Guide to the Italian Riviera

If there is a region in Italy that truly speaks to me, it’s the Italian Riviera, aka, the Liguria region.

The Italian Riviera is where many Italians who live in the north vacation during the summer and get away from the cold during the winter.

The region forms a crescent along the Ligurian Sea portion of the Mediterranean.

It extends from the French border in the west over to the border with Tuscany in the east.

Along the way you will find some of the most stunning coastline found anywhere in the world.

We put this guide together for travelers who have the Italian Riviera on their bucket list.

Italian Riviera location and geography

The Italian Riviera is effectively the coastline of the region of Liguria.

Liguria is located in northwestern Italy and it is bordered by France in the west, Piedmont and Lombardy to the north, the Ligurian Sea to the south and Tuscany to the east.

The region has a total population of just over 1.5 million people.  With an area of 2,093 square miles, Liguria is one of the smallest regions in Italy by size.

The capital of Liguria is Genoa, which is effectively located at the center of the region.  Within the city proper, the population of Genoa is just under 600,000.

Due to its position on the Gulf of Genoa in the Ligurian Sea, Genoa has been a historically important port city for centuries.

Between the 12th and 15th centuries, Genoa was one of the wealthiest cities in all of Europe and it was also a considerable naval power.

The narrow strip of land is bordered by the Ligurian Sea, the Alps and the Apennine Mountains. Some mountains rise above 6,600 feet.

The highest point of the region is the summit of Monte Saccarello at 7,221 feet.  This is located at the western end of Liguria on the border with France.

Italian Riviera Climate

The hills lying immediately beyond the coast together with the sea account for a mild climate year-round.

Average high winter temperatures are about 50 degrees and bottom out in late January to early February.

Summer temperatures are not extremely hot as is the case of the interior of Tuscany and further south.  Average high temperatures peak in early August at about 81 degrees in Genoa.

As a result, the Italian Riviera can be pleasant to visit at any time of the year.

Rainfall can be abundant at times due to the combination of the mountains and sea.

Genoa and the second largest city, La Spezia in the southeast can experience as much as 80 inches of rain annually.

This in turn contributes to the lush vegetation found throughout much of the region and why Sanremo, in the western portion of the riviera, is known as the City of Flowers.

Italian Riviera facts

Rapallo public beach

Much of the following discussion is taken from the Wikipedia page for Liguria.

The Italian Riviera is the narrow coastal strip in Italy 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 near Ventimiglia eastwards to the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia and is close to the regional border between Liguria and Tuscany.

The Italian Riviera thus includes nearly all of the coastline of Liguria.

Historically the “Riviera” extended further to the west, through what is now French territory as far as Marseille.

The Italian Riviera crosses all four Ligurian provinces and their capitals Genoa, Savona, Imperia and La Spezia, with a total length of about 218 miles.

As mentioned, the population is over 1.5 million, and most of the population is concentrated along the coast.

Portofino

Its mild climate draws an active tourist trade in the numerous coastal resort towns.  Some of th more popular towns include Sanremo, Bordighera, Alassio, Bonassola, Rapallo, Camogli, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Porto Venere, Cinque Terre, Sestri Levante and Lerici.

The Italian Riviera benefits from over 300 days of sunshine per year, and is known for its beaches, colorful towns, natural environment and popular resorts.  

Industries are concentrated in and around Genoa, Savona, and along the shores of the Gulf of La Spezia.

Genoa and La Spezia are Italy’s leading shipyards; La Spezia is Italy’s major naval base, and Savona is a major center of the Italian iron industry.

Chemical, textile, and food industries are also important.

A number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa and the Cinque Terre National Park are two of Italy’s 58 World Heritage Sites.

Cinque Terre is comprised of the five villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare.

The Riviera’s center is Genoa, which divides it into two main sections: the Riviera di Ponente (“the coast of the setting sun”), extending westwards from Genoa to the French border; and the Riviera di Levante (“the coast of the rising sun”) between Genoa and Capo Corvo.

Italian Riviera history

The Genoa area has been inhabited since the fifth or fourth millennium BC.

In ancient times this area was inhabited by Ligures (ancient people after whom Liguria is named).

According to excavations carried out in the city between 1898 and 1910, the Ligure population that lived in Genoa maintained trade relations with the Etruscans and the Greeks.

In the 5th century BC the first town, was founded at the top of the hill today called Castello, which is now inside the medieval old town.

The ancient Ligurian city was known as Stalia. Stalia had an alliance with Rome in the course of the Second Punic War (218-201 BC).

The Carthaginians accordingly destroyed it in 209 BC. The town was rebuilt and, after the Carthaginian Wars ended in 146 BC, it received municipal rights.

An amphitheater was also found there among other archaeological remains from the Roman period.

Under Augustus, Liguria was designated a region of Italy (Regio IX Liguria) stretching from the coast to the banks of the Po River.

Genoa

The great Roman roads (Aurelia and Julia Augusta on the coast, Postumia and Aemilia Scauri towards the inland) helped strengthen territorial unity and increase communication and trade.

Between the 4th and the 10th centuries, Liguria was dominated by the Byzantines, the Lombards of King Rothari (about 641) and the Franks (about 774). It was also invaded by Saracen and Norman raiders.

Between the 11th century (when the Genoese ships played a major role in the first crusade, carrying knights and troops to the Middle-East for a fee) and the 15th century, the Republic of Genoa experienced an extraordinary political and commercial success (mainly spice trades with the Orient).

Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus’s speculative proposal to reach the East Indies by sailing westward received the support of the Spanish crown, which saw in it an opportunity to gain the upper hand over rival powers in the contest for the lucrative spice trade with Asia.

During his first voyage in 1492, instead of reaching Japan as he had intended, Columbus landed in the Bahamas archipelago, at a locale he named San Salvador.

Over the course of three more voyages, Columbus visited the Greater and Lesser Antilles, as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Central America, claiming them for the Spanish Empire.

The value of trade routes through Genoa to the Near East declined during the Age of Discovery, when Portuguese explorers discovered routes to Asia around the Cape of Good Hope.

La Spezia

The international crises of the seventeenth century, which ended for Genoa with the 1684 bombardment by Louis XIV’s fleet, restored French influence over the republic.

Italian patriot and general Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in the neighboring Nice (then part of the Sardinian state), started his Expedition of the Thousand on the evening of May 5th, 1860 from a rock in Quarto, a quarter of Genoa.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the region’s economic growth was remarkable: steel mills and shipyards flourished along the coast from Imperia to La Spezia, while the port of Genoa became the main commercial hub of industrializing Northern Italy.

During the Second World War, Liguria experienced heavy bombings, hunger and two years of occupation by the German troops, against whom a liberation struggle was led—among the most effective in Italy.

When Allied troops eventually entered Genoa, they were welcomed by Italian partisans who, in a successful insurrection, had freed the city and accepted the surrender of the local German command.

For this feat, the city was awarded the gold medal for military valor.

What you should know before traveling to the Italian Riviera

Here is some information that you should have before traveling to the Italian Riviera, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious.

Currency: Euro

Language: Italian of course.   While English is spoken in some of the more popular tourist towns of the Riviera, you will find less English spoken in many of the smaller towns.   We highly recommend that you learn some Italian before you go.  Many Italians will appreciate the effort.  Rosetta Stone is a popular app for learning Italian.

Visa Requirements: For stays under 90 days, you do not need a Visa, but you will need your passport.

Electricity: Europe has different electrical outlets than what we have here in the US, so you will need an adapter.

Car Rentals: Quite frankly, a car is not required when traveling to the Italian Riviera as many of the towns are connected by rail.

Flying to the Italian Riviera: The airport serving Liguria and the Italian Riviera is located in Genoa.  There are few direct flights to Genoa from North America.  Connecting flights are usually found in large European airports such as London Heathrow, Paris and Munich.  Be sure to check out our tips for flying to Italy.

The Trains: The best way to get around the Italian Riviera is by train.  The regional trains connect the majority of the towns along the Riviera, or will get you close to your destination.  You can then simply get a taxi ride to reach your final destination.

After you fly into Genoa, you want to make your way to the Genoa Principe train station.  From there you will be able to catch a train to most of the major towns along the Riviera.

Travel Insurance: Anytime you plan on a trip overseas, you should consider purchasing travel insurance.  Travel insurance can cover the cost of medical emergencies, lost baggage, unexpected trip cancellations, etc.

Travel Insurance Master can help you find the coverage you need for your trip.

When is the best time to visit the Italian Riviera?

Sanremo Beach

In general, the best time to go to the Italian Riviera is April through October, when the weather is most favorable.

Of course, if your plan is to go swimming, then July, August and September will be your best bet.

While the temperatures in the Italian Riviera do not get exceedingly hot, the water temperatures at the beaches are favorable for swimming during these three months.

Keep in mind, July and August are popular months for Italians to vacation at the beaches, so the crowds will be a bit heavier.

We visited the Riviera in mid-September and found the towns busy, but not over-crowded.

If swimming is not a primary activity you have planned, then the shoulder months (April, May, September, October) are an excellent time to visit.

The best towns to visit on the Italian Riviera

During our visit to the Italian Riviera we stayed in Rapallo and Sanremo, and visited Portofino and Bordighera.  We found all of these towns to be beautiful.

In my original plan to visit, we were going to stay in Lerici for a couple of days and then in Sestri Levante.

Rapallo

This plan was changed due to an ongoing weather forecast ahead of our trip that indicated we may get rain everyday if we stayed to the east of Genoa.

As a result, we spent two days in Rapallo and then took the train over to Sanremo.

That forecast proved to be wrong.  Ultimately, we still had a great trip as Sanremo was quite enjoyable.

On the way to Rapallo from Genoa, our driver recommended that we visit Camogli, which is close to Rapallo, and also the Cinque Terre.

Unfortunately, time was not on our side due to our change in itinerary.

My next trip to the Italian Riviera will definitely include a stay in Rapallo and then in Lerici.

I would then plan visits to Portovenere near La Spezia, Santa Margherita Ligure, Sestri Levante and at least a couple of the towns on the Cinque Terre.

Camogli, Levanto, Bonassola and Moneglia would round out the list, but it would need to be a lengthy trip to check out all of these towns.

Heading to the west of Genoa, Sanremo is where I would base again and I would stay there most of the time.

The vibe and scenery between the two halves of the Italian Riviera are definitely quite different.

Sanremo is awesome, but I find myself drawn more to the eastern portion of the Riviera.

Final Thoughts

The Italian Riviera is more popular among Italians and Europeans than those of us from North America among the places to visit in Italy.

However, if you enjoy visits to beautiful seaside towns, you must put it on your bucket list.

For my money, I would rather go here than the much more crowded towns of the French Riviera and Costa del Sol in Spain.

I can’t wait to go back!