Liguria Holidays

Liguria, or the Italian Riviera, is north-western Italy's coastal region boasting beautiful beaches, picturesque towns and fantastic food: Italy's world famous pesto sauce hails originally from here!

Portofino with its delightful harbour, central piazza perfect for al fresco dining and quaint multi-coloured houses is one of Italy's premier resorts: managing to retain picturesque charm despite its popularity with jet-setters. Holidays to Portofino are a superb retreat, located around the harbour this Italian fishing visit is ideal for luxury Liguria holidays.

Rapallo, formerly a favoured haunt of poets and writers, is a larger resort boasting a number of attractions including a cable car to Santuario di Montallegro proffering stunning views, and Santa Margherita is a wonderfully old-fashioned Riviera resort: its esplanade perfect for day strolls and evening promenades. Rapallo is a premier choice of destination for holidays in Liguria, with grand hotels and stunning views it is a perfect holiday location for all discerning travellers.

In contrast to the sophisticated gastronomy of its neighbour to the north, Piedmont, the simple ingredients of Ligurian cuisine are the very essence of the Mediterranean diet with abundant seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, and the local, delicate olive oil. Fresh-grown herbs are used with fish, meat, pasta and, most famously, in pesto genovese which adorns many pasta dishes, or is drizzled into minestrone. Dining in a smart ristorante will, not unexpectedly, be more expensive than in a less formal trattoria, especially if you opt for the whole menu including antipasto, primo, secondo and dolce (dessert). Nonetheless, on holidays to Liguria the local dishes come highly recommended. Along the Ligurian coast, there's a wide choice of eateries including pizzerias with authentic wood-fired ovens, wine-shops serving cheese and antipasto, and foccacerie and osteria for less formal dining. Ligurian wines are perfectly quaffable especially the whites with seafood, but wines from neighbouring Piedmont are more popular with enthusiasts.

For expert advice and to begin planning your luxury Liguria holiday, call 0800 008 7288