The Italian Riviera: Places to Explore

Although Alassio is no longer a sleepy fishing village, the centro still possesses some Old World charm, colorful buildings, a great beachfront promenade, and white-sand beaches. Spend the day soaking up... Read more

Albenga has a medieval core, with narrow streets laid out by the ancient Romans. A network of alleys is punctuated by centuries-old towers surrounding the 18th-century Romanesque cathedral, with a late-14th-century... Read more

On a lush promontory, Bordighera sits as a charming seaside resort with panoramas from Genoa (on a clear day) to Monte Carlo. A large English colony, attracted by the mild climate, settled here in the second... Read more

Camogli, at the edge of the large promontory and nature reserve known as the Portofino Peninsula, has always been a town of sailors. By the 19th century it was leasing its ships throughout the continent... Read more

Cervo is the quintessential sleepy Ligurian coastal village, nicely polished for the tourists who come to explore its narrow byways and street staircases. It's a remarkably well-preserved medieval town... Read more

Chiavari is a fishing town (rather than village) of considerable character, with narrow, twisting streets and a good harbor. Chiavari's citizens were intrepid explorers, and many emigrated to South America... Read more

"Charming" and "breathtaking" are adjectives that get a workout when you're traveling in Italy, but it's rare that both apply to a single location. The Cinque Terre is such a place, and this combination... Read more

Finale Ligure is actually made up of three small villages: Finalmarina, Finalpia, and Finalborgo. The former two have fine sandy beaches and modern resort amenities. The most attractive of the villages... Read more

Genoa (Genova in Italian) was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, but the city's proud history predates that explorer by hundreds of years. Genoa was already an important trading station by the 3rd... Read more

Imperia actually consists of two towns: Porto Maurizio, a medieval town built on a promontory, and Oneglia, now an industrial center for oil refining and pharmaceuticals. Porto Maurizio has a virtually... Read more

La Spezia is sometimes thought of as nothing but a large, industrialized naval port en route to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere, but it does possess some charm, and it gives you a look at a less tourist-focused... Read more

Near Liguria's border with Tuscany, this colorful village dates to the 1200s. It is set on a magnificent coastline of gray cliffs and surrounded by a national park of pine forests and olive trees. The... Read more

Tucked nicely between two promontories, Levanto offers an alternative and usually less-expensive base to explore the Cinque Terre and the Riviera di Levante. This town retains much of the typical Ligurian... Read more

The identity of this stately late-19th-century resort, famous for its 1½-km-long (1-mi-long) seaside promenade—the Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi —its palm-lined roads, and its 300 acres... Read more

One of the most photographed villages along the coast, with a decidedly romantic and affluent aura, Portofino has long been a popular destination for the rich and famous. Once an ancient Roman colony and... Read more

The colorful facades and pedestrians-only calata (promenade) make Portovenere a quintessential Ligurian seaside village. Its tall, thin terratetto (houses) date from as far back as the 11th century and... Read more

Once the crown jewel of the Riviera di Ponente, San Remo is still the area's largest resort, lined with polished hotels, exotic gardens, and seaside promenades. Renowned for its VIPs, glittering casino... Read more

A beautiful old resort town favored by well-to-do Italians, Santa Margherita Ligure has everything a Riviera playground should have—plenty of palm trees and attractive hotels, cafés, and a... Read more

The town of Taggia has a medieval core and one of the most imposing medieval bridges in the area.... Read more