8 Most Beautiful Small Coastal Towns of The Italian Riviera
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Italian Riviera, synonymous with the Liguria region, is probably best known among international travelers for the picturesque coastal villages of Cinque Terre and the luxury holiday resort for the rich and the famous – Portofino. But there’s more to it than that!
I have to admit that we also knew very little about the region before we started planning a trip to the Italian Riviera… We had no idea that this coastal region had so many beautiful towns!
Cinque Terre has been on our list for some 20 years. But when we finally started planning the trip, we realized that there are so many other incredibly picturesque and charming places nearby.
So in this guide, we share some of our favorites, the most beautiful small coastal towns and villages of the Italian Riviera. These are one by one stunning destinations, each worth a trip on its own.
Furthermore, these 8 Ligurian coastal towns are relatively close to each other. So you can easily visit several or even all of them during the same trip. (We visited all these places and a few more in 5 days.) Find out!
How to use this map: Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.
These are the most beautiful towns in Italian Riviera:
1. Portovenere
It’s not a coincidence that I list Portovenere as the first among the best towns along the Ligurian coast. This little colorful town in the Bay of Poets (Golfo di Poeti) surrounded by history and incredible nature became one of our absolute favorites at the Italian Riviera.
We visited Portovenere by boat on the last day of October, which is also the last day of the season of the coastal Cinque Terre ferry. Portovenere is the first stop on the ferry route from La Spezia to Cinque Terre, which also makes it a great base for exploring Cinque Terre and the nearby coastal areas.
In summer, the possibilities are endless. But on the day we visited there were very few boats which meant that we had 5 hours to fill in Portovenere. As we arrived at a tiny picturesque harbor we were wondering how in the world we would keep ourselves and the kids busy here the whole day…
It turned out that Portovenere had so much more to offer than it looked at first sight. We visited the 12th-century castle and the 13th-century church of San Pietro, walked along the cliffs and saw the nearby grottos, climbed countless staircases, and explored the narrow streets of this medieval town… There are plenty of restaurants, gelaterias, and little shops…
Our time in Portovenere flew by. It was such an enjoyable visit with so much history, stunning vistas over the Mediterranean, and very few tourists compared to Cinque Terre.
There is also a possibility to take a scenic boat trip to the three nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising three islands: Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto. And in summer there are many more options to hire boats, visit beaches, go swimming, snorkeling or diving…
LEARN MORE: Best things to do in Portovenere
TIP: If you are visiting Italian Riviera in the high season and have a few days in the area, I would consider staying in Portovenere and using it as a base town for excursions. There aren’t that many accommodation options, so make sure to book in advance. You can search for Portovenere accommodation here.
2. Camogli
Camogli was a completely unexpected find for us, so we consider it to be a true hidden gem of Liguria. From the reactions to my pictures on Instagram, it seems like this town is quite known to international travelers, but it wasn’t for us.
If you arrive in Camogli by car, you will definitely be able to relate to the ‘hidden’ part. We passed it without realizing that there was a turn to the town center and ended up in the next village.
It was raining and on our last day in Liguria we were wondering if we wouldn’t just turn around and drive home. But then we said we are here anyway, let’s just get out of the car for 5 minutes and walk around a bit. Five minutes turned into several hours and we never wanted to leave… Camogli is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful coastal towns of the Italian Riviera!
Surrounded by steep hills dotted with colorful houses, Camogli’s picturesque setting will not leave anyone untouched. It’s simply STUNNING!
We walked down to the beach without having the slightest idea of what to expect. And the moment we saw it, we had a WOW moment. One of those moments you travel for. When you know you stumbled upon a place that will stay in your memory forever…
Pictures don’t do justice to the beauty of this town, nor to how it felt to be there on that deserted beach on a stormy day in November. The kids loved looking for colorful stones and could have played on the beach for days…
Just as with the other nearby towns, there is plenty to see and do in and near Camogli, especially in the high season. It’s not only a beautiful vacation town, but also a great base for exploring the Portofino Peninsula (hiking and/or by boat). Here you can find Camogli accommodation.
3. Manarola
Manarola is one of the five Cinque Terre villages and if I were to visit just one town there, this would be it. With colored houses leaning against a mountain overlooking the Mediterranean, Manarola is as picturesque in reality as it is in the pictures.
It’s also the liveliest town in Cinque Terre and as I already said in my guide to the best places to stay in Cinque Terre, Manarola is probably the best village for those who want to stay in Cinque Terre itself.
We only visited Manarola shortly, for sunset, and despite it being very busy, it was one of the most special experiences of our day in Cinque Terre. We had dinner at the restaurant Nessun Dorma and it became one of my favorite spots for sunset. Ever.
READ ALSO: Cinque Terre Travel Tips
4. Portofino
Portofino is probably the most picturesque town of the Italian Riviera. Maybe even the whole of Italy. With luxury yachts in the azure blue water, colorful houses and luxury estates dotting the landscape it’s a picture-perfect town you see on postcards and in travel guides. Surrounded by mountains and a spectacular coastline, the Portofino Peninsula is not to be missed in Liguria.
The narrow coastal road leading to Portofino is incredibly scenic, just like the whole surrounding area. We truly enjoyed the walk leading to Castello Brown and the lighthouse of Portofino. A boat trip to the nearby 10th-century San Fruttuoso Abbey is also not to be missed.
All this being said, we didn’t love Portofino as much as we loved the other towns in Liguria. Overpriced restaurants with snobbish personnel ruin this small picture-perfect village. I honestly wonder if there are any local fishermen left in this so-called ‘fishing village’. Portofino is now the place for the rich and the famous.
The place to stay in Portofino is the beautiful Belmond Hotel Splendido. I would recommend having lunch or a drink there. The prices can hardly be worse than in the harbor (where they charge over 8 EUR for a soda), and the views are said to be the best in town.
A nice alternative is also Belmond Splendido Mare. If you want to spoil yourself for a nice romantic weekend, then don’t look any further. For cheaper options, check the best Portofino accommodation offers here.
5. Santa Margherita Ligure
One of the bigger towns of Portofino Peninsula and the biggest of this selection, Santa Margherita Ligure is probably the most lively and local town of them all.
With a good mix of local residents and vacationers, Santa Margherita Ligure is a town that seems to be one of the most popular options among those vacationing on the Italian Riviera. Beautiful beaches, a big variety of accommodations, plenty of dining and shopping options, and easy access make it one of the best towns along the Ligurian Coast.
We enjoyed walking around the harbor area and checking out the local food stores selling wine, cheese, and local pastry specialties.
Santa Margherita Ligure is located just a few kilometers from Portofino, but what a difference! If you are looking for a really nice lively town with a good laid-back atmosphere, then don’t miss Santa Margherita Ligure.
6. Vernazza
Vernazza is one more really picturesque little village along the Cinque Terre coast. It’s a very lively and colorful town surrounded by vineyards.
I strongly recommend making an effort and hiking a part of the Vernazza – Monterosso trail for some of the best views of Cinque Terre.
We hiked the Cinque Terre trail from Monterosso to Vernazza and further on to Corniglia, but you don’t have to hike far or to be extremely fit to just walk to the viewpoint from this picture. It’s just 5 minutes away from the town center.
LEARN MORE: One Day in Cinque Terre
7. Lerici
Lerici is another beautiful town of Italian Riviera, situated in a picturesque inlet of Golfo di Poeti, close to La Spezia and the above-mentioned Portovenere. Lerici, also called The Pearl of The Gulf (Perla del Golfo), is a charming coastal town with a small marina, a 13th-century castle and a church from the same period.
It’s a tourist resort that comes to life in summer, yet despite its proximity to Cinque Terre, Lerici seems to still be under the radar of most international tourists, and is mostly visited by Italians. It’s the only place along the Ligurian coast where we had difficulties ordering a meal in English.
So here it is, the secret is out – you can still find a real Italian beach town on the Italian Riviera, one that somehow managed to escape the crowds from the huge cruise ships docking just a few kilometers away.
We wouldn’t have thought of going to Lerici was it not for an Italian friend who recommended it to us. And indeed, it was really worth a visit.
TIP: if you have an extra day in Lerici, you should hike to the nearby fishing villages Fiascherino and Tellaro which are considered among the most beautiful villages of Italy. You can also get there by bus and in summer also by boat.
8. Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is another of the five Cinque Terre villages that you shouldn’t miss. The best view of this little colorful town can be found down at the harbor (see the picture below).
Don’t miss the coastal walk along the cliffs leading from the Riomaggiore station to the beach!
In the past, you could walk Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore to Manarola along the coast, but at the moment only a small section of this road is open. Via dell’Amore has been closed due to landslides.
READ ALSO: Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast
So, this is my short guide to the most beautiful small coastal towns of the Italian Rivera. Did I miss any of your favorites? Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience and the most special places along the Ligurian Coast.
For more travel inspiration for Italy, please check our guide to the most beautiful places to visit in Italy.
If this is your first trip, you may want to check the 2-week Italy itinerary that covers all the musts in the country, including a few of these beautiful towns of the Italian Riviera.
READ ALSO: Best Cities in Italy & Italian Food Guide
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Thank you for your articles – you have certainly influenced my husband and I to stay in this beautiful region. We will be visiting for 7 nights this year (9th – 16th September) and hope to travel between Genoa and La Spezia via train / ferry and enjoy the scenery with lots of walking. Can you please suggest somewhere to base ourselves?
Hi Esther, glad to have inspired you to visit this beautiful part of Italy. I’m sure you’ll love it!
As for where to stay, so many nice choices. But if you want to be right in the middle between Genoa and Cinque Terre and have the best train connections, then consider Sestri Levante (e.g. Grand Hotel Dei Castelli has great views, but is a bit far from the train station, but there are many other options too such as Hotel Genova right next to the station, etc).
Sestri Levante is about 35 minutes by train from Genoa and 40 minutes to Monterosso al Mare. In both cases, it’s a direct train.
If you decide to stay more toward Genoa, you would have to change the train in Sestri Levante when you go toward Cinque Terre/La Spezia and vice versa. It’s not a big deal either, but just so you know.
Alternatively, you can also split your stay in two. In that case, I would recommend spending a few days in either St Margherita Ligure or Rapallo and a few in Monterosso al Mare.
Have a great trip!
Just happened to find your wonderful blog!!! I googled “what to wear when hiking the Cinque Terre” and, got lucky with clicking on one of your photos…1 1/2 hrs later and I have taken lots of notes. We are headed to this area in July and are staying in Lerici. Some of your listed spots were already on my list but others (including how cool you thought Lerici is!) weren’t. Thank you so much for sharing! Ciao!
@Ashley, oh, I did have a question. I read there is a bus you can take from LeSpezia to Portovenere. Do you know if that’s possible? I only read that you said to take a ferry. Grazi!
Hi Ashley, glad to hear that you found some useful information for your trip. Yes, we really enjoyed Lerici, and it’s incomparably quieter than the Cinque Terre towns.
Since you are visiting in the high season, you should be able to take a boat to all the nicest places nearby – that will be much faster than ground transportation. I saw you asked in another comment about the bus from La Spezia to Portovenere. Yes, there is a bus; if I recall well, you can find it just near the railway station in La Spezia. It’s just much easier (and more scenic) to take a boat, especially in the summer when there should be boats between all these places. Buses have to drive around, navigate narrow curvy roads, stand in traffic, etc. whereas a boat just goes directly where it has to be.
One more suggestion if you find some time. Check out Tellaro village. I think there are boats from Lerici in the summer in that direction as well, or by bus. It’s just nearby.
PS As for what to wear – it will be hot, so sun protection is a must, and I would recommend sturdy footwear if you plan to go hiking.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, thank you so much for the info!
Thank you for this post. I’ve been researching the Tuscany region for a two week trip and certainly want to add it to our itinerary but today I realized this coastal region and its beautiful towns is the experience I’m trying to achieve in my plans.
I’m so glad this post confirmed my suspicions.
Glad to help.
Have a great time in Italy!
@Terri, We stayed in Tuscany last summer! So wonderful!
Hello, thank you for sharing these amazing towns to visit in the Italian Riviera!
I notice that all of your recommendations to visit are located East of Genoa, but no mention of the towns West along the Italian coast. Have you or other readers paid any of those towns a visit? For example the larger towns of Savona, Imperia, and Sanremo – are they picturesque and worth a visit?
Would love to hear your and others opinions of the towns along the Western coastal part of Liguria.
Thank you!
Hi Tom, this blog is based on our personal experiences and we haven’t visited these other places so I can’t comment on how nice they are. One thing I can tell you is that over dozens of trips to Italy, we haven’t visited one single place that we didn’t like ;). So I’m sure they are worth a visit. It’s always about how much time you have and how fast you want to move around.
Of all the places you mention, Sanremo is probably the best known.
If you go, feel free to leave a reply here and let us know what your experience was!
Have a great trip!
@Jurga,
Hi Jurga, thank you for sharing your experiences. I’m planning my trip for next year and have included a number of the towns you have shared in your visits. I’m also planning to visit a few on the west of Genoa like Sanremo and will share what I find :). Thank you!
Sounds great. Have a nice trip!
Hi! I’m from Turin (the town near the Alps, in the North West of Italy, former capital and for sure an Italian hiden gem), but, having retired, I live as much as I can in Camogli, where I have a little house with a beautiful view. Camogli is one of the three villages in the so called Portofino’s Peninsula (the others being Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure). The more authentic one: in the summer you can see some yachts anchored in front of the village, but in Camogli’s harbour you’ll find only the fishermen’s boats. The village is one of the most beautiful in the Riviera, but my advice is to visit not only Camogli, San Fruttuoso di Camogli and Portofino. Most of the Portofino’s Peninsula is a natural park, both on the land and in the sea (with several restrictions for boats). The Mount of Portofino is just a little more than 2,000 ft high, but it has more than 50 miles of trails. Some of them are easy, while other are difficult or even extremly difficult (trekking shoes and a lot of water in the summer are mandatory). It’s a paradise for hickers, but check the difficulties before facing a path.
Beaches are small, scarces and crowded in the summer. There are several beautiful hiden places were you can dive and swim, but it’s not very easy to get there (swimsuit optional: you’ll find noboby even in the top season). In my opinion the very best place to swim is Punta Chiappa di Camogli, No beaches, just a long, huge rock. You can get there walking (1 h 20′ from Camogli), or by boat (10′ from Camogli). It’s the right place for diving, snorkeling and swimming (if the sea is calm). Amazing water. Transparent, clean and you can swim among the fish.
Thank you for sharing all these local suggestions, Giancarlo. It’s a stunning area to call home – lucky you!
Happy travels.
@Jurga, Yeap, I feel lucky.
Buongiorno!
Your blog is exceptional, providing me with all the insider tips and off-the-beaten path. I will visit Liguria during the high season (late June) and want to erase my travel frustrations. I will be going to Cinque Terre and surrounding areas from Genoa. Should I allocate one whole day for Portofino, Camogli, Moneglia, and Levanto? Would it take one whole day to explore all of them? Next, I will go to Cinque Terre and spend three days there. Would it take three days? You know I hate to waste valuable travel time! After that, Porto Venere is next. Is there a ferry/kayaking service from Corniglia to Porto Venere? Just want to deviate from the quotidian train ride…you know! Does Porto Venere deserve one whole day? Finally, I will go to Lerici, Tellaro, and Fiascherino. Should I cross them off as one day or not?
Is La Spezia worth visiting?
Molte Grazie!
Hi Ryan, one day is definitely not too much for Portofino and all the places you said you are planning to visit together. I’d actually think it might be rushed, but that depends on what exactly you do and how you travel around.
You don’t need 3 days in Cinque Terre, but if you hike, kayak, spend time at the beach, and enjoy local restaurants, I guess you won’t be bored. But 1-2 days would work too – again, depending on what you want to see. Take a look at our guide to the best of Cinque Terre in 1 day to get an idea of what can be done.
Portovenere itself doesn’t take an entire day, but if you also take a boat trip to the nearby islands, it would be a great day indeed. See our guide to visiting Portovenere for more info. We loved it there so I definitely wouldn’t skip it.
There is no boat service from Corniglia since this town is located on the hill. It’s the one of the Cinque Terre towns where boats/ ferries don’t stop.
And yes, you can probably visit Lerici and the other towns in a day. Again, depends on how you travel. But in summer, there should be boats too making things simpler.
As for La Spezia, I think I’d skip it. It’s a good base for visiting Cinque Terre and Portovenere though, but otherwise, I’d only go there for an hour or two or even not at all.
Good luck with the planning!
Hi! I have 3 little ones all 9 and under and wanted a base in CT but was debating between Monterosso, Vernazza and Manarola. Which is best for kids? Considering April or June but leaning towards April for less crowds.
Hi, where to stay highly depends on what you are planning to do there. Most 5 Terre villages aren’t really great with young kids, but Monterosso is probably the most kid-friendly and it has the best beach. So if you are going for a longer stay than a day or two, then it’s probably the best one of the five. Vernazza has a tiny beach, Manarola almost nothing at all, but they are both more picturesque than Monterosso.
You can find a bit more info about each village and accommodation suggestions in this guide: where to stay in Cinque Terre.
As for the season, it’s always a bit of a gamble. We visited end of October-November and had the best weather, whereas my parents went end of May and had really cold weather and rain all the time. So you never know. June will likely be hot, so if you are looking for a beach vacation, it’s much better than April. For sightseeing, April should be much better, but the weather is more uncertain. Once again, you can’t plan for the weather.
@Jurga,
Thank you! Great information! Do you recommend breaking up the stay and doing part in CT and then a few nights in Santa Margherita ligure or would we be better off with one base?
It depends on how much time you have. We stayed at a few different places and that worked well for us because we were mostly interested in sightseeing and it was good not to have to drive up and down all the time. So yes, I think that it might be nice to stay in Cinque Terre for a few nights, and Santa Margherita Ligure is very nice too (and probably better for a longer stay). You can easily visit Portofino, Camogli, and many other nice places from there.
@B church, monterosso is the largest and would be the best for a family with children. you can always catch a ferry or train to the other villages, but I loved Monterosso
Saluti,
Your blog is brilliant!
I am a big fan of the negroni and coincidentally I was reading an article about the Bar Barolino in Levanto that is known for it’s negroni. One thing led to another and before I knew it – – I had booked a trip to Liguria in 2021 with 6 nights in Levanto during the Festa de la Mare. We don’t usually travel in the summer but I really am into pageantry and a festive environment and it all sounded perfect. We could also take in The Cinqueterre.
Will the Festa de la Mare in Levanto even be held next year? If not, I think I would rather travel in September or October. Europe seems to be getting hotter every year.
After reading your awesome stuff, I don’t know what to do. Portovenere sounds very enticing. Also, we were planning a day trip to Rapallo with a short ferry ride to Portofino. Is Portofino even worth it; it seems a little too glam and over the top? I was born and live in Los Angeles so I have some familiarity with glam and celebrity.
Please advise. Gracie mille.
Hi Bradley, I can feel your enthusiasm for Italy just by the way you describe your research and booking the trip! 🙂 It’s a beautiful area and I’m sure you’ll love it!
I really have no idea if any big events will be held anywhere in Europe in the summer of 2021, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t count on it. So unless you absolutely want to try to attend, I’d also say that it’s better to go in September. The second half of September is a great time to be in Italy – not as hot and not nearly as busy as in the summer. See also our guide to the best time to visit Europe.
Also, this year, I think it’s better to book the trips somewhat later in the year in the hope that things are somewhat back to normal by then. But you never know, of course. This year, summer was quite ok in Europe and we were in Italy in July and it was wonderful. But it all got worse by September again. But vaccines should make things better next year – fingers crossed!
Anyway, back to the places themselves. Portofino is extremely picturesque and we really enjoyed it. But yes, it’s very ‘glamorous’, especially the prices at the restaurants (I’ll never forget that glass of Fanta we got for our kids at 7,5 EUR + 15% tax each). Apart from that, it’s a beautiful place and well worth seeing. Also, from Portofino, you can take a boat to the San Fruttuoso Abbey – also a very nice short excursion.
Portovenere was really enjoyable too and felt much more ‘local’. We were there in low season, so it might be different in the summer. But still – a very nice place and not nearly as busy as the Cinque Terre towns.
Hope this helps a bit.
Jurga, this is a great blog with lots of useful information for planning a trip. we are staying in Santa Margherita for 3 nights and from there will do a day trip to CT, and also visit some of the other places you have recommended. I love that this has helped me to focus on where i want to spend our precious 3 days.
i have some questions – do you know if the train between CT and Santa Margherita needs to be booked in advance? will it guarantee us our seats? and if we do pre-book, is it flexible to be able to take other trains earlier or later if we so decide?
lastly, any tips on where to park when we visit Porto Venere? we will stop here on the way down from Santa Margherita to Viareggio.
Hi Deborah, I don’t think that you need to prebook any local train rides and I definitely don’t think you can reserve the seats. We just got our tickets upon arrival and there were no set times, but a set day when you can use it.
As for Portovenere, it’s a tiny town and I don’t think that parking a car will be feasible there – even at the end of October, it didn’t look like a place you’d like to visit by car. We just took a boat from La Spezia and left our car there. So much easier.
I don’t know how the parking situation is in Portovenere and maybe there is some kind of public parking before the town, but you have to be really careful taking your car into some of the villages in that area – there signs (in Italian) saying that only permit holders are allowed to enter the town and they have cameras registering all the cars that enter. The fines are quite significant, so best to try to research this in advance if you decide to drive there.
Hi Jurga! What a great blog! I am hoping to visit Italy next year when I retire, and Cinque Terre is at the top of my list, along with Tuscany. I’m trying to piece together all the towns and villages. I’d like to spend at least 2 days visiting Cinque Terre, as well as another day or 2 visiting some of the other towns on the Riviera. Would I be better off staying in 1 or 2 different hotels? Or would staying in somewhere in Liguria be more central to everything and just make a couple day trips to Cinque Terre?
One more question. I had hoped to also go to the Amalfi Coast, but am thinking it may just be too far to get there. Can you tell me how Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera differs from the Amalfi coast? And the towns of Liguria compared with Positano and that area? Thanks so much! This has really gotten me excited!
Hi Debbie, I think that a lot depends on how you travel (by car or by train/bus). Staying in one place, gives you more flexibility, but also requires more traveling every day. It all has advantages and disadvantages…
The Amalfi Coast is indeed far away and if you only have 4 days, I think you better stay just in one area – either Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast. If you are looking for more info, please check our Amalfi Coast itinerary suggestions and also what to see in Capri. One big advantage of going there vs Cinque Terre is that you could potentially just stay in one place (Sorrento) and make day trips. If you do the same in Cinque Terre, you need to plan well what exactly you want to see and then pick a town to stay based on that.
We are planning to go back to Liguria this summer. We visited the cinque terre, Portofino and stayed in Santa marguerita de ligure. Which we loved because it’s busy, lovely restaurants and shops. We are reluctant to return to the same place and would like to find somewhere else similar. Any suggestions?
What about Camogli? It’s not far from Portofino, but if you like Liguria and want something new, it might be a nice choice.
Thank you for all the great information. We are traveling to Italy this summer, and will be in CT area for 2 1/2 days beginning of June. My husband and I are traveling with our 3 kids (2 teens and 10 year old) — all very active and like to hike/bike. I was wondering about staying in Levanto vs Monterosso del Mare? I am worried that Monterosso will be super busy and that Levanto will be more enjoyable, but we don’t want to miss out on the charm of CT! The biking path from Levanto also looks like a fun way to explore to the north.
Hi Jasmin, I personally haven’t been to Levanto, but the friends who stayed there said that they loved it. And you can easily take a train from there to Cinque Terre for day trips. You can hike from Monterosso to Vernazza and on to Corniglia, but I don’t think you’ll find any biking in CT, so for that indeed flatter places like Levanto (or La Spezia-Lerici on the other side) are definitely better.
I think that for the ‘charms’ of Cinque Terre as you put it, Vernazza, Manarola, or Riomaggiore would actually be better than Monterosso al Mare. But for activities I think that Monterosso and Levanto are better.
If you are looking for ideas where to stay and advantages/ disadvantages of each CT town, we have just published this post – check it out: where to stay in and near Cinque Terre.
Enjoy your trip!
Wonderful information. I have researched the coastal towns from Camogli to Sestri Levante for a 4 week stay when I take the train from Florence but I’m puzzled about which town to stay. I tried booking in several but the cost was much less if staying in one place. I plan on visiting other towns by ferry and train and walking. Please advice which of these towns; Rapallo, camogli, sestri Levante or San Margherita Ligore would be recommended. Thank you so much. Janice
Hi Janice, I’m not really sure, but from what I saw in terms of accessibility both Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure have good boat connections to the nearby towns in high season.
Camogli is a much smaller place and a bit further away from all the action, but we loved its beach… Still, I think you’ll have more facilities and easier way to visit other towns if you stay in Santa Margherita Ligure. Just make sure that your hotel is close to the harbor, because it’s quite a big town, so you might have to walk quite far otherwise. Here you can see all the available accommodations on the map – hope this helps.
Thank you for the new dots on the map. Lerici was in our planning, but Fiascherino & Tellaro are completely new to us. Will check it out in a few days. By the way, we don’t have much time, so will be driving. Is it easy to park?
Good to hear that you found some new inspiration for your trip, Rimantas. And no, it’s really not a good idea to visit the small villages like Tellaro and Fiascherino by car, especially now in the peak season. Parking is really difficult anywhere in that area and there are restricted traffic zones as well (just driving past those will get you a big fine as there are cameras everywhere).
We visited in lower season (end October/ first week of November) and parking was already a real challenge in Lerici. There is a car parking a bit outside of town (follow the signs when you arrive) and it’s really not far to walk to the town centre from there. You can take a small local bus to the nearby villages or a boat, maybe even a taxi boat wouldn’t be too expensive. Believe me, it will save you lots of headaches and probably lots of time as well.
Enjoy it and feel free to come back and tell us your experience after your visit.
Thank you so much, Jurga, for these ideas of places near Lerici. I have read about Portovenere, but Tellaro and Fiacherino are real surprises.
You have a wonderful blog. It’s nice to read and get new ideas.
Aušra
Thank you, AuÅ¡ra. It’s nice to hear you found some new ideas for your trip to Italy. This region is truly beautiful and it’s definitely worth it to escape the main tourist areas and discover some less known places.
Hi, love this post. We are planning a 2 week trip in June of 2019. Road trips are our style and visiting small coastal towns and beaches are our priority. Is it possible to do our first week here and then do our second week in the Amalfi Coast? What would be the distance from Liguria to the Amalfi Coast? Where would you recommend flying into and flying out of, if this is possible? Thanks so much for your advice.
Hi Mari, yes of course it’s possible. If you have a week at each place (Liguria and Amalfi), you can visit quite many places.
As for driving distances and times it’s best to use Google Maps to plan your itinerary – it’s usually quite accurate. It’s roughly about 7hrs, so a long day. You could break the drive in two and spend some time half way.
Where to fly, it depends a lot where you are coming from. If you are traveling from overseas, then Rome is probably the best option since it’s most centrally located. If you are in Europe, then you may want to consider smaller cheaper airports and maybe fly in to one and out of the other in order to save yourself some driving. Naples is very close to Amalfi coast, whereas Italian Riviera (Liguria) is close to quite some airports like Genoa, Pisa, Milan, Bologna, or Florence.
Hi Jurga, thanks so much for your reply. We will be traveling from Florida (U.S.). Would like to fly into Genoa and spending the first week in Liguria. . . Staying (2) nights in Genoa, (2) nights in Porto Venire & (2) nights in either Santa Margarita or Camogli. (Which one do you recommend?) Then head on to the Amalfi Coast for the second week, stopping (1) night in Florence and (1)night in Rome to break-up the driving distance. Then continue on route and stay (2) nights in Positano, (2) nights in Capri and (2) nights in Naples and return back to the U.S. from the Naples Airport. (Should we stay (2) nights in Genoa? Or will (1) night be suffice? If one night is enough, where would you tag that extra day to?)
Where would you recommend us stopping in Florence and in Rome?
Thanks again for your help and advice and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Hi Mari, I’m on the road so don’t have a possibility to answer in much detail. Your itinerary looks ok at first sight, but it’s a lot of changing of hotels. Which is fine for smaller places, but I’m just not sure if it’s such a good idea to drive into Florence or Rome for one night. Maybe better stay outside the city? Driving/parking in Rome is definitely not easy, Florence a bit better, but still… Maybe sleep somewhere else in Tuscany, there are so many beautiful smaller towns to see there. Check our articles about Tuscan towns for some inspiration.
As for Camogli vs St Margherita Ligure both have quite some possibilities for boat trips to Portofino etc, so it probably doesn’t matter much. Camogli might be a bit cheaper and also coasier.
Wow! The views look amazing! Would love to visit some day! Great post!
Thanx Jurga
HI There!
Thank so for compiling this list of beautiful places.
I’m hoping to go in the summer but don’t drive, is it possible to get around easily without a car?
Hi Saphiya, yes, it’s possible to visit these towns without a car. You may want to check this article for practical information for visiting Cinque Terre villages. You can get there by train or by boat. If you take a boat you can easily get to Portovenere as well. There are local busses going there too.
There is a train to Camogli as well. From there you can visit the nearby villages (e.g. Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, etc) by boat as well.
I love these pics! These towns are so beautiful but I really love visiting in the lower season, this summer was so crowded!
That’s what I keep hearing from everyone, that it’s crazy busy from April till October, Ari. Actually, I couldn’t believe how busy it still was in Cinque Terre at the end of October. Luckily all these other towns were just pleasantly lively. Perfect to enjoy the atmosphere and since we are not much of beach-goers anyway, we don’t feel like we missed anything.
Your photos are beautiful, I have always wanted to go to the coast in Italy, to sit overlooking the water with a nice cold drink in my hand. Your photos make me want to jump in the plane and just go!
Sounds great, Sarah! Unfortunately, we never seem to be able to just sit somewhere and enjoy the view for a long time. That’s how traveling with kids changes everything… 😉
This is not a part of Italy I am familiar with at all. Lots of reasons here to enjoy when we return to Europe. We are planning a house sitting trip through Italy so I will keep my fingers crossed there is a house to sit in one of these villages!!
House-sitting sounds like such a great way to slow-travel the world and explore deeper, Tracy. Italy is definitely worth exploring that way. It’s like every town, every village there is worth a visit. I still have to visit one place in Italy that I wouldn’t fall in love with.
It makes me very happy when you go to a place first – I don’t have to do so much searching cos your guides are always so good! This area has long been on my bucket list but sadly we haven’t made it yet, maybe next year though. Thank you for all your brilliant research and top tips!
🙂 Well, you inspired us to visit Central Portugal and we loved it. So it goes both ways, Alex. Hope you get to visit Liguria – so much to see!
I have been there in October as well and whilst I have been to Cinque Terre before, it was my first time visiting Portovenere. I really fell in love with this little town, I spent half a day there just exploring and enjoying a delicious fish lunch at one of the local restaurants.
We also loved Portovenere, beautiful location and such a nice place to explore a bit deeper. Thanks for sharing your experience as well, Joanna.
Brilliant, it’s lovely to have a comprehensive list and info on all these beautiful towns and villages. Gives me something to aim for when I finally get to visit.
Thanks, Faith. Hope you get to visit, Liguria is definitely worth a trip!
Wow! Please take me there ASAP! These all look so dreamy! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Vanessa. We were just talking the other day that these Italian towns indeed look like they come straight from a fairy tale.
Wow! Your pictures are stunning. Never heard of some of these towns before. Thanks for sharing
Thank you, Yolande. I never knew about most of these towns either, that’s why I wanted to share it, to inspire people to spend a bit more time in the area and see beyond the Cinque Terre.