Introduction to Liguria and the Italian Riveria

From the top of Tuscany to the French border, along the Ligurian and Mediterranean Seas, Italy follows a crescent-shape strip of seacoast and mountains that make up the region of Liguria. The pleasures of this region are no secret. Ever since the 19th century, world-weary travelers have been heading for Liguria’s resorts to enjoy balmy weather (ensured by the protective barrier of the Alps) and turquoise seas. Beyond the beach, the stones and tiles of fishing villages, small resort towns, and proud old port cities bake in the sun, and hillsides are fragrant with the scent of bougainvillea and pines.

Liguria is really two coasts. First, the beachier stretch west of Genoa known as the Riviera di Ponente (Setting Sun), is studded with fashionable resorts, many of which, like San Remo, have seen their heydays fade but continue to entice visitors with palm-fringed promenades and gentle ways. The rockier, more colorful fishing-village-filled stretch to the southeast of Genoa, known as the Riviera di Levante (Rising Sun), extends past the posh harbor of Portofino to the remote hamlets of the Cinque Terre.

The province’s capital, Genoa, is Italy’s busiest port, an ancient center of commerce, and one of history’s great maritime powers. However, though it is one of Italy’s most historic places, it is also one of the least-visited cities in all of Italy. But don’t judge the area by its capital: Genoa’s gritty feel and its brusque and clamorous elements are a world apart from the easygoing and charming seaside villages and resorts that populate the province