CDH Hotel La Spezia
Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples and Cinque Terre: that sums up tourist Italy, the one with top-tier international attractions. So when you mention “Liguria’s villages“, your mind immediately turns to Vernazza, Monterosso, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
But beyond these and other jewels known worldwide like Portovenere, Lerici and Portofino, Liguria is home to charming fishing villages that remain relatively unknown: hamlets of caruggi – narrow alleyways – that slope down to the sea, harbours where you can pause to watch boats gently entering and leaving, pastel-coloured facades, peaceful silence and sweeping views.
Tourists visiting Liguria tend to stick to the coast, but the hinterland is equally captivating. Hidden among the greenery of the Alps and Ligurian Apennines, Liguria’s mountain villages appear suddenly around winding mountain roads: an unexpected and delightfully surprising treasure.
If you’d like to add something extra to your beach holiday in Liguria, visit one or more of the 15 most beautiful villages in the region.
Our list includes very famous villages – the classic “must-sees” – and lesser-known gems perfect for those who love venturing off the beaten tourist path. And of course it includes both coastal and mountain hamlets, because this combination is what makes Liguria uniquely captivating and charming.
You simply have to include Cinque Terre in any list of Liguria’s most beautiful villages: these villages carved from the sea are the region’s top attraction and represent one of the world’s finest examples of harmony between natural beauty and human achievement.
You really should see them all, and indeed we’ve dedicated a special section of our Liguria guide to the Cinque Terre villages with a dedicated page for each one. But if time is short and you must pick just one, here are some pointers.
Vernazza1 is considered the most picturesque and is the most visited, Riomaggiore2 is the largest and most easterly (hence called “the gateway to Cinque Terre”), Monterosso3 is the most accessible and the only one with a wide sandy beach. Manarola4 is the village of wine and nativity scenes, Corniglia5 offers the best panoramic views.
Part of the “Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages” circuit, Finalborgo is the most picturesque district of Finale Ligure, a dynamic town formed by the merger of three distinct villages, each with its own character. Finalborgo is the medieval soul of the town, all enclosed within perfectly preserved town walls.
As you stroll through the streets and squares of the historic centre, you’ll encounter magnificent churches, lavish palaces and characteristic slate doorways.
Forget the sun and romance of fishing villages when you visit Triora, a village nestled in the stunning natural landscape of the Argentina Valley, in western Liguria, which will captivate you with its dark atmosphere.
The history of this peculiar village is marked by a tragic witchcraft trial that really took place in the 16th century. Tourism revolves entirely around this event: you’ll find witches and black cats scattered throughout the town in various forms – statues, house decorations, souvenirs, B&B names, events or liqueurs. But there’s nothing frightening about this uniquely beautiful village of witches!
If you think Cinque Terre is too crowded for your liking, visit Tellaro, a delightful fishing village with a relaxed pace. You can stroll through romantic narrow alleyways lined with tall pastel-coloured houses in peace, without throngs of tourists, and savour the romance of this small village.
Tellaro is the easternmost hamlet of Lerici and its territory falls within the Montemarcello-Magra Regional Nature Reserve: a perfect blend of natural beauty and romantic corners.
It’s situated along the Gulf of Paradise, and the name alone tells you we’re talking about an enchanting village: Camogli is one of the most famous and most beautiful towns on the Riviera di Levante.
Located just a short distance from the exclusive Portofino, Camogli is a completely different world. Charming and proudly rooted in its maritime traditions (of which the Dragun festival is perhaps the most obvious expression), this town of pastel-coloured houses is pleasantly walkable without having to push through crowds or worry too much about dressing fashionably.
Its location also makes it an excellent base from which to take a day trip to the magnificent Abbey of San Fruttuoso or the city of Genoa.
Among the towns of the Gulf of Poets, in the Riviera di Levante, Lerici is perhaps the one that has struck the ideal balance between 19th-century romanticism and the dynamism of a modern seaside resort.
A source of inspiration for Percy Bysshe Shelley, his wife Mary (famous for writing Frankenstein) and other intellectuals throughout the ages, Lerici will enchant you with its relaxing seafront strolls, splendid villas, lush gardens, clifftop castles and sweeping views across the gulf.
For your leisure time or entertainment, there’s a wide variety of beaches, plenty of facilities and lively beachfront establishments.
The Shelleys loved Lerici, but their friend Lord Byron preferred Portovenere, another enchanting seaside town nestled along the Gulf of Poets.
It’s famous for the “palazzata”, a row of tower-like houses that rises like a barrier between the sea and the caruggi of the historic centre, but it boasts other breathtaking attractions including an evocative sea cave named after Byron in memory of the English poet who loved to meditate here, and a church perched precariously over the sea that has become something of a symbol of the town.
From Portovenere you can reach the small island of Palmaria, bathed in crystal-clear turquoise waters.
The village of Bergeggi sits along the Riviera delle Palme in western Liguria. Its name almost always brings to mind the small island of the same name that emerges from the blue sea about 200 metres offshore: uninhabited and inaccessible, it retains a wild and mysterious allure. You can admire it on a lovely boat trip, but even from the shore it will captivate you.
Bergeggi’s historic centre sits on a small hill 110 metres high, not far from the sea. From here a lovely walk leads to the coastal hamlet of Torre del Mare, which is more modern.
Varigotti is another of the villages that became part of Finale Ligure; unlike Finalborgo, it has a more distinctive identity, so much so that it’s become famous as Liguria’s “Saracen village”. The most characteristic image of Varigotti is its typical cubic-shaped houses with striking colours that evoke the atmosphere of warm Middle Eastern lands.
The historic centre is bordered on one side by the striking promontory of Punta Crena; to the east of the promontory is Baia dei Saraceni, one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Liguria.
Strictly speaking, Boccadasse is a quarter of Genoa, and it’s not even that far from the centre, yet you’ll feel as though you’re in a completely different place.
It’s a fishing village that receives few tourists, but is greatly loved by locals who want an aperitif or dinner by the sea. Fishing is still the main activity here, and the tricks of the trade are passed down from father to son; the few hotels and B&Bs are housed in typical colourful little houses.
Boccadasse is the ideal destination for anyone wanting to discover authentic Liguria, far from mass tourism stereotypes.
One of the most beautiful hilltop villages in Liguria is Dolceacqua, a medieval hamlet in the Nervia Valley that stands at the foot of Mount Rebuffao. The Nervia stream divides Dolceacqua into two parts: “Terra”, the older section, dominated by the Doria Castle; and “Borgo”, the modern part.
The town has been awarded the Orange Flag, a recognition from the Italian Touring Club that rewards destinations of high tourist and environmental quality, but as far back as the late 19th century Impressionist painter Claude Monet had understood and celebrated the poetry of this village in his paintings.
Leaving Dolceacqua behind and heading up the course of the Nervia stream, you’ll come to Apricale, another Orange Flag village in Liguria. It will appear suddenly among the green of the mountains and once you arrive, you’ll feel you’ve found your oasis of peace where you can forget the noise and stress of modern life.
Walking along the ancient mule track that starts from an old drawbridge, you’ll encounter the village’s historic buildings, the main square, and churches; atop a hill stands the evocative Castello della Lucertola (Lizard Castle).
Framura is a hamlet of Levanto nestled between sea and hills, easily reached by car or bike from the centre. This charming village is much beloved by hikers and cyclists for its many trekking and mountain-biking trails.
But you don’t need to be sporty to appreciate Framura’s natural beauty and spend pleasant hours of relaxation here: simply stroll through the village streets or along the lovely seafront promenade.
Distinctive stone houses with bright blue windows conceal comfortable, technologically advanced interiors: Colletta di Castelbianco is the Ligurian village that seamlessly blends romanticism with modern technology, proving that the past is not merely a legacy to preserve but a living reality to experience.
An extensive restoration project and comprehensive fibre-optic infrastructure have transformed Colletta di Castelbianco into one of Italy’s first digitally-connected medieval villages, where you can enjoy the unhurried pace of yesteryear without disconnecting from the modern world. Already beloved by international visitors, it’s a destination that Italians are now enthusiastically discovering.
A town steeped in history, Albenga is considered the capital of Roman and medieval Liguria and represents an essential stop for slow tourism enthusiasts.
Among its historical and cultural attractions stands the Museum of Magical Transparencies, an original archaeological museum showcasing ancient glass artefacts, including a magnificent carved cobalt-blue plate.
Albenga is also renowned as a destination for active holidays, thanks to the numerous trekking trails and cycling routes in the surrounding area.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
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