Liguria Italy is that magical
narrow strip of coastline stretching from the French
border all the way to the top of Tuscany.
The area has been attracting travellers for centuries with its resorts and beautiful beaches, favoured by its balmy weather and turquoise waters. There are picturesque little fishing villages, small resort towns and historic port towns to admire and explore as well as the charming hillsides fragrant with the scent of lemon, olive and pine trees.
Liguria boasts some 340km of coastline which is known as the Italian Riviera and is characterised by both continuous line of long beaches as well as high cliffs and spectacular coves.
Genova
is the capital of Liguria and is one of Italy’s most historic
places. The city has a glorious past as one of history’s
great maritime powers (Christopher Columbus was born here too), and
an ancient center of commerce. It is Genova that marks the Ligurian
coastline into two distinct parts:
Riviera di Ponente (Shore of the Setting Sun) lies on the west between the French border and Genova. This stretch is more resort-oriented and is marked with succession of long sandy beaches. It starts from France with the so-called Riviera dei Fiori (Riviera of Flowers) taking its name from the extensive flower cultivation in this area. One of the best loved spots here is the town of Sanremo, famed as the Italy’s flower capital as well as for its music festival Festival della Canzone.
The Riviera di Ponente has many important historical centers to explore from the town of Albenga to Noli and Alassio on the Riviera delle Palme ( Riviera of Palms). On this part of the Liguria coast also lie the enchanting cities like Cervo, a medieval town dominated by its great Baroque church, and Bordighera, the most exotic town of the Riviera di Ponente.
The coastline that stretches from Genova towards Tuscany is called Riviera di Levante (Shore of the Rising Sun) and its landscape is rockier with high cliffs hanging over the clear blue waters. Here you have the chance to discover the charm of many colourful fishing villages including the picturesque hamlets of Cinque Terre and small resorts, the likes of Lerici and Portovenere.
Just east of Genova, clinging to the shores of the Monte Portofino
Promontory you will find four of the coast's most appealing towns
situated within a few kilometres of one another: Camogli, Santa
Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, and the famous Portofino...
Liguria Italy Basic Facts | Details | ||
Country | Italy |
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Flag of the Region |
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Location | Liguria is a coastal region in the north-west of Italy, very popular with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and local food specialities. Liguria is enclosed between the Ligurian sea and the Alps and the Apennines mountains: |
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Capital | Genoa |
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Liguria Italy Provinces | Area: 1,156km² Population: 220,217 Area: 1,545km² Population: 265,194 Area: 1,838km² Population: 884,945 Area: 881km² Population: 222,602 |
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Size | Liguria is the third smallest of all the Italian regions with total area of 5,420 km2 (2,092.7 sq mi) |
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Population
(2008-10-31) |
(771.7/sq mi) |
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Currency | EURO (€) More about Italy Money and Banks |
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Language | Italian is the official language in Liguria, Italy |
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Holidays | Please see our National Holidays in Italy page for more information on holidays celebrated in Liguria. Most Banks, government offices, and stores will be closed during holidays. |
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Weather / Temperature | Winter Average of 6-11°C / 43-52°F Summer Average of 25-28°C / 77-83°F More about Liguria Weather |
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Time Zone | CET (Central European Time) - that is 1 hour ahead of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) or 2 ahead during the CEST (Central European Summer Time) If you are still confused, here is the current time in Italy :
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Electric Info | The electric current in Italy is 220V and the cycle is 50Hz. Though voltage may vary, in different cities and towns from 125 to 220. |
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Emergency Numbers | More about emergency phone numbers and Italy phone numbers |
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Hospitals | The public health system is managed provincially by ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale). More about how to find the nearest hospital and general travel health advice . |
Liguria › Liguria Italy Essential Facts
Thank you for visiting our guide… we look forward to welcoming you to Liguria and hope you will love it as much as we do !
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