Liguria
Liguria is in north-western Italy, bordering with France. The region features impressive mountains and lovely rolling hills, colored by the green Mediterranean turf and overlooking the Ligurian Sea. The two are divided by a high, indented coastline. Liguria is a multi-faceted sliver of the Peninsula, where differences weave together to create a wide array of things to do and see during a visit here.Nature, mountains, culture, entertainment and night life: all one has to do is choose. The waters of this section of the Mediterranean are an enormously important feature of the region, with its characteristic rocky coasts interrupted by small coves, and beaches of fine golden sand. The Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets, the Gulf of Tigullio, Genoa and Paradise Gulf, the Riviera delle Palme and the Riviera dei Fiori make up the famous coast of Liguria which stretches from Ameglia to Ventimiglia, for more than 300 km (186 mi). During an itinerary so spectacular for the beauty of the land and seascapes, we can see the most famous tourist resorts of Liguria: Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Sestri Levante with its enchanting Baia del Silenzio (Silent Bay), and Chiavari. One after another, generous beaches, minuscule yet gorgeous ports and amazing sceneries for exploring greet visitors, and turn into vivacious centers by night, with plenty of entertainment and shopping on offer. Some of these include: Sanremo, the city of flowers, famous for the Italian Music Festival and for its Casino; the refined towns of Bordighera and Alassio, with its 3 kilometers (almost 2 mi) of fine sand, along with Laigueglia and Varigotti, some of the gems embedded in the Riviera di Ponente. Then comes Portovenere – facing Palmaria Island – then Lerici with its grand Medieval castle, elegant villas and lush gardens. The Ligurian Sea also attracts several specimens of sperm whales, rorquals and dolphins, who find their natural habitat and live safely in this area known as the “Sanctuary of Cetaceans.” The extensive woods of Liguria with their centuries-old trees, a true natural legacy, are an excellent alternative to traditional tourism. Immersion into the region’s natural environments allows one to get to know and see the places where man, with love and dedication, has managed to cultivate the best possible fruits from thisland. Places full of history, culture and traditions, which witness the passage of ancient peoples coming from the sea.The provinces of the region are: Genoa (the region’s capital), Imperia, Savona and La Spezia.
PROVINCE OF LA SPEZIA
Beaches overlooking a crystal-clear sea, spectacular views, a marvelous artistic legacy, and small villages set within green valleys, alive with ancient traditions: all this and much more await the visitor in the Province of La Spezia. One of the most wonderful stretches of the Ligurian Riviera can be found here: Golfo dei Poeti, Poets’ Gulf, named for the love that many great writers and poets have demonstrated for this land.Steep cliffs, dense pine woods, romantic coves and exceptional beaches, along with picturesque villages perched atop the bluffs, draw the coastal landscape, striking the visitor’s eye with all their beauty. Lerici, Portovenere, the Island of Palmaria and the Islets of Tino and Tinetto are the best-known destinations, with La Spezia at the Gulf’s center. Eventually, the visitor arrives at one of the most beautiful scenes of Italy, the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with Porto Venere) for their extraordinary relationship between man and nature, a harmonious balance that stuns the visitor. The Cinque Terre (“the Five Lands”) are five villages – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. These are places to discover one after the other, with each boasting its own natural and artistic treasures. Along the furthest stretch of La Spezia’s coast lie Levanto, Bonassola, Framura and Deiva Marina, charming villages surrounded by cliffs and beaches, by green hills and the beautiful sea. La Spezia Province, however, is not made up of its littoral alone. The interior has many hidden treasures as well. Green forests, rolling hills, wide valleys marked by the many streams, and Medieval villages unite to form astonishing landscape, filled with history and ancient traditions, removed from the noise of modern life, where people still lovingly work the land – actions reciprocated, of course, by the harvests that characterize the local cuisine.
