Plan a trip to Liguria

Liguria is a crescent-shaped strip of land approximately 196 miles long in the northwestern corner of Italy. Bordering the Mediterranean coast near France, this breathtaking region is known as the Italian Riviera. The coastline is lined with several large cities, sparkling coastal towns, and charming fishing villages, some of which have become very touristic in recent years and others which are off-the-beaten-track and have remained more authentic. 

“Liguria” - both the name of the region as well as the neighboring sea- originates from the Ligurian people who lived here in the 5th century BC. By the first century AD, the area was occupied by the Roman army, and, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the region fell into the hands of the Byzantines, followed by the Franks and the Normans. In the Middle Ages, Liguria was one of the four major naval powers in Italy, and its large naval ships controlled various areas around the Mediterranean Sea.

During the following centuries, the region was again controlled by the French – specifically by the Visconti family, the rulers of Milan. Beginning in the 15th century, Liguria enjoyed long periods of independence interspersed between periods of foreign rule. As a result of an alliance with Napoleon in 1797, Liguria again lost its independence. In 1861, Liguria joined the United Italian Republic. The region suffered many bombings during World War II and was under German occupation for two years. Today, the region of Liguria is considered one of the most prosperous in Italy.

The Ligurian coastal region is divided into two sections:

The Riviera di Ponente is in the northwest, stretching along the sea to the French border and connecting to the French Riviera. As you travel along the coast of the Riviera di Ponente, you’ll pass through long boulevards lined with Mediterranean palm trees. On one side, you’ll see the beautiful beaches and, on the other, a string of hotels, restaurants, cafes, and bars.

San Remo is one of the region’s popular coastal cities and is known for the two big festivals that are held there annually. The song festival, held there since 1951, has given rise to many famous international musicians and singers, and the flower festival, part of the international flower festival, features a magnificent parade of carriages wrapped in flowers which roll along the main boulevard accompanied by music and dance.

An enormous number of flowers are grown in the western part of Riviera di Ponente, and it has, in fact, been dubbed “the Riviera of Flowers” (Riviera dei Fiori in Italian). You’ll find many greenhouses there, especially in the city of Ventimiglia which is known as an international flower exporter.

The Riviera di Levante is located in the south, and it is characterized by the cliffs that slope down dramatically to the edge of the water. The most well-known example of this unusual landscape is Cinque Terre, 5 fishing villages that are perched on an 11-mile stretch of mountainous and rocky terrain and appear to spill into the sea. The small village houses, which each have a dock for small boats, are painted in many colors, and vineyards and olive groves grow on high stone terraces between the homes.

This small stretch of coast is recognized as a national natural park and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important conservation site. The five villages, which until a few decades ago were completely cut off from access to land transportation, have now become one of the most visited places in Italy.

The Riviera di Levante is scattered with many other villages that are lesser known and somewhat hidden from view but are also beautiful, for example, the picturesque fishing village of Portovenere, which has the unofficial nickname "the hidden sixth village of the Cinque Terre.”

The port city of La Spezia is the largest in the region, and its maritime farm for growing oysters is visible from the coast. Portofino, one of the icons of the Riviera di Levante, is known as "a place to find love" according to a song by the famous Italian-French singer Dalida – a song that is still fresh in the memories of the some from the older generation. Portofino is a coastal village whose houses sit in the shape of an arch on a small lagoon. It is a popular vacation spot and its harbor is used to anchor the luxurious yachts of the rich and famous.

Between the two rivieras is Genoa, or Genova as it’s known in Italian. Genoa is the capital city of the Liguria region and, with over half a million residents, it is the sixth largest city in Italy. The current Port of Genoa, rebuilt after World War II, is the largest in Italy and the second largest in Europe after the Port of Marseille. The largest aquarium in Europe is located next to it. Genoa is also famous as the birthplace of Christopher Columbus in 1451 – in fact, he set sail from here for his journey overseas. Columbus' house still stands today in the center of the city.

The long history of the city is reflected in the 35 palaces, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which stand alongside a maze of narrow and crowded alleyways.

Genoa's downtown is a paradise for street food lovers. Along the port, small kitchens called sciamadde were built in the past and provided cooked food to the sailors who docked in the port. Today they have been converted into food stalls and small restaurants offering seafood and fried fish served in rolled pieces of paper as well as hot, fresh focaccia baked in the small bakeries whose appetizing aroma wafts throughout the area. And let’s not forget the king of Ligurian cuisine - pesto spread, whose main ingredient is the locally grown basil. Add some pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, a clove of garlic, and pure virgin olive oil, then crush it with a pestle and mortar into a puree, and you’ll have the perfect complement to any pasta – especially the trofie pasta with its elongated and twisted shape that’s popular in this area.  

The Apennine mountain ranges which are responsible for the mountainous terrain on the eastern and northern parts of Liguria border Tuscany and Emilia Romagna in the south and east and Piedmont in the north. These areas are less crowded with tourists, though they do attract those who are looking for more remote and quaint destinations in Italy. Here you can find the simple peasants who are loyal to the poor cuisine of the past. Some grow chestnuts, dry them on the roofs of their houses, and grind them into gluten-free flour that is used for baking bread and making dough for homemade gluten-free pasta. You’ll also find local housewives who go out to collect wild edible herbs and use them to make filling for the panzotti, pasta dumplings stuffed with homemade ricotta cheese and herbs.

The Liguria region is a great vacation destination in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. While the residents of Liguria are a mixture of seafarers, mountain people, bourgeois traders, fishermen, and simple farmers, they do have an important characteristic in common - they are all welcoming and warm hosts!