Liguria

One of Italy's smallest regions, Liguria stretches west in a narrow ribbon along the coast from France and offers one of the steepest and dramatic coastlines in Italy. Mountains separate it from Piedmont to the north, Emilia Romagna to the east and Tuscany to the south.

The coastal area is know as the Italian Riviera and has always been a region loved by tourists as it enjoys sunny days, blooming gardens and the Mediterranean vegetation overlooking the sea. The region is awash with sea hamlets and valley villages that are full of character and history.

Like so much of Italy, Liguria is a land of contrasts, home to seaside resort towns such as Portofino, San Remo, Alassio and Cinque Terre; terraced hillsides that produce olive oil and hill towns, such as Dolceaqua, Apricale, Perinaldo and Dolcedo.

Ligurian cuisine is centred around fresh fish but the region’s most prized culinary creation is pesto.

As you would expect, property prices on the coastline are expensive as this area is a holiday playground for the rich and famous. However, venture up into the hills into the little villages surrounded by olive groves and lemon trees and prices drop dramatically. The Nervia valley, north of Bordigherra and the entroterra behind Imperia offer stunning scenery and a great selection of property.

You may not have thought of the region when buying but don’t dismiss it; it is noted for its mild year round climate, it has easy access to the South of France, it is served by two excellent airports (Genova in Italy and Nice in France), the coastline is outstanding and property prices are better than you would expect.

How to get there

Air
The region is served by Nice International airport across the border in France and Genova airport to the east of the region, which both have daily flights to the UK.

Car
Liguria is well connected by road. The A10 runs along the coast from Genova to France. The A12 runs from Genova to the east into Tuscany. From north to south, the A6 runs from Savona to Turin.

See our links page for useful web addresses and telephone numbers.