Liguria

The horseshoe-shaped Gulf of Poets is best explored by an easy-breezy boat trip. Start in Lerici, the splendid town south of La Spezia Established during the Middle Ages by the Republic of Pisa, the fishing village served to guard the entrance to the Gulf of La Spezia. The gulf is referred to by both names, the “Gulf of La Spezia” and the “Gulf of Poets.” The latter is due to the fact that many poets were inspired by the breath-taking area as they passed through there, one even passed away there in a tragic sailing accident. Following the death of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, his wife and literary collaborator, Mary Shelley, left her home on the coast and returned to England. Shortly thereafter she released her book, Frankenstein.  As you take the boat across the bay it is readily understood how the heavenly atmosphere was the perfect the political paradise for English Romantics like the Shelleys and their friend Lord Byron.  Escaping from rigid Regency Era censorship, literati found liberty in Italy, as the area influenced and embraced the expression of emotion. When visitors arrive at the quay of Portovenere their first stop is at its small, striped church on the bluff. The Chiesa di San Pietro was built on the ruins of a pagan temple for Venus (from which the town drew its name). After a walk around the charming town, return the way you came. This time you will be heading in the direction Byron once famously swam when he traversed the waters from the Grotto Arpaia (now called “the Byron Grotto”, despite its collapse) to visit the Shelley couple in Lerici.  Alternatively, the group can also have their private bus pick them up at Portovenere.

The glamorous Italian Riviera has long been the playground for the affluent. Colorful villas and cobalt waters studded with yachts, a stroll along its dreamy promenades allows visitors to feel a part of the luxury scene. One of the best ways to see the area is from the sea. Take a ferry from Rapallo to Portofino and return by boat to Santa Margherita. As you sail along view the jaw-dropping area and soak up the sunshine and sea breeze. When you dock you can begin to experience the highlife, smelling fragrant Mediterranean flowers as you sip espressos and Proseccos at charming cafés at the harbor.  

See how to live in true celebrity style. Sanremo is the Italian Rivieria’s response to the French Riviera’s Cannes. The galas and events held there regularly host the biggest names in Italian and European entertainment. The hottest spot on the “Riviera of Flowers” blooms and buzzes with shoppers searching for high-end fashions on its palm-lined streets. After some time marveling at the exclusive area, move inland to medieval Dolceacqua, passing olive groves and vineyards as you do. The town is noted for its unique bridge over the Nervia River and the Doria castle complex on the hill above the town center. The old part of the village is called “Terra”, which has a jumble of narrow streets and shops.  Artists and artisans sell their work in the tiny shops. Arguably the best souvenir is a bottle of Rossese, one of Liguria’s best, grown on the vines just outside the town’s gates.

Nice is nice. A one-of-a-kind amalgam of elegance, sunshine, art and sea. The special light mesmerized artists like Matisse, Picasso, Chagall and Renoir.  Its long history of development as a touristic resort area can be seen in its equally long promenade dedicated to its English patrons, the Promenade des Anglais. The quirky blue chairs stationed along the path were originally white and manufactured, repaired, installed and rented out by Charles Tordo post-war. The iconic seat with elevated armrests was designed to be easily stackable and transportable, even more so now that the Tordo family created a version that can be dissembled and stored in a flat box – making for an excellent, automatic souvenir! One of France’s first five star hotels can be found here, the Negresco, as well as a number of world-class art museums and restaurants. An hour southwest of the city lays another luxury seaside resort town, Cannes. Best known for the glitz and glamour of its world-famous film festival, the chic area rolls out the red carpet to welcome couture-clad celebrities each May. During the rest of the year the area offers an array of other opportunities to visitors, such as: boat trips to its Île Sainte-Marguerite where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask was once held prisoner during the seventeenth century; relaxation on its sandy beaches or in its excellent seafront hotels and restaurants; weekly markets for browsing antiques; and strolls on its La Croisette boardwalk, where the stars leave their handprints on the Walk of Fame.

At just under two square kilometers the Principality of Monaco is the second smallest country in the world. What it lacks in size it makes up for in style.  The great concentration of wealth and celebrity renders the tiny area one of the leading resort towns where stars and nobility can revel in first-class services. Visitors can see the Prince’s Palace, the Montecarlo Casino, the Oceanographic Museum, the cathedral and the Exotic Gardens. Neighboring Menton, the last city on the Côte d’Azur before the Italian Rivieria begins, is regarded by the French as one of the brightest gems on its coast. Multi-colored mansions and lemon trees create a refreshing atmosphere, perfect to spend time in. 

Liguria is famous for its expanse of cobalt blue waters that kiss its colorful coastline, but its incredible inland cities merit more attention. The excursion begins in Bordighera. Over a century of predominately English tourism has made the town a welcoming vacation spot with high-end services to please all guests. Just twenty kilometers from the border, the location offers great views of the French and Italian coasts. The area’s most notable plant is the date palm; Bordighera was the first place in Europe to grow the tree and has the exclusive privilege to provide Easter Sunday fronds to the Vatican. From Bordighera move away from the sea, towards the hills. The next stop is Dolceacqua. Its unique, arched bridge, its medieval old town and the Doria castle complex make for some great opportunities for a stroll and some shopping. The artisanal shops and wine shops offer some of the area’s best creations, including Rossese, one of Liguria’s best wines, which is grown there. After some time in Dolceacqua the group will continue further inland, along the Nervia River to Pigna. The atmosphere feels different here, at an hour from the sea. The palm trees give way to more alpine vegetation. The coniferous forests surrounding the town have lent their name to it (“pigna” means pine cone in Italian). Ruins of prehistoric settlements were found nearby, attesting to the fact that this has always been a strategic location between the coast and the lower Piedmont valleys – even before the trade routes were established for exchanging dried fish and salt for the agricultural products from the north. The town grew haphazardly during the Dark Ages. The construction technique of building overlapping houses was for defensive purposes, as the homes solidified into an interwoven fortress. The tiny streets expand out in concentric circles from the main square, Piazza Colla. A castle used to occupy the area, but now it is an open public place with a series of shops, cafés and restaurants.  

The UNESCO world heritage recognized hamlets – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore – are reached by boat, rail or trail.  The topography of the area did not allow for the development of roads for vehicles.  The five fishing villages dot the coast, tucked into the habitable terrain between the swaths of lush vertical land and cobalt coves. Each village is unique.  Ancient churches, castles and homes are centered on squares that often use the sea as their fourth side. Monterosso is the largest and the only one with a sandy beach. Vernazza is considered to be the most photogenic, as its natural pier surrounded by colorful houses is truly charming. Corniglia is the only one not built on the sea, but one hundred meters above it, on a cliff. As it is the most difficult to reach, it is also the least touched by tourists. Manarola has a small harbor and is where the Via dell’Amore (the Lover’s Lane), once started (due to landslides, the path is now closed). Riomaggiore is a peaceful place, with its colorful cluster of houses hugging the hills behind it. The villages lay in what is now a national park, with the water in front of a protected marine area.  Most visitors choose to arrive by train: from the north they catch the local train from Levanto to Monterosso or from the south they ride from La Spezia to Riomaggiore. Once in the park the obligatory purchase of the park card also enables for the free usage of the train that connects each town. Others choose to do either the trip in or out by boat so they can see the Cinque Terre from the sea. From that perspective it is easier to understand how the complex system of terraced fields, gardens and vineyards were shaped and layered over millennia to give the people the possibility to grow olives, grapes, citrus and other staples on narrow strips of arable land.  Muretti, low, dry stone walls, supported the vertical plots and kept the slopes from sliding into the sea. Given the arduous task of maintaining the argricultural practices there, mostly only the crisp white wine, Sciacchetrà, is still made there.  It suits the traditional seafood dishes perfectly.