Italian Riviera

Tiny coves, craggy cliffs, caves, islands and beaches, quaint Ligurian towns: The English authors Byron,... Shelley, Lawrence and Virginia Woolf loved the second largest gulf of Liguria so much that the name "Golfo dei Poeti" remained. In addition to La Spezia and the beautiful Portovenere, especially the towns on the eastern shore are worth a visit. The small San Terenzo with the dominant Genoese castle is followed by the pretty town of Lerici with its Pisan-Genoese castello, from where you have a magnificent view. In the narrow alleys the Old Town preserved its Ligurian charm. It is lovely to go for a walk (and a swim) in the charming fishing village Fiascherino. Only those free from giddiness should take the panorama trail cut through the rock high above the sea around the headland in the pretty, characteristic Tellaro. more

On the way to the charming little fishing village, the sea is sparkling under the steep limestone cliffs... at the coast of the Malpasso. The typical Mediterranean square houses with flat terrace roofs right on the beach give the place its picturesque charm. Only ruins are left of the Castello that was erected by the Byzantines in a panoramic position on Capo Varigotti, from where you have a magnificent view of the coastline. From the old Via Aurelia you can walk to the Romanesque church of San Lorenzo Vecchio and enjoy another spectacular view as the steep cliff plunges down into the sea. The beautiful beach of Varigotti completes the picture of this really pretty town on the Riviera di Ponente. more

Since 1927, the three towns Marina, Pia and Borgo form the municipality Finale Ligure. Located directly... at the seaside, Finalmarina and Finalpia almost merge and are only separated by the river Sciusa. The basilica San Giovanni Battista in Marina, with its characteristic rococo facade, is one of the finest examples of this architectural style on the Riviera. The old parish church San Giovanni Battista (now Chiesa dei Cappuccini), first mentioned as early as in the 5th century, with preserved Romanesque parts, can be found on the access road to Finalborgo. Finalpia, the second part of the town of Finales, developed around the church Santa Maria di Pia that was built in 1170. While the Campanile still stands for Romanesque-Gothic style, the playful facade of Santa Maria suggests rococo and the interior represents typical Riviera baroque. more