REGION GUIDE: Liguria - The Italian Riviera

View our self catering accommodation In Liguria
With the glitz and glamour of the coastal towns, the peace of the valleys and great coastlines, Liguria offers something for everyone.

The region
One of Italy's smallest regions, Liguria stretches west in a narrow ribbon along the coast from France and offers one of the steepest and dramatic coastlines in Italy. Mountains separate it from Piedmont to the north, Emilia Romagna to the east and Tuscany to the south

The coastal area is know as the Italian Riviera and has always been a region loved by tourists as it enjoys sunny days, blooming gardens and the Mediterranean vegetation overlooking the sea. The region is awash with sea hamlets and valley villages that are full of character and history.

Like so much of Italy, Liguria is a land of contrasts, home to seaside resort towns such as Portofino, Diano Marina and Cinque Terre; terraced hillsides that produce olive oil and hill towns, such as Dolceaqua, Apricale, Perinaldo and Dolcedo.

Liguria was very popular back in the '50's, 60's and 70's when resorts such as San Remo and Alassio were very fashionable. The UK focus in the past 20 or so years did move to central Italy and the northern lakes but Liguria continued to attract visitors from other European countries. Since the emergence of the low cost airlines in recent years, travel to the area has rocketed with flights to both Nice and Genova serving the region.

Holiday Accommodation
Due to its popularity as a holiday destination, there are a great selection of Holiday Rentals in Liguria available from hill cottages to villas with pools. If you want the South of France lifestyle, you will certainly discover that Liguria is much better value than its neighbour.

The food and wine

The region's cuisine relies heavily on the Ligurian land and the sea. It is typified by a range of humble ingredients. Expect to see lots of vegetables, ricotta cheese, fish, pasta and Pesto, which originates from Genova. There are some good local wines including Vermentino, Pigato, Rossese di Dolceacqua and Bianchetta Genovese.

Additional info

Travel - Getting to Liguria is easy; if you plan to stay in western Liguria, then Nice is the best airport and is well served throughout the UK from a multitude of airlines such as Jet2, Ryanair, British Airways and many more. Using a flight comparison site such as skyscanner

We love Liguria! Ventimiglia may not be the best town to enter the region from France but it has a great market on a Friday! The beauty of this region is that you have the best of both worlds; you can pop over to neighbouring France to visit Menton, Nice or Antibes and stay in Italy at a fraction of the cost, where you will certainly find the locals friendly and enjoy the food!

If we had to choose a few highlights, we would say the Nervia valley behind Bordighera which has some excellent little villages such as Dolceacqua and Apricale, which are well worth a visit. The Grotta restaurant and La Favorita in Apricale are really excellent! San Remo is great for shopping and has some excellent nightlife, the Victory Morgana Bay is a fab bar/restaurant on the front.

Finally, it would be a tragedy if we didn’t mention Portofino and the Cinque Terre. These areas are so naturally beautiful and really different from the rest of the coastline!

Summary

You may not have considered Liguria for your holidays but don’t dismiss it: it is noted for its mild year round climate; it has easy access to the South of France; it is easy to reach; the coastline is outstanding and the mountains beautiful.

The coastline is busy especially in summer but it is also exciting with a great choice of bars, restaurants and shopping. The locals are friendly and will certainly welcome overseas visitors as the area is very cosmopolitan

Have a look at our self catering accommodation in Liguria by clicking the hyperlink or visit www.holidayhomesinitaly.co.uk

Browse our other regions
Amalfi Coast

Lake Como
Lake Garda
Le Marche
Puglia
Sardinia
Sicily
Tuscany
Umbria

Comments