The most beautiful towns on the Riviera di Levante
The Levante coast stretches from the east of the northern Italian region of Liguria to the bordering region of Tuscany in central Italy. In addition to beautiful landscapes, the coastal strip also has a lot of culture to offer: in addition to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cinque Terre, one meets picturesque towns such as Portofino, Sestri Levante and La Spezia.
Stunning Towns on the Riviera di Levante
The VIP resort of Portofino and Sestri Levante
The fashionable Portofino is a popular world-famous luxury holiday resort. Luxury yachts line the harbour and countless designer boutiques line the streets and alleys. Famous designers and brand labels such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Gucci have made their home here. And no wonder! The colourful facades of the curved rows of houses and the small harbour in the deeply cut picture-book bay make Portofino a real feast for the eyes.
The beautiful “Chiesa San Giorgio” and the “Castello Brown” watch over it. From the beautiful “Piazza della Libertà,” it’s worth strolling along Via Roma with its posh boutiques and galleries to the harbour. Here you can round off the day with a typical Italian aperitivo! A hike from Portofino to the monastery bay of San Fruttuoso is also unforgettable. From here, it is also worth taking the ferry along the beautiful coast back to Portofino.
The picturesque town of Sestri Levante delights with its beautiful bays Baia delle Favole, “Fairytale Bay” and Baia del Silenzio, “Bay of Silence.” They flank the peninsula on which a Genoese fortress from the 12th century once stood. The shell-shaped Baia del Silenzio is a must-see! Against the backdrop of the beautiful town palazzi, you can walk into the water between the fishing boats and view the opposite coastline.
The beautiful old town with its winding “carruggi” (alleys) invites you to walk around the magnificent town palazzi, beautiful house facades and the lively promenade Via XXV. The beautiful “Chiesa San Nicolò” from the 12th century at the highest point of the small town is worth seeing.
Portovenere and La Spezia
The small coastal village of Portovenere is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in Liguria! The towering colourful house facades, the proud Castello at the end of the headland and the beautiful church high above the rugged cliffs offer extraordinary views. At the entrance to the town, the round “Piazza Bastreri” opens with the restored 12th-century defence tower. Along the medieval old town alley, you can stroll through the old town to the outermost headland.
Passing the small church of San Lorenzo, you reach the Castello and the Arpaia Grotto and have a beautiful view of the sea. The village is the end of the Riviera di Levante and the gateway to the Bay of La Spezia, which is nicknamed the “Bay of Poets”. In the 1820s, renowned poets such as Lord Byron, Henry James and D. H. Lawrence settled here.
The provincial capital of La Spezia lies at the lowest point of the fjord-like Golfo di La Spezia and has one of the most beautiful harbour bays on the entire Italian Mediterranean coast. In the Middle Ages, the gulf formed a natural borderline between Genoa and Pisa.
Between the railway station and the sea, the varied old town quarter “Prione” with its lively pedestrian zone Via del Prione offers Italian flair par excellence. The city’s art-historical treasures include the “Museo Civico Archeologico” in the old Castello and the “Museo Civico Amedeo Lia” with its exciting collection of paintings. They also include the “Castello San Giorgio”, the “Cattedrale Cristo Rei”, the “Palazzo della Posta” and the churches “Santa Maria Assunta” and “Santa Maria della Neve”.
Liguria - between the mountains
and the sea
Provinces & Capitals
Beautiful towns Riviera di Levante
Beautiful towns Riviera di Ponente
