Liguria is known not only for its beautiful sea, focaccia, pesto and beaches too crowded in August… very many appreciate it especially for its characteristic Borghi.

We recommend the most beautiful on the sea to discover the authentic soul of Liguria, from Ponente to Levante.

Ten jewels to visit, choosing all the countless excursions on the trails of the coast and the regional hinterland.

1 TAGGIA E ARMA DI TAGGIA

Beautiful medieval village known as the city of slate.

Home of the Taggiasche olives offers the opportunity to visit a historic olive grove created by Benedictine monks.

Its best known image is the 260m long bridge over the Argentina river and its 16 splendid arcades.

The town was protected by three walls that followed its expansion and was thus enriched with different architectural styles in a long historical path.

Its most touristic part is, of course, the wide sandy beach of Arma di Taggia.

True place of vacation and relaxation, caressed by a fabulous mild climate throughout the year.

2 BORGIO VEREZZI

Included in the circuit of the Pearls of Liguria and also among the most beautiful villages of Italy.

Born from the union of two municipalities, Borgio and Verezzi, this town is a triumph of pink stone buildings climbed on the hill of Orera.

A truly unique village from the naturalistic point of view, with its caves and botanical trails, as well as historical.

The fulcrum of this picturesque image is its Piazza di Sant’Agostino with its seventeenth-century church, which every year becomes the stage for the performance of the Borgio Verezzi Theatre Festival.

The oldest village is that of Crosa, practically carved into the rock, from here opens the way to the caves.

3 APRICALE

A city made of stairs, small winding alleys all around a single square.

Halfway between the mountains and the Riviera is characterized by old stone buildings that develop on different heights in an intricate ups and downs.

A historic centre dotted with historical, artistic and architectural beauties.

Apricale is certainly among the best preserved fortified villages of Liguria.

Spectacular piazza Vittorio Emanuele, a square similar to a theater with two opposing stages, the eighteenth-century stucco of the oratory of San Bartolomeo.

Stands on the top of the city the Castle of the Lizard, a quadrangular tower of the twelfth century that is the base of the church’s sixteenth-century bell tower, on whose top stands the bicycle designed by artist Sergio Bianco and became a symbol of Apricale.

4 SEBORGA

Seborga is one of the typical villages of the Ligurian hinterland.

The story of Seborga is really original and interesting. In the second half of the year 1000 became a principality and after countless transfers of power in the 18th century was sold by the monks to the Savoy and subsequently annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.

The Seborgini find this donation wrong, considering themselves still independent of the Italian Republic.

There is even a coin, the “luigino”, which can be spent in all commercial establishments and amounts to about 6 dollars. The country also issues stamps and car plates.

5 PORTOVENERE

A renowned resort with many colorful houses overlooking its marina.

With the 3 islands in front of the village, Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto form the “Regional Natural Park of Portovenere” and are UNESCO heritage.

The church of San Pietro , revisited in gothic style, dominates the landscape is the symbol of every image that characterizes Portovenere.

Other characteristic places are the Byron Caves where it is said that the famous poet sought inspiration for his works, the Doria Castle fortress overlooking Portovenere on a rocky hill.

6 SESTRI LEVANTE

Small peninsula renamed by Andersen “the city of the two seas” of the Bay of Silence and the Bay of Fables.

City rich in art and history as well as beautiful natural features.

From here starts the path that leads to Punta Manara and many dives that lead to the sunken wrecks of World War II.

A lively centre of events, clubs and cultural events.

7 LERICI

A country with incredible landscapes.

Many of the greatest poets have spent some days here: Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio, D’annunzio, Byron and Mary Shelley.

To get to know Lerici you can reach its castle by crossing the caruggi, being able to admire the intricate architecture of the country.

You can also try a unique experience following the footsteps of the Templars.

Starting from the castle you can see inside the chapel of Santa Anastasia that, on the lunette of the door and in the two cruises shows a cross, the cruciferous lamb and the vessillifero lamb, testimonies of the order of the Templars. You reach the ancient tower, which has become the bell tower of the church of San Rocco to find a pedunculate war cross. Finally, going up towards the village of Pugliola, you will find four Templar crosses in the bell tower of the parish church of San Nicolò and Santa Lucia, perfectly preserved.

8 MONTEMARCELLO

One of those places where you make peace with the world. A place to appreciate the relaxation and tranquility of yesteryear.

A village rich in historical evidence: the entrance door of the village and the Church of San Pietro from the fifteenth century, the Corvo Monastery that guards the Holy Cross, and which was refuge, at the beginning of 1300, of Dante Alighieri and, not to be missed, is Punta Corvo, a beach with a mythical and uncontaminated atmosphere.

The village grows between suggestive internal streets with stone arches and delight with a typically Ligurian square rich in history.

9 CASTELNUOVO MAGRA

Castelnuovo Magra is an ancient village located on the Bastione mountain, with a crazy view of the Gulf of Poets.

The entrance to the village is marked by the imposing Renaissance facade of the oratory of Bianchi.

The remains of the ancient walls and what was the Palace of the Bishops-Counts of Luni frame the town.

One of the two towers has recently been restored and hosts the new headquarters of the Vermentino Multimedia Museum as well as interesting temporary exhibitions.

Vermentino DOC dei Colli di Luni is the typical product of Castelnuovo Magra, in fact the village is rich in cellars, even in the Town Hall, the Wine Bar of Liguria and Lunigiana.

In summer there is the characteristic historical parade in medieval costume.

10 NOLI

Walking through the historic center of Noli, you will discover the most interesting historical and religious buildings in the country and other fabulous medieval architecture.

The most famous are its beautiful towers.

The tradition says that there were 72, but only 4 are still perfectly preserved and visible.

The first is the Papona Tower, with the homonymous Gate, built in the thirteenth-fourteenth century outside the ancient walls of the village.

Continuing, not far from the seafront, right next to the town hall, you will find the City Council Tower. Built at the end of the thirteenth century, it is almost intact and well recognizable by the merlons with dovetails.

A few blocks from Town Hall you can admire the Torre dei Quattro Canti, or Torre del Canto, on a trapezoidal base with its 38 meters this tower is the tallest. The last is the Torre San Giovanni, built on the outer walls of the center.

Of course, the beautiful beaches and a very nice and charming town are not to be overlooked.