Best towns to visit in the Italian Riviera

October 18, 2015 / by Anna

Liguria, the Italia Riviera, offers a unique mix of nature and culture. It is difficult to say, in general, which is the best town to visit, so that I think the best choice is based on what you love most. Do you love fisherman villages? Here are the best towns in the Italian Riviera Vernazza is one of the famous Cinque Terre villages

• The most famous once are the five villages called Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. They don’t need presentation and are real icons of the Ligurian landscape: five clusters of colorful houses clinging to a coast overlooking the sea dotted with amazing terraced vineyards. You can’t miss them in your trip to Liguria but, just because they are so famous, you have to be able to travel like a local to get in touch with the real soul of these places. That’s why we suggest you to travel with a local guide that will show you secret corners and keep you away from big groups of tourists. We spoke a lot about Cinque Terre and we suggest you to read this article if you want to choose where to stay in Cinque Terre or this one to discover 7 things you have to know when planning a trip to Cinque Terre.

The cliffs of Portovenere next to Cinque Terre

• Very close to the Cinque Terre, don’t miss the village of Portovenere with its gorgeous mix of colored houses and medieval monuments such as the church of S. Peter, perched on the cliff. You can read here if you want to discover more.

The gorgeous bay of Portofino

• If you love fishermen villages but can’t stand without shopping, the VIP village of Portofino is your ideal destination: a perfect picturesque village built around a beautiful, secluded bay, dotted with luxury shops and restaurants. The perfect place to enjoy the Italian Dolce Vita.

Camogli fishing village and its beach Camogli. Photo credits Marisa Williams.

• Close to Portofino, don’t miss Camogli, an authentic fishing harbor with a row of colored tall houses lined up along a beautiful pebble beach. You’ll love it and you can dicover more in this article.

Are you a beach lover? “gozzi” on the beach of Noli

• Don’t miss the village of Noli, on the west side of the Italian Riviera. A medieval village completely surrounded by ancient walls, facing a beautiful sandy beach dotted with fisherman boats.

Varigotti village can’t miss on your travel list for your next holiday in the Italian Riviera

• Just next to Noli, Varigotti is another tiny village with houses literally built on the golden sand of this amazing beach.

Read on here if you want to know more about the weat side of the Italian Riviera. Looking for something really authentic? Farinata is one of the tastes of Genoa

• Don’t miss Genoa with its amazing medieval historical center. It is a multilayer town where you will find elegant noble palaces beside century old artisans’ shops. Here you can also taste typical street food such as the famous focaccia.

Are you a nature lover? If you prefer much more secluded destinations, surrounded by untouched nature, don’t stay just on the coast but go further and explore the green inland valleys dotted with medieval villages. The medieval architecture of Apricale

• Close to the French border don’t miss Apricale, with its stone, scenic architecture, unchanged from Middleages. The center of the village is on the top of the hill and the houses descend from the center in concentric circles creating a maze of narrow alleys. This is the ideal scenery where summer open-air plays take place every year.

Dolceacqua, the famous bridge and the Doria castle

• In the same area you can visit Dolceacqua, a picturesque village on the river. The stone humpback bridge, the houses built on the steep slope of the hill, dominated by the ruins of the Doria Family castle, create an extraordinary architectural composition.

These are just a small part of the many beautiful places to visit in Liguria. If you want to discover more, go deeper on our blog and put a trip to the Italian Riviera on your bucket list!