Golfo del Tigullio

Tigullio village under a railway viaduct between Rapallo and Chiavari: cliffside promenades, pebble beaches, silk velvet and hill hamlets.

The town of two seas: Bay of Silence and Bay of Fables, the headland with San Nicolò, old lanes, Punta Manara and easy trips to Portofino and Cinque Terre.

Harbour, seafront and villas on the Tigullio: Villa Durazzo, Cervara Abbey, castle, Paraggi and the best car-free base for Portofino.

A castle in the sea, an Art Nouveau seafront, a cable car to Montallegro and boats to Portofino: Rapallo is the handiest base on the Tigullio.

Seaside village between Sestri Levante and the Cinque Terre: Blue Flag beach, medieval lane, the chains of Pisa, two fortresses, and how to get there now.

The Piazzetta, Castello Brown, San Giorgio and the lighthouse, Paraggi and the San Fruttuoso trail: a practical guide to Portofino and arriving car-free.

The slate town of the Tigullio: sandy beaches to Cavi, Santo Stefano basilica, Torre del Borgo, a huge marina and the Torta dei Fieschi festival.

The town of arcades: the carruggio dritto, cathedral, Palazzo Rocca and its museum, a monthly antiques market, free beaches and easy trips to Portofino.