Liguria
Discover Liguria
Liguria is a region of Northwest Italy, on the Ligurian Sea. There are wonderful cities that start from the border with France (Ventimiglia) to the border with the Tuscany region (La Spezia). There are small and rocky beaches, like those in the Cinque Terre, and long sandy beaches like those in Alassio. Furthermore, the entire hinterland, thanks to the medieval villages like Triora, represents a hidden treasure where at every bend in the road there is a new surprise. 2,000 years ago the whole northwestern part of Italy, including what are now Piedmont and Lombardy, were inhabited by the Liguris, the people from whom this region gets its name.
What to Experience in Liguria
Taste of Liguria...
Traditional Ligurian food is some of the most refined in all of Italy. Tagliatelle is served in various forms here, and torta di verdura is a local speciality, a vegetable pie made with borage and other wild late-winter herbs. Seafood is very popular, as the sea around Liguria is abundant with life. Some typical dishes are: In all Liguria provinces there's a speciality called ‘Farinata’, which consists of a thin, salty pie made with chick-pea flour which is cooked in a wood oven, similar to those used for pizza. It’s eaten as antipasto or as a nutritious snack and can be topped with Gorgonzola, onion or Salsiccia. White and passito grapes are given to the Cooperativa del Gruppo Di Riomaggiore, a modern organization that has streamlined the winemaking process. Sciacchetrà is a prestigious sweet, white passito wine (not too sweet, however), produced in the Cinque Terre. Other white wines are Pigato and Vermentino (of which you can also find a variation of in Sardinia) which suffer from a bit from the salty sea climate in which the grapes grow, giving the wine a particular if not unique taste. Red wines are not so common and the only one worth mentioning is Rossese di Dolceacqua. Liguria is generally a safe region, but beware of pickpockets in some streets of Genoa (Via del Campo and the harbour). Liguria stretches east in a narrow ribbon along the coast from France. Mountains separate it from Piedmont to the north, Emilia-Romagna to the east and Tuscany to the south.
Climate
The climate is generally very mild, except in the mountains in winter, so Liguria can easily be visited at any time of the year. Roads and railways run the length of the coast, linking the Riviere with France and the rest of Italy. National lines: from Turin to Savona and Genoa, Milan to Genoa, Parma to La Spezia, and it connects to the Tyrrhenian route to Rome, Naples and the south. International lines: Liguria borders the French province of the Côte d'Azur to the west. Thello4 operates a service from Italy to France from almost all stations on the Riviera, without changing at Ventimiglia. Liguria is connected along the entire coast by the Ventimiglia - La Spezia motorway axis or alternatively by the State Road no. 1 - Aurelia. The ports of Imperia, Genoa, Savona and La Spezia served from Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica by Moby, Tyrrhenia, and Corsica ferries.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsRoads and railways run the length of the coast, linking the Riviere with France and the rest of Italy. National lines: from Turin to Savona and Genoa, Milan to Genoa, Parma to La Spezia, and it connects to the Tyrrhenian route to Rome, Naples and the south. International lines: Liguria borders the French province of the Côte d'Azur to the west. Thello4 operates a service from Italy to France from almost all stations on the Riviera, without changing at Ventimiglia. Liguria is connected along the entire coast by the Ventimiglia - La Spezia motorway axis or alternatively by the State Road no. 1 - Aurelia. The ports of Imperia, Genoa, Savona and La Spezia served from Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica by Moby, Tyrrhenia, and Corsica ferries. Whether travelling by train or by car, the spectacular journey along the Ligurian coast takes you through tunnel after tunnel, bursting out from darkness into sunlight, the sea sparkling at your side....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Whether travelling by train or by car, the spectacular journey along the Ligurian coast takes you through tunnel after tunnel, bursting out from darkness into sunlight, the sea sparkling at your side. Those who are fond of a good walk will love the Via Del Amore, a long and winding path along the coast which connects the five villages of the Cinque Terre. Stunning views of the sea make for a memorable trek, but it's not for those of a nervous disposition - the path can be quite high above the sea in certain stretches, so if you don't like heights perhaps this won't be for you. Traditional Ligurian food is some of the most refined in all of Italy. Tagliatelle is served in various forms here, and torta di verdura is a local speciality, a vegetable pie made with borage and other wild late-winter herbs. Seafood is very popular, as the sea around Liguria is abundant with life.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Liguria is generally a safe region, but beware of pickpockets in some streets of Genoa (Via del Campo and the harbour). Liguria stretches east in a narrow ribbon along the coast from France. Mountains separate it from Piedmont to the north, Emilia-Romagna to the east and Tuscany to the south.