www.Liguria-Traveller.com - Itineraries

The Paradiso and Tigullio Gulfs

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0200

On leaving Nervi, the last residential district of the eastern zone of Genoa, the Italian Riviera of Levante and the enticing Paradiso Gulf begins. The picturesque villages which are scattered along the curvy coastline are connected by the ancient Roman "Aurelia" roadway as far as Camogli and Punta Chiappa, wedged into the sea beneath Mount Portofino; a nature park perched on the cliff's edge, directly above the crystal clear waters of the Ligurian Sea.

Bogliasco, with its traditional, brightly colored houses and little beaches hidden amidst the rocks, is the first bathing resort one encounters, just 6kms outside of Nervi. Of considerable historic interest, the 18th century parish church built in honor of the Natività di Maria, in the grounds of which an antiques market is held every third Sunday of the month.

Some 2kms beyond the medieval bridge which crosses the Poggio torrent, one finds the village of Pieve Ligure, its houses clinging to the hillside,...

From Rapallo to Sestri Levante

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0200

Travelling back along the coastal road from Portofino to Santa Margherita, after approximately 3kms, one arrives at San Michele di Pagana. This charming little fishing village and beach of Prelo, is situated on the Punta Pagana; a lush green promontory of coastal pine trees and holm oaks, which is home to one of Liguria's rare examples of a Saracen tower not to have been incorporated in other buildings. More than worthy of a visit, the completely restored tower provides a fascinating architectural testimony to an era when the Ligurian coastline was under constant attack from pirate ships.

The town of Rapallo is situated just two kilometers away from San Michele di Pagana. The town is known for its tradition of bobbin lacework, some of the most impressive examples of which are exhibited in Rapallo's Textile and Lace Museum, housed in the Villa Tigullio. Here, visitors can observe a work of lace, measuring over 8 meters in length, created according to the design of the Genoa-born...

Cinque Terre; five lands between the rock and the sea

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0200

Declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, the area which comprises the towns of the Cinque Terre is a veritable oasis of nature characterised by vineyards and olive groves clinging to terraces carved into the steep hillside almost directly above the sea. One way to travel around this stunningly beautiful corner of Liguria is by train whilst, during the summer season, ferry boats provide regular connections between the towns (timetables are published on the Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti website). Visitors to the Cinque Terre; a superb, almost traffic-free paradise, are advised to leave their car behind. By far the best way to explore the area is to walk along the coastal footpaths which for centuries have provided the principal thoroughfares across the Cinque Terre. These magnificently scenic, twisting pathways which hug the coastline for some 12 kilometers, pass through each of the five towns; nestled in tiny bays or perched on dramatic spurs of rock directly above the sea....