On the Italian Riveria the coffee is cheap, the wine is even cheaper, the sun shines in winter and the scenery is second to none, writes ROZ CROWLEY
IF YOU’RE LOOKING to get more from an off-season holiday in these belt-tightening times, head for Liguria, on Italy’s Mediterranean coast, between Tuscany and the border with France, where the coffee is cheap and the wine even cheaper, and where a good walk delivers sun, sea, mountains and the glories of Italian architecture all in one eyeful. With four hours of sun a day in winter, it’s a great place for an active, healthy holiday.
Tucked under the Apennines and Maritime Alps, Liguria, which is also known as the Italian Riviera, stretches from the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia to Ventimiglia, in the west. Its mild climate makes it a good winter and spring destination; its beauty changes from season to season, but always with glistening sea and dramatic mountains as a backdrop.
Along the coast, small fishing ports seem too full of old buildings to have much room for high-rises. There is an unusual modesty about Ligurian architecture. Displays of wealth are frowned on, so you see quirky flourishes rather than out-and-out glitz. In towns you will see buildings with fake windows and shutters. This trompe l’oeil technique is also used instead of stucco, to embellish buildings with pediments and lintels. Spot the fakes while enjoying a cappuccino – but never after 11am, as it’s just not done to drink milky coffee later than this.
Liguria’s most famous walk is through Cinque Terre National Park, a World Heritage site whose name – the Five Lands in English – refers to the five towns perched on cliffs along the way. Starting at the eastern end, in Riomaggiore, gives the less-experienced walker time to get into stride along concrete paths lined with barriers.
As well as the view from high over the glistening sea, further romance has been added by calling it Via dell’Amore and punctuating the path with love seats and bright pink clusters of bougainvillea. The buildings clinging to the cliffs are painted in ochre, oranges and pinks, accented with green shutters and touches of mosaic.
The first part of the walk takes you to the hillside town of Manarola; it’s Church of San Lorenzo dates back to the 14th century. On towards Corniglia the walk sees the concrete paths disappear and steps become deep and more precarious; the rails are not so frequent, either. Then, when you see the town perched up high and set back from the sea, there is the challenge of Lardarina, the 377 brick steps to reach the top. There is a huge sense of satisfaction: views of terraced vineyards and a waterfront are the rewards for the climb. Vernazza, a delightful fishing village with a small beach, is the target of the next leg of the journey. The Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia is worth a visit. The final leg is to Monterosso. Divided into old and new sections, the town has a sizeable beach. The Church of San Francesco has a painting of the crucifixion attributed to Van Dyck.
A one-day pass for Cinque Terre National Park costs €8.50 when bought at kiosks on the walk; you can also buy them in hotels to include train fares. The walk taking in the five towns takes at least five hours.
Other walks to famous gardens and palaces in the area are gentler, with few uphill routes. Spring into summer is the best time to see the blooms. Sea sports, including scuba-diving, waterskiing and sailing, are organised all year. (A good website for choosing events worth using as a focus for a holiday in Liguria is www.sestri-levante.net, which includes links to other towns in the area.)
Food in the region is superb, hearty and healthy, with lots of beans, pasta, herb and nut sauces, and deliciously fresh fish from the Ligurian Sea. Wine is reasonable, too, so a week won’t break the bank but will deliver a taste of life at its best.
5 local specialities
1 Fish is local and fresh. Lobster and prawns are delicious. The salted anchovies of Monterosso go superbly with drinks. Buy a jar or tin of them to bring home.
2 Pesto alla Genovese. Made from local young basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and Sardo cheeses, olive oil, garlic and sea salt. Salsa di noci adds walnuts to the mix and replaces basil with marjoram.
3 Focaccia flatbread varies from town to town. In Genoa it is finger high and often topped with creamy and soft Stracchino cheese; in Voltri it is thinner, with holes on top from being cooked on the oven plate.
4 Ice cream is sold in small shops where queues form for specialities. Just about all of it is excellent.
5 Pandolce Genovese is a round, flat sweet bread of the area, subtly flavoured with orange-blossom water, pine nuts, Marsala, raisins, candied pumpkin and fennel seeds.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go
Where to stay
Dimora della Torre. Vico Macelli 35, Sestri Levante, 00-39-0185-44618, www.dimoradellatorre.net. Situated in the town centre, this simple BB has three en-suite rooms with small kitchens. Frescoed ceilings add to the charm. Downstairs, the antiques and paintings shop is also run by the family. Doubles €80.
Hotel Helvetia. Via Cappuccini 43, Sestri Levante, 00-39-0185-43048, www.hotelhelvetia.it. Right on the water, with views of Baia del Silenzio (and it is quiet). Doubles €140.
Portofino Kulm. Via Bernardo Gaggini 23, 00-39-0185-7361 www.portofinokulm.it. The pool, panoramic views of the Gulfs of Tigullio and Paradise and total luxury have attracted celebs including George Clooney. Doubles from €140.
Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi. Via N Cuneo 34, Camogli, 00-39-0185-7241. www.cenobio.it. Within walking distance of Camogli, this mixture of old and contemporary provides elegance and luxury. It also has a pool overlooking the sea. Doubles from €160.
Sognando Villa Edera. Salita S Giovanni 3, Rapallo, 00-39-0185-260686, www.sognandovillaedera.com. Two kilometres from Rapallo, this farmhouse-style villa has five rooms. Doubles from €90.
Where to eat
Restaurant da Paolo. Via San Fortunato, Camogli, 00-39-0185-773595. Excellent fresh fish, no frills. Not cheap. Good, short wine list.
Osteria Mattana. Via XXV Aprile 34, Sestri Levante, 00-39-0185-457633, www.osteriamattana.com. This basic refectory-style bistro has a mix of hearty Ligurian and Tuscan cuisine. One of the owners is a jazz musician who attracts international players a few times a year.
Walking towards the small lighthouse in Recco, you come to a small wooden hut with plastic chairs and tables outside. The local speciality, focaccine al formaggio, are small, crisp, deep-fried focaccia parcels concealing a heart of white-hot young cheese.
Da Giovanni. San Fruttuoso di Camogli, 00-39-0185-770047. When you book dinner here, the restaurant staff come to pick you up by boat and take you back. The fish is the freshest possible, and the menu depends on what local fishermen have caught the night before.
Trattoria da Pino. Via J Ruffini 15, Santa Margherita Ligure, 00-39-0185-280755, www.trattoriadapino.it. Family-run restaurant with delicious seafood appetisers and great pasta dishes. Not expensive.
Where to go
Portofino is so well known you might wish to avoid the crowds, but the 15-minute bus ride along the coast is worthwhile in itself. Food and drink are expensive, but go for a look and, if on a budget, move along to eat in another village. Stylish designer shops for the indulgent.
San Fruttuoso di Camogli is a tiny village with no roads, so no noise or concrete paths. It also has an ancient abbey on a beach. A tourist boat service from Recco or Camogli takes in this hidden treasure.
Santa Magherita Ligure is a typical coastal village. While not as charming as others, it has a beautiful garden in Villa Durazzo, with a magnificent view of the whole bay. Worth stopping in for coffee.
Camogli is worth a visit. Picture-postcard perfect, in the natural amphitheatre of Paradise Gulf, it has an unpretentious charm. Its harbour is still used by fishermen. The name derived from “ca”, meaning house, and “mogli”, the local name for women who in hard times spent a lot of time on their own while their husbands were away fishing. Their old cottages remain on the way to the pier, and little alleyways known as carruggi are dotted with images of the Madonna, who it was hoped protected their men at sea.
Sestri Levante is 55km from Genoa airport and a four and a half hour train journey from Rome. It is a good midpoint on the Italian Riviera and not as expensive to stay in as other towns. Many of the tourists are Italian, and although some restaurants close off season there are still enough to enjoy. It’s not as stylish as other places, but it has a feel of a genuine working town. The two beaches are clean and tidy, with Baia del Silenzio being particularly charming.
Go there
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to Genoa, via London Stansted, from Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Derry, Kerry, Knock and Shannon. (You will have to buy a ticket for each leg of the journey.) It also flies to Nice, in France, from Dublin. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies to Nice from Dublin and Cork. EasyJet (www.easyjet. com) flies to Nice from Belfast. A train from Nice serves towns in Liguria. See www.sncf.com and www.trenitalia.com.