Italian Riviera Top cities Destinations in alphabetical order Italy Mediterran...

Top cities top page   Genoa [47] - Portofino Sanremo [22] - Riviera dei Fiori La Spezia [18] - Cinque Terre Rapallo [17] - Portofino Santa Margherita Ligure [16] - Portofino Diano Marina [11] - Riviera dei Fiori Imperia [8] - Riviera dei Fiori Lavagna [6] - Portofino Sestri Levante [6] - Portofino Alassio [6] - Riviera delle Palme Ventimiglia [6] - Riviera dei Fiori Finale Ligure [6] - Riviera delle Palme Varazze [5] - Riviera delle Palme Lerici [4] - Cinque Terre Portovenere [4] - Cinque Terre Spotorno [4] - Riviera delle Palme Bordighera [3] - Riviera dei Fiori Portofino [2] - Portofino Pietra Ligure - Riviera delle Palme

Destinations in alphabetical order top page    C  Cinque Terre [44]  P  Portofino [105]  R  Riviera dei Fiori [55] Riviera delle Palme [27]

The Italian Riviera (Italian Riviera ligure) is the narrow coastal strip which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinally it extends from the border with France and the French Riviera (or Côte d'Azur) near Ventimiglia (a former customs post) to Capo Corvo (also known as Punta Bianca) which marks the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia and is close to the border with Tuscany. The Italian Riviera thus includes nearly all of the coastline of Liguria. (Historically it extended further to the west, through what is now French territory as far as Monaco.) The Riviera is centred on the port of Genoa, which divides it into two main sections: the Riviera di Ponente, extending westwards from Genoa to the French border; and the Riviera di Levante between Genoa and Capo Corva. It is famous for its particularly mild climate which, together with the charm of its old fishing ports and the beauty of its landscape, has made it a popular destination for travellers and tourists since the time of Byron and Shelley. Many villages and towns in the area are internationally known, such as Portofino, Bordighera, Lerici, and the Cinque Terre. The part of the Riviera di Ponente centered on Savona, is called the "Riviera delle Palme" (the Riviera of palms); the part centered on Sanremo, is called the "Riviera dei Fiori", after the long-established flower growing industry.

There's no reason to be intimidated by the art and architecture. If you want to lie on a beach, there are any number of places to do it: development has been kept relatively under control, and many resorts are still largely the preserve of Italian tourists. Other parts of the coast, especially in the south of the country, are almost entirely undiscovered. Italian Beaches are for the most part sandy, and doubts about the cleanliness of the water have been confined to the northern part of the Adriatic coast and the Riviera. Mountains, too, run the country's length - from the Alps and Dolomites in the north right along the Apennines, which form the spine of the peninsula - and are an important reference-point for most Italians. Skiing and other winter sports are practised avidly, and in the five national parks, protected from the national passion for hunting, wildlife of all sorts thrives Places on or near the Italian Riviera include: Alassio Albenga Albissola Ameglia Andora Arenzano Arma di Taggia Bajardo Balestrino Bergeggi Bergeggi Island Bogliasco Bonassola Bordighera Borghetto Santo Spirito Borgio Verezzi Bussana Bussana Vecchia Brugnato Colletta di Castelbianco Camogli Campo Ligure Campomorone Camporosso Capo di Noli Capo Mele Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena Celle Ligure Ceriale Ceriana Cervo Chiavari Cicagna Cinque Terre Corniglia Deiva Marina Diano Marina Finale Ligure Framura Gallinara Island Genoa Genoa Nervi Genoa Pegli Genoa S.Ilario Imperia Laigueglia Lavagna Lerici Levanto Loano Manarola Moneglia Monterosso al Mare Noli Ospedaletti Palmaria Island Pietra Ligure Portofino Portovenere Rapallo Recco Riomaggiore Riva Ligure San Bartolomeo al Mare San Fruttuoso San Lorenzo al Mare San Rocco Sanremo Santo Stefano al Mare Santa Margherita Ligure Sarzana Savona Sestri Levante Sori La Spezia Spotorno Taggia Vado Ligure Vallecrosia Varazze Ventimiglia Vernazza Voltri Zoagli Zuccarello