Between the Apennine mountain range, the Maritime Alps and the Ligurian Sea there is a narrow stretch of coast, on which small Italian cities, most often port-type, are comfortably located. This Italian Riviera is the best place to relax (beach).
So say thousands of tourists from all over the world, annually vacationing in these places. And for such a statement there is every reason - hundreds of kilometers of amazing sandy beaches, mild climate, the highest level of service. Is this not what every tourist dreams of when planning his vacation?
Beaches of the Italian Riviera
Almost all the beaches of the Ligurian coast are good, but there are places that vacationers love more than others. We will talk about them today.
Finale ligure
Why is the Italian Riviera attractive? Resort cities are very close to each other here. If you wish, you can very quickly move to a neighboring town and relax on the local beach or wander through the narrow streets, looking at local attractions.
Finale Ligure is a fifty-minute train ride from Genoa. Almost all the beaches here are sandy, although there are small pebble areas. The sea, as in all resorts of the Ligurian coast, is very clean and calm. This beach is clean and well-maintained, because it was not for nothing that it was awarded the European Blue Flag.
Bahia dei Saraseni
The best beaches of the Italian Riviera are always in perfect condition. Not far from Finale Ligure is the small fishing village of Varigotti. Today it is famous for the wonderful Bahia dei Saraceni beach, which is surrounded by picturesque hills.
To get to this beautiful place, you need to take a walk along the narrow streets of Varigotti, which have preserved their medieval charm. Colorful houses here descend to the sea itself. The beach at Varigotti is comfortably located in a semicircular bay. It is covered with almost white sand and small pebbles, which is a bit like rice grains.
Balzi Rossi
The Italian Riviera attracts tourists with a variety of beaches - noisy, crowded and secluded, where people who are tired of the bustle of the city like to relax.
In the west of the Riviera, almost near the border with France, is located the pretty town of Ventimiglia. Almost next to it is the pearl of the Ligurian coast - Balzi Rossi. It is located at the foot of the mountain, which hides many prehistoric caves. Historians claim that people lived in them twenty-five thousand years ago.
This beach is famous for its azure transparent sea, a coast covered with rather large pebbles (the size of a chicken egg). For this reason, it is often called the "egg beach." It is a great place for snorkeling. The rich underwater world delights divers.
Tourists admire the beaches of the Italian Riviera (reviews confirm this). All of them are divided into municipal and private. For example, Balzi Rossi is a private beach, so all services here are paid. On municipal beaches, leisure is free, with the exception of rental equipment for scuba diving and some water attractions.
Italian Riviera Attractions
Even the most loyal fans of beach vacations after some time want to change the atmosphere a bit. The Italian Riviera is also beautiful because it is easy to combine a beach holiday with a sightseeing. There are so many interesting places that it is impossible to get acquainted with them in one trip.
Genoa
Most tourists begin their acquaintance with local attractions from this large port city. It is the sixth largest in Italy.
Lantern Lighthouse
As you know, not a single port can do without a lighthouse. A guiding ray in the night does not allow ships to crash against rocks. For almost 900 years, this is the function that Lantern’s lighthouse has been performing in Genoa. This symbol of the city was built in 1128. The height of the structure is 76 meters. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world.
Today, the lighthouse, like 900 years ago, is used by the Italian fleet. Since 2006, it houses the Museum of the History of the Genoese Port, which stores unique exhibits of maritime navigation.
In Genoa, you must definitely visit the wonderful aquarium with an area of ​​more than 3,000 square meters, take a ride on the Bigo high-altitude elevator. From his cabin at an altitude of 40 meters you can enjoy the magnificent panorama of the city. If you happen to be in Genoa, visit the central square of Piazza De Ferrari, explore the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. And at the bottom of the sea bay, not far from the city, there is a striking statue of Christ from the Abyss.
San remo
The Italian Riviera is familiar to many Russians thanks to this resort, which hosts the Italian Song Festival. And even earlier (in the 19th century) this city attracted Russian aristocrats. Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Fedorovna even visited here.
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
This is the main attraction of the city. Locals often call the Cathedral of Christ the Savior the Russian Church. It was built in 1913, at the initiative of Russian Orthodox holidaymakers. The construction was erected in the style of Moscow churches (XVII century). Fully construction work was completed and the temple was consecrated in 1939.
Today it is a functioning cathedral in which services in Russian are regularly held. The temple is crowned with five domes with crosses. The highest of them is located at an altitude of 50 meters. The magnificent building is decorated with tiles, kokoshniks, stone carvings, which is characteristic of Russian architecture. Near the temple stands a bell tower with a tented roof.
The main decoration of the interior of the temple is a rich iconostasis with icons of Christ and the Mother of God. These are copies of the famous works of Mikhail Vrubel. In the courtyard of the temple there are busts of Victor Emanuel II (King of Italy) and his wife.
Chinwe Terre National Park
The Italian Riviera has a unique national park on its territory. Its name Cinque Terre translates as "five lands." The choice of name is easy to explain - the park consists of five small communal towns, which are picturesquely located near the sea. Since 1997, the Cinque Terre Park, as well as the nearby city of Portovenere, has been protected by UNESCO.
On the territory of the modern park, the first settlements appeared during the time of the power of the Roman Empire. Nevertheless, the researchers attribute most of the monuments to the period of the Middle Ages. These are man-made terraces along the sea, monuments of religious and secular architecture: sanctuaries, temples, mansions and palaces of old buildings.
The following cities are part of the Cinque Terre National Park:
- Manarola
- Riomaggiore;
- Vernazza
- Corniglia
- Monterosso.
The word “most” is applicable to each of the communes that make up the park: the southernmost, most beautiful, largest, etc. All of them form a single harmonious space, but each one has a special flavor and unique appearance, as well as its own attractions.
Riomaggiore
Southern commune located near the city of La Spezia. It was founded in the first half of the 13th century. The sights of the town include the Church of St. John the Baptist, built in 1340 and painted with amazing frescoes, the castle of Riomaggiore, which in the old days was a city fortification.
Manarola
And this is the oldest in the park. In Manarola, there are the ruins of an ancient bastion, you can visit the small village of Groppo, which makes delicious wine.
Corniglia
This is a very small and high located town of the park, but it is very picturesque. Only it does not have its own port. For this reason, you can get here on foot or by train.
The city has an unusually beautiful church of St. Peter. It was built in 1334 in the style of Ligurian Gothic. Here you can also see the ruins of the Genoese fortress and, if you wish, relax on the nudist beach of Guano.
Varnazza
This town bears the title of the most beautiful commune of the “Five Lands” and the priceless pearl of the park. Near the coast, colorful houses are crowded here, medieval villas and modern buildings are adjacent to the streets. The Belfort Tower and Doria Castle offer stunning views of the surroundings.
The city has many places of worship - the Temple of the Black Madonna Reggio, the Church of St. Margarita of Antioch.
Monterosso
The largest and liveliest town of the Cinque Terre. There is a large landscaped beach, so there are always a lot of tourists. In addition, nightlife is much more widely represented here.
The main attractions of the city are the Aurora tower, which was once part of the ancient fortress (XVI century), a huge statue of Neptune, which carries a sink on its shoulder.
Italian Riviera: reviews
Most tourists who happened to relax in this wonderful place do not hide their enthusiasm for the trip. The Italian Riviera is a unique place where every vacationer can choose their own relaxation - relax on the magnificent beach, explore the bewitching underwater world or get acquainted with local attractions. If you add to these opportunities a wonderful mild climate, the friendly attitude of the local population and the highest level of service, it becomes clear why tourists recommend relaxing only on the Italian Riviera.