Riviera di Levante

The Riviera di Levante is the part of the Italian Riviera situated between Genoa and the French border. The Italian Riviera is marked in the Ligurian coast from the west and the east of Genoa. The region of Genoa to Tuscany is also known as the Riviera di Levante. The other part of Genoa starting with the French border is known as Riviera di Ponente. Together with the French Riviera, also gone by the name of Côte d'Azur, it forms the whole Riviera.

The Riviera di Levante is known for its very mild climate all year round and therefore not only because of this it’s a highly esteemed holiday region. The most popular holiday resorts of the Riviera di Levante are: Portofino that is well-known for its evergreen plants, Santa Margherita, Lerici and the world famous Cinque Terre (a chain of 5 picturesque and romantically wild villages located on the coast of the Mediterranean).

Portofino is not only a very interesting and fashionable marina, the city is also well attended because of the church of San Giorgio and a Castello. Another very interesting place is Piazzetta, where one can sit, having a cup of espresso, and enjoy overlooking the bustle of the boat owners. From there you can also make a short excursion the Cinque Terre villages by boat. Corniglia is situated on a picturesque rocky precipice above the sea, while the other villages are directly located on the seashore. They are surrounded by very large and powerful kettles involving mainly wine and olive producing. You can make a stop in one of the villages, leave the boat and make a nice walk to a neighboring village. For example, a trail going through Manarola and Corniglia leads to Vernazza. And a walk along it can be really very enjoyable. But in this case it is better to wear durable shoes while the famous "Via dell'Amore" is accessible with sandals. You can always come back very quickly by the railway as cars in the Cinque Terre make little sense.

Photo: www.terragalleria.com