Which resorts of Liguria (Italy) are the most popular? This direction is very popular among our tourists. Until recently, only tours went there. But recently, more and more travelers are independently setting off on the Flower Riviera to spend their holidays there. What to see in this beautiful land, except for the capital - charming Genoa? Which resort to choose? How to get there? Where to stay? What not to miss and what to try? We will try to answer all these questions in our article.
What is the Flower Riviera
Everyone has heard Cote d'Azour, which translates as the Cote d'Azur. It stretches along the Gulf of Marseilles of the Mediterranean Sea. Often it is simply called the Riviera. Let's look at the map just east of it. Having overcome a small pass, and at the same time now the unimportant state border between France and Italy, we find ourselves in Liguria. This horseshoe region stretches from the Alps to Tuscany itself. In the north, it is bordered by low but picturesque mountains, and in the south, by the Gulf of Genoa of the Ligurian Sea. This location creates an excellent climate here. For lush greenery, this coast is called the Flower Riviera. The administrative province of Liguria (Italy), with the capital Genoa, stretches for 200 km. In turn, it is divided into two halves. Riviera di Ponente is located west of Genoa and to the French border, and Riviera di Levante extends to the Tuscany to the east.
Climate
If you arrived in Italy through the airports of Milan or Turin, you will be amazed how Liguria is not similar in its landscapes to its neighbors - Lombardy or Piedmont. The secret of the difference is the ridge of mountains that reliably cover the Flower Riviera from the north winds. And the sea in the south of Liguria refreshes the summer heat with a light breeze. Mountains bizarre cliffs break off the coast, creating countless secluded bays. There are both pebble and sandy beaches. This circumstance plus lush greenery, healing air, drunk with the smell of needles and flowers, created this place the glory of a tourist paradise. As far back as the 19th century, the European nobility came here. And now Italy is considered a place of elite relaxation. Liguria, tours to which are becoming increasingly popular among Russians, is by no means cheap, but here you can also find "democratic" places - for example, Diano Marina.
How to get there
Genoa Airport is international and accepts both scheduled and charter flights. Rail transport in Italy is developed and quite cheap. Therefore, many travelers prefer to fly by low-cost flights to the airports of Venice, Turin and Milan on their own to combine a beach holiday in Liguria (Italy) with informative excursions, mountain hikes or relaxing pastimes on the lakes of Garda, Como or Lago Maggiore. Along the entire coast stretch both a railway line and a number of excellent highway roads. There is even a trolleybus service. You can rent a car, as well as use the public transport services - buses and trains. You can travel from one resort to another and the sea. It will be more expensive and longer, but magnificent landscapes are provided for you.
Italy, Liguria: hotels
The choice of hotel depends only on what you expect from your vacation. Did you come exclusively to sunbathe and swim? Then choose one of the small resorts of the Flower Riviera: Arma di Taji, Lerici, Pietra Ligure, Portovenere, San Lorenzo al Mare ... There are many hotels with their own beach. Do you want chic? Then you are in San Remo, where you can often see Hollywood stars and oil bigwigs. Do you want unity with nature? There is nothing better than choosing one of the five Cinque Terre resorts. For those who set the main goal to get acquainted with the rich cultural heritage of Italy, city hotels and hostels of Genoa are suitable. Many democratic hotels are in Diano Marina, Alassio, Bordighera and other resorts. Do not discard the possibility of accommodation in apartments. They are equipped with a kitchen, which saves on food. Green tourism is very popular in Italy. It involves accommodation on a real peasant farm.
Beaches
As usual in places where the mountains descend directly to the sea, the coast here is mostly pebble. Many consider this a minus, as well as the fact that the beaches here are narrow (unlike the south of Italy or the Adriatic), and in the season it is difficult to find a good place. But from Alassio to San Lorenzo al Mare stretched a wide strip of sand. It is necessary to immediately warn independent travelers that a beach holiday in Italy (Liguria is no exception) is associated with additional costs. Entrance to the coast is fenced and a fee is charged. This is very annoying for tourists who have visited Spain and France, where all the beaches are absolutely free. Separately, you need to fork out for the use of sunbeds and umbrellas. As a result, a tidy sum runs up during the holidays. So if your goal is sun, air and water, choose a hotel with its own beach.
Kitchen
Even in the smallest resort in Liguria, having a meal in a pizzeria, eating a meal in a trattoria or spending a romantic evening in a restaurant is not a problem. In San Remo alone, there are 175 catering establishments! Liguria (Italy) is best known for its fish cuisine. And this is not surprising: the sea has long fed the local people. Learning to conquer fertile lands from the mountains, the Ligurians covered the slopes with green olive groves and vineyards. What you should definitely try on the Flower Riviera? The king of local cuisine is a rabbit stewed in Vermentino white wine. In the eateries you will be served delicious sardaire cakes stuffed with olives and sardines. Also a typical Ligurian dish is “green pie” - it acquires such a color because of the greens mixed with rice, cheese and boiled eggs. Such pan-Italian dishes, like farinata, focaccia and pesto, acquire their own special taste here. The cuisine in Liguria is so wonderful that even souvenirs from here are brought edible. This wine is a white Cinque Terre and ruby Rossese, dyed with ink of cuttlefish pasta, excellent olive oil, hard cheese and ham.
History
Liguria (Italy) is a tasty morsel of land, so wars have always been waged because of it. The history of this region is filled with dramatic events. All rulers, from the ancient Romans to the Sardinian kings, left here interesting architectural monuments. These are ancient amphitheaters, and Renaissance palaces, and Romanesque churches, and Gothic cathedrals. You will find especially many historical sights in the provincial capital, Genoa. The city is located around the sea with an amphitheater. You can go upstairs by a suspended road or funicular. The Art Nouveau villas are replaced below by the majestic white palaces of the High Renaissance, and by the sea itself - cheerful and noisy port neighborhoods.
Popular excursions
The proud white-stone Genoa is not the only thing that can conquer the hearts of travelers Liguria (Italy). Reviews of tourists contain tips to tear the crumpled body from the sunbed and go on an excursion. The selection of offers is very wide. It can be a full day trip - for example, to Genoa with a visit to the Oceanarium there, to Nice (France), to Milan, to Monaco, Florence or the town of Noli, which received the title of "the most beautiful small city in Italy." The cost of such an excursion is about 60 euros per person. But you can decide on an independent outing to nearby towns. In Savona there is an art gallery with a rich collection. The navy of the Roman Empire was once based in Albenga. In Allacio, on the waterfront, there is a “Roman Cafe”, where famous visitors left their paintings on the wall - Winston Churchill, Sophia Loren, Ernest Hemingway, Louis Armstrog and Charlie Chaplin. A small Portovenere is generally included in the UNESCO list.
Characteristics
When you drive through the flower-laden towns that Liguria (Italy) is famous for, you get the impression that they are subtly similar to each other. Nevertheless, each of them has its own character, its own face. Nowhere are there so many ancient churches like in Rapallo. The medieval color has been preserved in Portofino, which is only twenty kilometers from Genoa. A little west of the provincial capital is Arenzano with wonderful pebble beaches. Celle Ligure is famous for its abundance of water entertainment, Santa Margherite Ligure - for the fact that the golden youth from Milan spend the weekend here. Families with young children are better off picking Pietre Ligure and Bordighera, and romantic natures - Sestri Levante and Lerici.