 15 48; www.elettohotel.it; Via G Matteotti 44; s €50-95, d €60-125; ) Get lured in by the Parisian art nouveau entrance canopy to a friendly reception desk where they’ll direct you upstairs to clean, refurbished soundproofed rooms in a central location.

Hotel Liberty (Rondò Garibaldi 2; s €45-55, d €70-90) Equipped with new, young owners and a new name, this 10-room hotel is set in a Liberty-style villa off a small traffic circle about 100m from the train station. The small but clean rooms are quiet and infused with faded elegance, while most sights of note are only footsteps away.

Hotel Marinella ( 0184 50 59 00; www.hotel marinella.it, in Italian; Via Ruffini 21; s €55-72, d €70-105; ) Across the road from the waterfront, most of Marinella’s sun-splashed, tiled rooms have balconies, and all are spotless and spacious. The hotel’s attached glass restaurant (mains around €15) is a bit like dining in a goldfish bowl, but the sea views are worth it.

EATING & DRINKING

Cheap trattorias fill the old-town alleys around Piazza Eroi Sanremesi and open-air snack bars stud the length of Corso Nazario Sauro, the promenade overlooking the old port.

Cantine Sanremesi ( 0184 57 20 63; Via Palazzo 7; mains €7-12; Tue-Sun) Meet the locals at this time-worn tavern over trofie al pesto or a delicious stoccafisso alla sanremasa (stockfish with tomato and potatoes).

Cuvea ( 0184 50 34 98; Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 110; set menus €15-20, mains €8-9; lunch Mon-Sat & dinner daily Jul & Aug, lunch daily & dinner Mon-Sat Sep-Jun) This cosy, brightly lit place lined with wine bottles overflows with locals tucking into its homemade traditional dishes such as pesto-doused pasta.

Victory Morgana Bay ( 0184 59 16 20; Corso Trento e Trieste 16; mains €8-16; 11am-3pm Tue, to 2am Wed-Mon) Situated right on the waterfront as if it’s about to set sail, this sophisticated yachting cafe-restaurant serves up a varied menu of salads, fish and grilled meats, with occasional live music.

Caffè Ducale ( 0184 195 52 02; Via Matteotti 145; lunch menus €18-22; 7:30am-midnight) Italian panache with an added dash of San Remo swankiness make this elegant cafe–enoteca—salon de the one of the most refined joints east of the Côte d’Azur. Enjoy a few aperitivi under the weighty chandeliers before heading off to the casino to blow what’s left of your holiday budget.

Solentiname ( 0184 66 44 77; Lungomare Vittorio Emanuele 9; 7pm-late Tue-Sun) DJ sets and live music draw crowds to this fun pizzeria-pub; you can also have lunch here in July and August.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Riviera Trasporti ( 0184 59 27 06; Piazza Colombo 42) buses leave regularly from the bus station for the French border, east along the coast and inland destinations.

From San Remo’s underground train station there are trains to/from Genoa (€8.10, three hours, hourly), Ventimiglia (€1.90, 15 minutes, hourly) and stations in between.

Ventimiglia

pop 26,800

Long before the French—Italian border bore any significance, Ventimiglia harboured a stoic Roman town known as Albintimulium that survived until the 5th century AD when it was besieged by the Goths.

Sandwiched between the road and the railway line on the eastern edge of town, the Area Archeologica (Roman ruins; admission free; 3-5.30pm Sat & Sun) bears testimony to Ventimiglia’s Roman romance and includes the remains of an amphitheatre and baths dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

These days Ventimiglia is better known as a border with a huge Friday market ( 8am-3pm or 4pm), when hundreds of stalls sell food, clothes, homewares, baskets and everything else under the sun. The market concentrates around Piazza della Liberta, near the river, and is popular with French day-trippers.

Corso Genova is the main eastern exit from the city; its continuation to the west is Via Cavour. The tourist office ( 0184 35 11 83; Via T Hanbury 3a; 9am-12.30pm & 3.30-7pm Mon-Sat Jul & Aug, 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm Mon-Sat Sep-Jun) is just steps from the train station.

On a hill on the western bank of the Roia river, Ventimiglia’s medieval town is crowned with a 12th-century cathedral (Via del Capo). The town itself is largely residential.

Flora from five continents flourishes at the Giardini Botanici Hanbury ( 0184 22 95 07; Corso Montecarlo 43, La Mortola; adult/child €7.50/4; 9.30am-6pm mid-Jun—mid-Sep, to 5pm mid-Sep—mid-Oct & Mar—mid-Jun, to 4pm mid-Oct—Feb). Established in 1867 by English businessman Sir Thomas Hanbury, the 18-hectare Villa Hanbury estate is planted with 5800 botanical species, including cacti, palm groves and citrus orchards. Today it’s a protected area, under the care of the University of Genoa. Take bus 1a from Via Cavour in Ventimiglia; the bus continues on to the Ponte San Lodovico frontier post, from where you can walk down to the Balzi Rossi on the French border.

A 10-minute stroll along the seafront from Ventimiglia’s town centre, the family-run Hotel Seagull ( 0184 35 17 26; www.seagullhotel.it; Passeggiata Marconi 24; s/d from €55/75; ) has simple but appealing sky-blue-and-white rooms, a fragrant garden and a breezy terrace. Both half- and full-board options are available.

Cheap, cheerful eateries congregate around Via Cavour.

From the train station (Via della Stazione), Corso della Repubblica leads to the beach. Trains connect Ventimiglia with Genoa (€9.30, two to 3½ hours, hourly), Nice (50 minutes, hourly) and other destinations in France.

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