Liguria, Italy travel guide

Region information

Liguria - a guide and places to visit

Liguria runs along the the Mediterranean coast of north-west Italy, starting from the western border of Italy with France. The region stretches about 25km inland from the Mediterranean.

The highlights of the region include the coastal towns of Genoa, Portofino, and San Remo and the beautiful Cinque Terre villages in the east of the region.

There is also much to discover in the inland part of this region, especially in the hillside villages, away from the intense development that has covered a large part of the coast-line of Liguria.

The inland Liguria region is also less accessible than the coastal towns - there is an autoroute that follows along the coast, but roads inland are much slower moving.

Heading west to east through Liguria

To the west of the Liguria region, near the border with France, are the botanical gardens at Villa Hanbury, close to Ventimiglia, and slightly inland is the pretty village of Dolceacqua.

A further 20km along the coast is San Remo, a popular seaside resort built around the beginning of the 20th century. Continuing west, the interesting village of Bussana Vecchia is a popular town among the artistic community.

Continuing on, the towns of Cervo and Albenga are worth visiting, as are the caves - inhabited 100,000 years ago - at the Grotte di Toirano.

In the centre of the region, the important coastal city of Genoa has a great deal to explore and could keep you amused for several days.

After stopping at the village of Camogli, continue to the Portofino peninsula and the exclusive resort of Portofino itself, and the pretty town of Rapallo, with the historical town of Chiavari a litle further east.

Before leaving the Liguria region there remain one of the greatest highlights the region has to offer - the five cliffside villages of the Cinque Terre (Monteresso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore).

Your final destinations might be the stunning coastal towns of Portovenere and Lerici, and the close by historical town at Sarzana.