Cinque Terre, Rapallo & east

The eastern Riviera

East of Genoa, the Riviera di Levante is the more dramatic side of the Italian Riviera. Steep, terraced hills fall straight into the sea, and pastel-painted towns crowd into every bay and harbour. It is a coast for walking, boat trips and long lunches rather than long sandy beaches, although there are good places to swim all along it.

Rapallo, Portofino and Sestri Levante

Rapallo is a practical, attractive base with a seafront promenade, a small castle on the water and a cable car up to the sanctuary of Montallegro. Santa Margherita Ligure is next door, and a coast road and footpaths lead on to Portofino, the famous harbour village at the tip of its own regional park. From Camogli, a colourful fishing town, boats and a steep coastal path reach the abbey of San Fruttuoso in its tiny cove.

Further east, Sestri Levante sits on a narrow isthmus between two bays, one of them the calm Baia del Silenzio, which makes it a good choice for families. Levanto and Bonassola have proper beaches and are close to the Cinque Terre.

The Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets

Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore form the Cinque Terre, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Portovenere and its islands. The villages are linked by footpaths, boats and a coastal railway, which is far easier than driving. Beyond them, the Gulf of La Spezia was known as the Gulf of Poets after Byron and Shelley, and Lerici and Portovenere are lovely places to spend an evening.

Food is pure Liguria: pesto with trofie, focaccia, the cheese-filled focaccia of Recco, and anchovies from Monterosso. The Cinque Terre's terraces also produce a crisp white wine and the sweet Sciacchetrà.

Genoa airport serves the western end and Pisa the eastern end. Spring and autumn are best for walking; summer is busy in the villages. The area suits walkers, couples and families happy to travel by train and boat.

Explore more of the Italian Riviera, or browse the villas listed below to find your base on this coast.