Liguria: from Genoa to Camogli to Savona and the Cinque Terre, discover your itinerary among the region’s cities and major towns
From the Riviera di Levante to the Riviera di Ponente, Liguria, a borderland crushed by the Alps on the Tyrrhenian Sea, owes its uniqueness to its territorial conformation: the steep streets, perched villages and narrow, rocky beaches make it one of Italy’s most evocative regions, a ribbon of colors, nature and history along the ancient Via Aurelia.
But Liguria is also at its best in the mountains, along the Via dei Monti Liguri, from which to admire Corsica and Gorgona, Monviso and the Rosa Massif at the same time. Or in the hills, among the olive trees and vineyards that dot the Riviera di Ponente. Getting lost in the scents of forest, vegetable garden and sea, discovering wine and food itineraries that are among the tastiest in Italy.
The region has one National Park, that of the Cinque Terre, the Marine Protected Area of the same name, and 9 Regional Nature Parks, including Portofino, Monte Beigua, Aveto and Portovenere. Gallinara Island, Rio Torsero, Bergeggi and Adelasia are Regional Nature Reserves.
What to visit in Liguria: villages, nature and cities
Genoa, the capital of Liguria, an ancient Maritime Republic, is a tenacious city that has been able to stand up every time, even from the recent devastating floods and after the dramatic collapse of the Morandi Bridge.
Its vertical conformation, crisscrossed by stairways and creuse (the ancient mule tracks) and lying facing the sea on an amphitheater of hills gives it a sumptuousness that disappears as soon as one penetrates the typical carruggi (narrow alleys) and discovers all the vitality of the port city.
Multicultural and always a crossroads of important trade, Genoa is a city of contrasts, flaunting alongside the vestiges of the past, modern structures and buildings such as the Aquarium and the Bigo, in the old harbor, designed by Renzo Piano, a great world-renowned architect who is a native of Genoa.
Introverted and reserved, Genoa has been the mother (sometimes adoptive) of great talents of Italian music who have not forgotten to put it in the background of their songs, such as Fabrizio De Andrè, Ivano Fossati, and Gino Paoli.
Leaving Genoa in the direction of Sestri Levante, the first stop is Recco, famous for its focaccia stuffed with cheese (fugassa cö formaggio). To try the original one you must stop at Manuelina’s, the tavern that has been offering this delicacy to carters, hunters and travelers since 1884.
Four kilometers later is Camogli, with its tall palaces of a thousand colors, the Maritime Museum, the Garibaldi Promenade, and the church of Santa Maria Assunta.
Looking up, one sees the Monastery of San Prospero, bathed in the peace and light of olive trees. Appreciated not only by the faithful, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, dating from 711 A.D. and rebuilt in 984 A.D., preserves a small two-story cloister enclosed by two rows of porticoes and the tombs of the Dorias.
There ahead, in the waters of the sea, at a depth of 17 meters, is the statue of Christ of the Abyss, protector of divers. By contrast, stars and big names in finance are at home in Santa Margherita, in the Gulf of Tigullio.
The waterfront is studded with restaurants and hotels, while further inland it is a bustle of houses frescoed with trompe-l’oeil motifs, fake windows and garlands of flowers. There is even the hotel with the terrace from which Guglielmo Marconi was able to transmit radiotelephone signals for the first time in the world in 1933.
Portofino, on the other hand, has been one of the world’s most exclusive destinations since the 19th century. Typical Ligurian houses, tall and brightly colored, reflect on the bay, while the small harbor is crowded with luxurious yachts. A must stop in the archaic Piazzetta.
In Rapallo, the art of embroidery is widespread, especially that of lacework done by pillow lace. At the southeastern end of the Gulf of Tigullio is Sestri Levante, where the Bay of Fables, named after the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, and the Bay of Silence are located.
The province of La Spezia, on the other hand, is home to the Cinque Terre, one of the most characteristic areas in the region: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, crowned to the west by Levanto and, to the east, Portovenere. Five villages cling along the coast in a fairy-tale landscape with 36 square kilometers of cliffs overhanging the sea.
Here, Eugenio Montale wrote his most famous poems, just as Goethe and Lord Byron drew inspiration from it. And if the small villages are not enough, there is the romantic Via dell’Amore, carved into the rock overlooking the sea.
Moving west, after Genoa, one comes to Savona, known along with Albissola Marina for ceramics production. A little further on, Bergeggi, an ancient fortified village in a panoramic position overlooking the islet of the same name inhabited only by seagulls, is worth a stop.
In the Finale area is picturesque Varigotti, a fishing village with typical square yellow-ochre houses with terraced roofs and pebble beaches.
A couple of kilometers northwest of Finale Marina is the turn of Finalborgo, judged among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Archaeological remains from Roman times, on the other hand, characterize Albenga, which preserves a medieval core that is a real gem.
The queen of the Riviera of the Palms, however, is Alassio, where the British used to winter between the late 19th century and World War II.
Once you enter the province of Imperia, you will find the Riviera dei Fiori, a coastline famous throughout the world for its mild climate and enchanting gardens.
Next comes San Remo, which, in addition to being the home of the Festival of the same name, has a famous Art Nouveau-style Casino and top-quality flower production.
It is called “the city of palm trees,” however, Bordighera, which boasts one of the most enchanting Ligurian promenades, as well as the beautiful Pallanca exotic garden with a record-breaking cactus collection.
Not to be outdone is Ventimiglia, on the border with France, a town that hides a series of parks and the renowned Hanbury Gardens on the nearby Mortola promontory.
Ligurian cuisine: traditional dishes
In Ligurian cuisine, the absolute star is pesto: to make it according to tradition requires Genoese Basil PDO, produced on the Tyrrhenian side of the region. Equally valuable is Riviera Ligure Dop extra virgin olive oil.
Genoa is the home of the classic Genoese focaccia, made with flour, water, coarse salt and extra virgin olive oil (the traditional process, with long rising, takes about 8 hours). It is also a Slowfood presidium, as are salted anchovies from Monterosso, violet asparagus from Albenga, garlic from Vessalico and beans from Badalucco, Conio and Pigna.
Cheese lovers are on the safe side by buying Brigasca sheep tome (a breed of sheep native to La Brigue and common in the Imperia area and Provence), while those who prefer cured meats can try Sant Olcese salami (it has a coarse paste, with a smoky scent).
Typical of Noli, on the other hand, are cicciarelli, or small fish for frying or preserving, and in Val Bormida, especially inland from Finale toward Piedmont, the dried chestnut of Calizzano and Murialdo is widespread. The famous Genovese rose syrup is obtained from the infusion of the petals of the muscosa rose, with the addition of water.
As far as wine is concerned, in the Ponente you cannot go wrong if you choose Rossese di Dolceacqua Superiore Doc or Vermentino Doc, while in the Levante the Cinque Terre Doc.
Some of the more typical menus to choose from at the restaurant include trofie, trenette, pappardelle, or green pasta with borage and homemade corzetti topped with pesto or walnut sauce.
Delicacies are also among the main courses, with cima alla genovese (veal tip cut into pockets with a filling of eggs, peas, artichokes, pistachios, pine nuts, prosciutto, and sweetbreads) and torta Pasqualina (savory pie enclosing a filling of Swiss chard, Parmesan cheese, and eggs).
When to visit Liguria
Weather: temperatures and climate in Liguria. Late spring and late summer are the best times to visit Liguria. During such months, in fact, it is quite warm and there is not the overcrowding that characterizes the summer season.
In winter the climate is quite mild due to the influence of the sea along the coast and the mountains, to the north, which protect against colder currents. The Ponente Riviera is usually warmer than the Levante Riviera, with a difference in winter of about 5-6 degrees.
Events and holidays in Liguria. San Remo is the home of the Italian Song Festival, Italy’s most important singing event, held in February, as well as the finish line, in March, of the Milan-San Remo, a 290-kilometer bicycle race that began in 1907.
Moving to Genoa, the star instead is fish with Slow Fish. The event, held every two years in May, develops projects to support responsible artisanal fishing communities.
Scheduled for October is the International Boat Show, Italy’s most prestigious showcase for the boating industry and boaters. Also in Genoa, the Science Festival, which takes place in the fall, enhances scientific culture through interactive exhibitions, seminars, workshops, films and performances at various venues around the city.
In Levanto in late July, in honor of St. James, patron saint of fishermen, there is the Festa del Mare: a two-day festival of processions, flag-wavers, confraternities and costumed parades.
Citrus lovers, on the other hand, should stop by Monterosso al Mare on the Sunday before Ascension Day (around May) for the Sagra dei Limoni, a picturesque event with contests and prizes for the largest lemon. Or in September, when there is the Sagra delle Acciughe, with various tastings.
In Savona and Albissola, April is the turn of ceramics with the International Majolica Festival. Exhibitions, workshops, conferences and itineraries are organized to discover the famous Ligurian majolica.
In even-numbered years, however, the Good Friday Procession always takes place in Savona, during which 15 valuable wooden boxes depicting the Stations of the Cross and episodes from the Gospel are paraded.
Leading Ligurian food and wine products are on display at the Ligurian Agribusiness Show in Finalborgo. From pesto to farinata, from extra virgin olive oil to panissa, from focaccia from Recco to garlic from Tessalico, from beans from Badalucco to saffron from Campiglia: you can find everything among the cloisters of Santa Caterina, where you can participate in tastings, theoretical mini-courses and practical workshops but also buy the various products.
In the same village, in July, a costume journey into the Middle Ages is organized for the Marquisate Festival, in honor of the Del Carretto marquises, while in Rollo the Herb Festival is a two-day event in June that brings together all the aromatic and medicinal herbs of western Liguria.
Imperia is the location of Olioliva, a major showcase in late November for new oil and oil products.
The Palio del Golfo, on the other hand, is one of the traditional events in the province of La Spezia in August. It is a rowing race among 13 boats, handcrafted by local artisans.
Flower carts, on the other hand, are the stars of the Battle of Flowers, which enlivens the town of Ventimiglia every year in June. Also very popular in Liguria is the carnival. There are two original masks from the region: Baciccia, which depicts a good-tempered man, and Ciocciolin, typical of the Savona area.
Getting to and around Liguria
Airplane. The “Cristoforo Colombo” airport in Genoa Sestri-a distance of about six kilometers from the city center-is the region’s main international airport.
Car. Liguria can be easily reached by car by driving along the highway network or state and provincial roads that connect all the towns and villages on the Riviera and inland.
The highways that pass through the region are the A15 La Spezia-Parma, the A10 (E 80) Genoa-Ventimiglia, the A12 (E 80) Genoa-La Spezia, the A7 (E 25) Genoa-Milan, the A6 (E 717) Turin-Savona, the A26 Alessandria-Genoa, and the State Road No. 1 Aurelia.
To get an idea, Genoa is 140 km from Milan, 295 km from Bologna, 498 km from Rome, 711 km from Naples, and 400 km from Venice.
Train. The rail network covers much of the Ligurian territory, linking together the four provinces and the main localities of the hinterland and the two Rivieras. There are two stations in the capital city: Genoa Piazza Principe and Genoa Brignole, frequently connected with major Italian cities such as Milan, Turin, and Rome.
Source: https://viaggi.corriere.it/europa/italia/liguria/
