{"id":45978,"date":"2024-08-09T17:39:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-09T17:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/riviera-di-levante\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T19:21:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T19:21:48","slug":"riviera-di-levante","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/en\/riviera-di-levante\/","title":{"rendered":"Riviera di Levante"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Riviera di Levante is the stretch of Liguria east of Genoa. It starts at the Golfo Paradiso, just outside the city, and runs to the Magra valley on the border with Tuscany. Along the way you get the Portofino promontory, the Gulf of Tigullio, the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets. It is the most famous part of the Italian Riviera and also the steepest: mountains drop almost straight into the sea, towns are squeezed into small bays and the coast road is slow and winding.<\/p>\n

The easiest way to get around is by train. The Genoa\u2013La Spezia line stops in almost every town, and from the stations you can pick up boats to the places without a railway, such as Portofino, San Fruttuoso and Portovenere. Below you will find how the area is laid out, how to get around, what not to miss, where to stay and when to go. The five villages of the national park have their own guide: Cinque Terre<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How the Riviera di Levante is laid out<\/h2>\n

From west to east the coast falls into a few quite different sections. It is worth knowing them, because each one suits a different kind of trip: fishing villages and hiking trails, elegant seaside towns, long family beaches, historic towns inland.<\/p>\n

Golfo Paradiso<\/h3>\n
\"Camogli<\/figure>\n

The first stretch after Genoa runs from Bogliasco<\/a> to Camogli<\/a>, through Pieve Ligure, Sori and Recco<\/a>. The towns are close together, linked by frequent trains, with pebble beaches and terraced hills behind. Bogliasco has a small fishing village around a medieval bridge, and in 2026 its beach made the European Best Destinations ranking (Bogliasco beaches<\/a>). Recco is the home of focaccia col formaggio<\/a>, the cheese focaccia with protected status. Camogli is the village of tall, colourful houses on a tiny harbour. The Portofino Park starts here, with trails to San Rocco, Punta Chiappa and San Fruttuoso.<\/p>\n

Portofino promontory and the Gulf of Tigullio<\/h3>\n
\"Portofino<\/figure>\n

Beyond the promontory lies the Tigullio, the best-known gulf in Liguria. At the tip is Portofino<\/a>, tiny and world-famous. Then come Santa Margherita Ligure<\/a>, with its harbour and hillside villas, and Rapallo<\/a>, the largest town on the gulf, with a castle standing in the sea and the Montallegro sanctuary above. Next are Chiavari<\/a>, with arcaded streets and a town centre that stays lively all year, and Lavagna<\/a>, just across the Entella river, with a long sandy beach. The gulf ends at Sestri Levante<\/a>, the “town of two seas”, wedged between the Baia delle Favole and the Baia del Silenzio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From Sestri Levante to Levanto<\/h3>\n
\"Moneglia<\/figure>\n

After Sestri the coast gets wilder and the villages smaller: Moneglia<\/a>, Deiva Marina, Framura and Bonassola, up to Levanto<\/a>. Moneglia, Deiva Marina and Framura are all listed among the Borghi pi\u00f9 belli d’Italia, the “most beautiful villages in Italy”. This is the stretch to pick for quieter beaches and slightly lower prices, with the Cinque Terre a few minutes away by train. Levanto has a sandy bay, winter waves that draw surfers and a cycle path on the old railway line to Bonassola and Framura.<\/p>\n

Cinque Terre<\/h3>\n
\"Vernazza<\/figure>\n

Past Punta Mesco begin the Cinque Terre: Monterosso<\/a>, Vernazza<\/a>, Corniglia<\/a>, Manarola<\/a> and Riomaggiore<\/a>. They are the most famous part of the Levante, a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. They have their own rules for trains, trails and parking: see the Cinque Terre guide<\/a>, the train timetable<\/a> and the page on the hiking trails<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gulf of Poets<\/h3>\n
\"Portovenere<\/figure>\n

This is the Gulf of La Spezia, named after the English Romantic poets: the Shelleys lived at San Terenzo and Byron came through too. La Spezia<\/a> is a real working city with good museums, a long seafront promenade and the station where Cinque Terre trains start. On the western tip is Portovenere<\/a>, with the church of San Pietro on the cliff and, just across the channel, Palmaria island<\/a>. On the opposite shore are Lerici<\/a>, with its castle above the harbour and sandy beaches<\/a>, and Tellaro<\/a>, a fishing village built on the rocks and one of the Borghi pi\u00f9 belli d’Italia.<\/p>\n

Magra valley<\/h3>\n
\"Walls<\/figure>\n

The last stretch before Tuscany is flat. Here you find Sarzana<\/a>, a historic town with two 15th-century fortresses<\/a>, a cathedral and a main street full of antique shops. A few kilometres away are the ruins of the Roman town of Luni and the beaches at the mouth of the Magra. It is a good stop if you are coming from Pisa, or for an evening away from the seaside crowds.<\/p>\n

Hotels, B&Bs and apartments all over Liguria: compare prices and availability.<\/p>

See hotels and prices<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

Getting around<\/h2>\n
\"Gulf<\/figure>\n

On the Riviera di Levante a car is less useful than you might think. The prettiest villages have small, expensive car parks, and in summer traffic on the coast crawls. If you can, arrive by train, or leave the car where you sleep and use trains and boats.<\/p>\n

By train<\/h3>\n

The Genoa\u2013La Spezia line follows the whole coast, mostly through tunnels. From Genova Brignole it takes about 15 minutes to Bogliasco, around half an hour to Recco, Camogli or Rapallo, and about an hour and a half on a regional train to La Spezia. Between neighbouring towns it is just a few minutes. Two exceptions: Portofino and Portovenere have no station. For Portofino, get off at Santa Margherita Ligure and take bus 782. For Portovenere, go to La Spezia and take ATC bus 11\/P, or a boat. Lerici and Tellaro are also reached by bus from La Spezia or Sarzana.<\/p>\n

Between Levanto and La Spezia, in the Cinque Terre, regional trains have a special fare from March to November, and the Cinque Terre Express runs in season; in 2026 some of its trains continue to Sestri Levante. Details are in the Cinque Terre train timetable<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By boat<\/h3>\n

The sea is often the most beautiful route, and sometimes the only one. There are three operators, each covering its own area:<\/p>\n