Genoa and the Ligurian coast - Italian Riviera
- Art - Culture - Tourism
- Nov 7
- 8 min read
By Peter Clarke LRPS
7 November 2025
Beeston, Nottingham
Photography by Peter Clarke.
As a family we all love Italy. The food, the culture and the history. We have visited many regions and many cities. Rome the eternal city, Bologna, Venice, Florence and Pisa, and Lecce in the south.
This year we decided we would take in the sights and history of the Ligurian coast and had our base in Genoa. It is also known for its historical association with international celebrity and artistic visitors; writers and poets like Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, DH Lawrence, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Ezra Pound,, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, who were inspired by the beauty and spirit of Liguria.
I had booked an apartment on Via XX Settembre which was fairly central and within a 15 minute walk to Genoa Brignole station for getting further afield.
Our first day was taken up by a very pleasant walk along the coast to Boccadasse, a former fishing village which is now a beautiful seaside town. From Genoa it is roughly 5 km and should take you around an hour to walk.
Bagni San Nazaro - Church of St Anthony and promenade
Along the coast road there is a well maintained promenade with some lovely views of the coastline and fantastic villas.
The first main sight you will come across walking into Boccadasse is the Church of St. Anthony of Boccadasse. The church was built in the 17th century as a chapel by fishermen and by the inhabitants of the area. After a few decades in 1745 it became the seat of the confraternity of Saint Anthony of Padua and in 1787, after enlargement, was officially considered a church. It is a very peaceful and pretty church worth stopping off at for rest, prayer or just to feast your eyes on simple Italian architecture.
Moving on around to the rear of the church you will be presented with the sight of Boccadasse beach and some of its many pastel painted buildings.
We had an appetising lunch of octopus salad and calamari at Antica Osteria Dindi, a charming restaurant with both inside and outside seating areas. A little bit more expensive than other restaurants we came across but reasonable value for money. https://www.tripadvisor.it/Restaurant_Review-g187823-d1725969-Reviews-Antica_Osteria_Dindi-Genoa_Italian_Riviera_Liguria.html
Heading out of the beach area it is a reasonable climb up to the main part of the town.
When you are high up in the main town you are treated to fabulous architecture and wonderful panoramic views of the coastline.
I love the way the Italians keep their rich architectural history by retaining what look like run down buildings from the outside but are renovated on the inside.
The next day we moved along the coast to take in what we had really come to this area for - the “Cinque Terre”.
As the name of the area translates into English, it is an area made up of five lands or more literally five villages. These colorful, terraced villages—Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore—are nestled on steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean sea and are part of the protected Cinque Terre National Park. We caught the train from Genoa (Genova Brignole) to Levanto where you can then take the Cinque Terre Express which runs between all of the villages. The Cinque Terre Express also goes further than the five villages and onto La Spezia, which some say is “the sixth village” and is well worth a visit. We took the express to La Spezia and then worked our way back up to Levanto.
The town of La Spezia is far larger than any of the villages in Cinque Terre and is full of thrilling architecture, the Technical Naval Museum, and St. George’s Castle which houses an archaeological museum with artifacts from prehistory to the Middle Ages. The nearby Amedeo Lia Museum exhibits paintings, bronze sculptures and illuminated miniatures in a former convent.
Unfortunately we didn’t have the time to visit any of the museums in La Spezia or Genoa. The weather was far too good to be inside when there is a wealth of wonders to view outside – perhaps the next time!
Heading through La Spezia to the coast we came across two sculptures, the first was of Richard Wagner by Russian artist Aidyn Zeinalov and donated to the city on March 16th 2019. Wagner composed the prelude to his opera Das Rheingold, the beginning of his famous Der Ring des Nibelungen tetralogy in 1853 and is often referred to as the "La Spezia vision".
The second and much larger statue is of Giuseppe Garibaldi by Antonio Garella and can be found in Giardini Pubblici. The statue is made of bronze and weighs 60 tons. It is one of the few equestrian statues in the world with a prancing horse, standing only on its hind legs.
Moving on we came across this wonderful art deco building designed by architects housing the Theatre Civico in Piazza Mentana.
The original theatre was constructed between 1840 and 1846 but demolished in 1930 and replaced with this design by Franco Oliva between 1932 and 1933.
Walking through the town to the coast you eventually come to what is now a busy port area housing many boats and yachts and you can regularly see cruise ships moored.
We jumped back on the Cinque Terre Express and alighted at Riomaggiore, said to be the most romantic village. From here you can walk along from Riomaggiore to Manarola in around 30 minutes by taking the Via dell’Amore, Lover’s Lane, a wonderful path known for its romantic atmosphere and amazing landscapes. The Via dell’Amore, is the most famous and romantic stretch of the Cinque Terre coastline. It is a paved, flat walking path, not so much a hike but rather a pleasant stroll affording spectacular views of the cliffs and the sea. It is equipped with handrails and benches along the way making it ideal for inexperienced hikers.
You have to reserve and pay an entrance fee to walk this scenic path. The visitors enter from Riomaggiore going toward Manarola on a one-way route. During the tour, visitors are able to marvel at the gorgeous Ligurian Sea while guides share the story of the Via dell’Amore. It is not included in the Cinque Terre card and costs €10.00.
There are four main sites in Riomaggiore - The Church of San Giovanni Battista, built 1340 in gothic style; The Church of San Lorenzo, built in 1338, with its beautiful rose window dating back to the 14th century; Castle of Riomaggiore, built in 1260, and the Sanctuary of Madonna di Montenero. Due to time restrictions we didn’t explore these.
Moving on from Riomaggiore, our next stop was Manarola built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level. It is one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages and one of the most photographed.
There is a boat ramp, a tiny piazza and picturesque multicoloured houses facing the sea in this tiny harbour village.
Our next stop was Vernazza, we missed stopping at Corniglia.
Our final stop in Cinque Terre was Monterosso Al Mare the largest of the five villages. It has much more of a seaside feel to it having several beaches. Some are public and some are private. Near the station you will find Bagni Eden, the beautiful beach recognized by its orange and blue striped umbrellas.
A trip to this area would not be complete without visiting the upmarket and expensive Portofino. We took a lovely full day boat trip visiting Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Portofino.
Camogli
San Fruttuoso
Portofino
A little bit about our base, the city of Genoa. Genoa is like all Italian cities, it has its beautiful areas and its old run down areas. Being a busy port it has a coastline as well.
Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. The square is named after Raffaele De Ferrari, Duca di Galliera, a politician and banker who in 1875 donated a considerable sum for the enlargement of the port. It is the meeting point between the old city and the “modern” Art Nouveau area of Via XX Settembre, one of the city’s main streets that converges on the square. In the centre stands a monumental circular bronze fountain, built in 1936 by the architect Cesare Crosa di Vergagni and donated by the Piaggio family. The fountain was enriched in 2001 with additional water features.
The piazza houses the Teatro Carlo Felice, one of the most famous opera houses in the world.
Genoa street scene - Casa Columba - San Donato, Genoa
For meals in Genoa we stumbled across Osteria della Piazza
Home | Osteriadellapiazza on our way home from our boat trip. It was around 10.00 pm and nowhere else was open. There were plenty of choices on the menu but we all went for pizza and what fantastic pizzas they were – can definitely recommend this restaurant.
We found a beautiful local restaurant called Rustichello OSTERIA RUSTICHELLO. Family owned for over 50 years and the food, wine and service were fantastic, so good we dined there twice.
We also managed to catch the World Press Photography exhibition being held worldwide https://www.worldpressphoto.org/ The exhibition was housed in the beautiful Palazzo Ducale. The exhibits were some of the 59,320 submissions by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries entering the annual competition. The competition rewards professional photographers from all over the world who, during the previous year, took pictures providing an authentic, accurate and engaging insight into the present time.
There were many thought provoking images that we rarely see in the day to day media that we are bombarded with. A shocking fact is that at least 103 journalists across 18 countries were killed last year, with 70 percent killed by Israeli armed forces.
How to get there
There are direct flights to Genoa from the UK - London-Gatwick (British Airways), London-Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (seasonal) - and the airport is only about a 30 minute drive from the city centre. Alternative routes would be to fly into Milan (or Bergamo via Ryanair) or Turin and catch the train over to Genoa. Railfares are reasonable (cheaper than the UK) and the rail network is excellent with comfortable carriages and on time services.
Another option to bear in mind is that there are regular flights from the UK to Pisa, and you can drive a hired car from the airport, or take the train from Pisa Centrale towards Genoa along the Tuscan and Ligurian coastlines. This railway line (managed by Trenitalia) runs through many towns like La Spezia and connects to the scenic Cinque Terre region.
Genoa is a hidden gem. Often it is overlooked by tourists in favour of more crowded destinations like Rome or Venice. There are grand palaces a-plenty, many of which are now UNESCO World Heritage sites - in fact there are forty-two! Genoa's alleyways, called "Caruggi," are a medieval maze of narrow, winding streets in the historic centre known for their unique atmosphere, artisan shops, and historical significance…and considered the “soul” of the city.
The Ligurian coastline simply sparkles and spreads its magic wherever you tread and explore.
I hope you enjoy reading my travelogue and enjoy seeing my photography. Thank you.
Peter Clarke LRPS
Peter Clarke LRPS, based Beeston, Nottingham, retired early from the electronics industry after 44 years. He now has more time to pursue his passions of photography and travelling. Taking photos for over 50 years both on film and digital, he likes to shoot film with a couple of medium format cameras that have joined his ever increasing arsenal of photographic equipment. He is currently studying for an HND in Photography and has started volunteering as a committee member for the East Midlands region of the Royal Photographic Society. He gained his Licentiate of the society back in May 2013 so can now proudly put LRPS after his name.
Peter also helps charities, Pancreatic Cancer UK and Mencap, having photographed the London Marathon for both charities, the Great North Run and some local events for Mencap.
Useful Links:
https://rps.org/ Royal Photographic Society
This article is published by Marysia Zipser, Founder of Art Culture Tourism & ACT Ambassador, Beeston, Nottingham, UK. https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/ https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/blog
Email: artculturetourism@gmail.com
Please feel free to write your feedback remarks/reactions to Peter in the Comments box below to which he will respond, and to share/forward this article via email and socials as you wish. Thank you.
Great photos! Genoa is by far my favourite city in Italy, fewer tourists than many, much the best food. Great views from Castelletto. The old port has been brought back to life in recent years (Osteria Vico Palla is unforgettable). Some great museums and the Cathedral has a fascinating treasury with one on the numerous 'Holy Grails'.
Beautiful photos! Thoughtfully written article, thank you so much for sharing.
Brilliant article, Dad!
All those beautiful photographs and memories made in Italy…when can we go back?!😁
Very well written dad, pictures are awesome too. Lovely to read about your holidays without me!
Well, where to begin? What a fabulous article about a beautiful part of the world. The photography is stunning - the colours and the composition of the photographs ticked my boxes. This is a really interesting blog and I enjoyed reading it. It has made me long to visit there. I went to near that area, although a little further south - Pisa, Livorno and Florence - many years ago and loved it. The architecture of the buildings shown, both historical and later Art Deco, is a joy. The photographs really brought them to life and showed them at their best. I agree that the Italian practice of renovating ancient buildings on the inside whilst keeping the faded glory …