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GENOA, THE HISTORIC CENTER AND THE AQUARIUM

The historic center of Genoa is a maze of alleys (called “caruggi”) that are the real heart of Genoa, a melting pot of cultures, languages, smells and flavors.

With its 113 hectares of land, it is one of the most extensive medieval historical centres in Europe. Among its alleys there are beautiful palaces, important museums, beautiful churches and finally historic shops.

The entire historic center can be visited on foot, also with guided tours.

Genoa is also famous for the “Porto Antico” area, with numerous and famous attractions, among which the best known is certainly the Aquarium, the largest exhibition of aquatic fauna in Europe.

 

PORTOFINO AND SAN FRUTTUOSO

Portofino is certainly one of the most famous places in Liguria, with the typical pastel-colored houses overlooking the bay and its main square (called “Piazzetta”). Portofino is a village that has very ancient origins: named in the imperial age “Portus Delphini”, in the central area of the village you can still see the Roman road plan.

From here, using the boat service or along the paths of the promontory, you can reach the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, located in a beautiful bay nestled between the sea and Mount Portofino: the abbey is a Benedictine monastery and belongs to the heritage of the FAI.

 

CAMOGLI

Camogli, its small harbour and its  colored facades that rise along the promenade are one of the most beautiful and evocative pictures of our Riviera.

Castel Dragone stands out on the rocky spur of what was once called “the Island”, and the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta is located directly on the sea.

The village is also known for the Fish Feast “Sagra del Pesce”, which takes place in May on the feast of San Fortunato, patron saint of fishermen, and for the most recent event “Lovers in Camogli” related to Valentine’s Day.

 

RAPALLO

Rapallo is a renowned tourist destination.

Along its elegant promenade there are a lot of bars, restaurants, ice cream shops, while its central street is a pleasant shopping road.

The Ancient Castle on the sea was built to defend the town from the attacks of enemy fleets and located right in front of the sea promenade.

On the hills just behind the town is located the Sanctuary of Montallegro. The Madonna of Montallegro is the patron saint of Rapallo to which are dedicated the famous celebrations of July, with their fireworks shows that culminate with the “fire” of the Ancient Castle.

 

BASILICA DI SAN SALVATORE DEI FIESCHI

The Basilica of Fieschi, located in the village of San Salvatore in Cogorno, was built in 1244 by Pope Innocent IV from the Fieschi family.

The building has the typical characteristics of Ligurian Romanesque-Gothic buildings: a façade covered by marble bands alternating with slate, extracted from the nearby caves of Monte San Giacomo.

Inside the bell tower there are 6 bells cast by the Picasso foundry: the 5 largest were created in Recco in 1905, while the sixth in Avegno in 1977.

 

ENTELLA RIVER AND ITS ORNITHOLOGICAL SITE

The Entella River is the main waterway of the Province of Genoa and flows between Chiavari and Lavagna. Its wildlife oasis is the most important ornithological site of the Ligurian coast. The Oasis, with its habitat composed of the fresh waters of the stream and the brackish waters of the estuary, is a protected area that aims to increase the number of nesting species.

From the mouth of the Entella River to the village of Cogorno there is a nice trail with a bike path.

 

CASA CARBONE IN LAVAGNA

Casa Carbone in Lavagna is a building belonging to the FAI hetitage.

The palace, built in the mid-nineteenth century, consists of three floors and a garden. There is a exhibition space and a museum, where are exposed art objects, paintings of the Ligurian school of the seventeenth/ eighteenth century, Italian and English ceramics and valuable furnishings, as well as personal objects of the family formerly resident.

 

CHIAVARI

Chiavari is a town full of commercial activities, most of which are located in its charming old town, worthy of note thanks to its medieval arcades, preserved in excellent condition.

In the town there are also important religious, historical and cultural buildings, including the Cathedral of N.S. dell’ Orto and the Palace of Justice.

Here you can also find several museums and civic galleries, as well as the Botanical Garden of Palazzo Rocca built in 1908 and now location for several cultural events.

 

VARESE LIGURE AND VAL DI VARA

Varese Ligure is one of the main villages of the Val di Vara. In the thirteenth century here was founded the old town, now called “Borgo Rotondo”: the historical center with its characteristic elliptical shape and brightly colored houses was once the place where markets took place.

Here you can see the Fieschi Castle, dating back to the fifteenth century and built on the basis of an older building, and the Grecino Bridge, a single-arched bridge of the sixteenth century, located in the historic district of the village, above the Crovana stream.

Varese Ligure and its surroundings are famous for the environmental sustainability and for agricultural production and breeding, so the town is included in the Orange Flag villages of the Touring Club and the entire area is known as “Biodistretto Val di Vara”.

From Varese Ligure there are also several hiking trails.

 

CINQUE TERRE AND PORTOVENERE

The Cinque Terre are the most famous destination in Liguria and one of the most famous places in Italy.

Sestri Levante is the ideal starting point to visit them by train or by boat.

Since 1997, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Cinque Terre is part of a protected marine area and a national park that guarantee its preservation.

Numerous paths run along the coast, making this area an ideal destination for trekking and for sea and nature lovers.

Just beyond the Cinque Terre, there is another place included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: Portovenere, an ancient fishing village that leaves visitors breathless. The town is famous thanks to the colorful facades of the buildings overlooking the sea, for the church of San Pietro, built in 1198 and standing on the cliff, and also for the Byron’s Cave (Grotta Arpaia).