Liguria, not just the Cinque Terre

The uniqueness of Liguria starts from on high, from the peaks of the Maritime Alps and the Apennines that enclose it and provide a continuous protective backbone for this arc of south-facing land, serving to retain the warm breezes that blow from the sea.

That's why Liguria is famed for its exceptionally mild weather all year round and why it is the perfect place, despite the uneven terrain, for the flourishing of lush flora including the typical shrubs of the Mediterranean maquis, and also the tall trees that are a typical feature of Alpine flora. From gorse to myrtle, strawberry trees and holm oaks, oleaster (Eastern wild olive trees) to the maritime pine and the rare Aleppo pine, accompanied by wild aromatic plants such as thyme, laurel and rosemary. The already rich native flora is now joined by cultivars that have been introduced over the centuries by men, who have combated the inhospitable gradients in order go grow vines, olives, fruit trees and citrus trees, especially lemons, plus the extensive flower cultivation that gave the famous Riviera its name.

From the main city of Genoa to the famous Cinque Terre, a fascinating inland area, redolent with colour, fragrance and taste, and perfect for a relaxing break in the quiet of the countryside, which is at its best in the spring. The land slopes gently or steeply to the coast, characterised by high, rocky cliffs with jagged contours on the Riviera di Levante, or lower, more gentle and at times sandy shores on the Riviera di Ponente.