| The riviera |
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The Riviera for excellence is the Ligurian Riviera. The wonderful beauty of the coast, the colors and the mild winter climate are the major characteristics of the Genoese coast: a unique and exclusive place in every period of the year. The Eastern Riviera is one of the most celebrated areas of natural beauty in Italy. This fascinating and exclusive coast with its lively, colourful fishermen’s villages, enchanting promontories, sheltered bays and little coves is given further charm by a real gem: the Benedectine Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Camogli (end of 10th century) that lies in an amazing bay that can be reached only by sea. The characteristic villas and houses of Santa Margherita Ligure peep out among the pine and chestnut treets on the green hills that slope gently down towards the sea. This ancient seaside town looking into the crystal-clear waters of the Golfo del Tigullio is today one of the most elegant seaside resorts on the Eastern Riviera. Only a short distance from Santa Margherita Ligure is Portofino, one of the most famous destinations of international tourism, a fishermen’s village so picturesque as to appear unreal. The Cinque Terre, a fabulous World Heritage, vertical beauty poised at the point where the sky and mountains plunge into the sea, is where the austere but genuine face of Liguria is still to be seen, with its ancient villages and houses huddled together, its coloured façades and shaded alleys. The land of the Cinque Terre is distinguished by its man-made landscapes: the slopes overlooking the sea are all occupied by terracings that were at one time completely cultivated. From Genoa to the French border there are about 150 km of sun-kissed coasts: the Western Riviera. There are so many things to discover as you travel along this stretch of the Ligurian coast: Albissola, one of the most important centres in Liguria for the production of ceramics; Varazze, Celle Ligure, Varigotti e Finale Ligure, among many other ones, are famous seaside resorts along the Western Riviera renowned for its beaches, its hospitality and its important social events; Noli, another former maritime republic, offers a typically Ligurian scenario, where nature, history and art fuse to create an atmosphere of great charm. The Riviera dei Fiori lies at the far western end of Liguria and is dotted with spectacularly colourful botanical conservatories; in San Remo, the city of flowers and of the Italian song festival, the most elegant villas dating from the Belle Epoque have luxurious gardens; Bordighera, small fishing village blessed with an exceptionally mild climate and ensconced among lush palms and olive trees, hosts the Hanbury Botanical Gardens, an exceptional area of acclimatisation, where exotic plants from all over the world grow in the open air: here, the various seasons are marked by an explosion of colours and forms that only nature can offer. |
