Liguria Holidays

A glamorous playground of Italian Riviera towns, hidden coves, hiking trails, fairytale castles and fishing villages.

Liguria has long been a favourite of the world’s elite, drawing A-listers year after year to its ritzy piazzas, fine dining restaurants, and rugged Mediterranean coastline. It oozes glamour, but in an effortless way. And the scenery is achingly romantic. You have secret coves and cliff-backed bays, olive groves and vineyards that tumble down forest-green mountains, and charming villages where you can watch fishing boats bob from quaint cafés.

Relaxed Rapallo is an idyllic base for adventures on the Italian Riviera. From here, you can roam the cobblestone square and harbourside fortress of pretty Portofino, discover culture-rich Genoa’s Renaissance palaces, or scale steep cliffside trails for mesmerising sea views in the Cinque Terre. Stay local and you can learn all about Rapallo’s 16th-Century ‘Castle on the Sea’, teeming with tales of pirate invasions and its past life as a prison. You could explore the town’s Art Nouveau Chiosco della Musica (Music Kiosk) and Baroque church, or wander along its palm-studded promenade, stopping at a waterfront ice cream parlour for a lick of homemade gelato.

Tell us what you’re looking for, be it beach hopping, hiking or history, and we’ll tailor-make a Liguria escape that’s just right for you.

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Liguria Regions

Our recommendations for the best places to visit in Liguria

Portofino Holidays

Italian Riviera eye candy of the most exclusive kind, holidays to Portofino give you a taste of t...

Rapallo Holidays

Laid-back harbour resort with a 16th-Century castle

Get to know Liguria and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +1 hour

CURRENCY

Euro

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

Approximately 3 hours

RELIGION

Christianity (Roman Catholic)

LANGUAGE

Italian

Where is Liguria?
Liguria sits to the north-west of Italy towards the top of the ‘boot’. Bordering France, this spectacular region has a crescent-shaped coastline known as the Italian Riviera. Its capital is the picturesque port city of Genoa.

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Santa Margherita Ligure
The pretty seaside resort of Santa Margherita Ligure lies between Rapallo and Portofino and is just a ten-minute drive away so it’s ideal for a day trip. Less crowded than its popular neighbours, this classic resort offers a taste of traditional Italy with its elegant façades, historic churches, quaint shops and charming cafés, bars and gelaterie. Down by the harbour you’ll see numerous yachts as well as a small fishing fleet, while up in the hills you’ll come across historic villas and churches. There are a number of fantastic hiking trails and a hike to Portofino is a wonderful way to discover the natural beauty of the region.

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Genoa
Liguria’s capital is just 45 minutes from Rapallo and it’s well worth a visit. Renowned for its maritime history and rich culture, this port city is home to a UNESCO-listed historic centre, Renaissance and Baroque palaces, museums and galleries, along with one of Europe’s largest aquariums and modern shops and restaurants. It’s also a popular spot for whale and dolphin-watching cruises.

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Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terra’s rambling coastline connects five tiny fishing villages, where pastel-painted houses cling to cliffsides and hilly peaks lead you down to craggy coves, turquoise shallows and wave-worn harbours. Trekking is the thing here, with stunning sea-view trails that snake the shoreline between all five villages. From Rapallo, it takes about an hour and a half to reach the Cinque Terra’s northernmost town of Monterosso, where you can take some time out on the region’s only sandy beach. From here, you could travel down to Vernazza's little harbour, sip wine in the vineyards of Corniglia and Manarola, and watch the sun set over glowing Riomaggiore.

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Food & drink
Liguria is a master of simple and wholesome Italian food. Its signature speciality is pesto genovese, invented in the 16th Century to help sailors fend off scurvy. Now, this humble sauce is used in all sorts of local dishes, from hearty bowls of minestrone soup to trenette pasta (similar to linguine). If you’re a pasta lover, look out for pansotti – ravioli stuffed with wild Ligurian herbs and cheese, and drizzled with a creamy walnut sauce. A dish that also originated in Liguria is focaccia, best served fresh from the oven with toppings such as onion, rosemary or olives. You can tear into piping-hot slices of savoury focaccia for lunch or try sweet focaccia dolce for dessert. Seafood is a big part of the cuisine here. In Rapallo, a favourite fish dish is bagnun – a tomato-based soup made with anchovies. When it comes to pizza, the cheese-free sardenaira is an Italian Riviera staple.

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May - Oct

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