The Italian Riviera is Italy’s version of the French Riviera. Generally speaking, it is a less-expensive place for travelers to visit. Here, you can find many excellent beaches, restaurants, hiking trails and Roman ruins. The Italian Riviera runs all the way from the French border to the Cinque Terre, a popular tourist destination near the Italian city of La Spezia. This discussion focuses on the stretch of the Riviera from Genoa to the border. This stretch is known as the Riviera di Ponente (spot on the horizon where the sun sets), and it’s generally more mountainous than the eastern section.
Visit a beach. After all, you are right on the Mediterranean, which is locally known as the Ligurian Sea. Sandy beaches exist along this coastline, but they are nestled between giant headlands and small mountains that plunge into the sea every 10 or 20 miles. Some of the favorite beaches are at Finale Marina and San Remo.
Enjoy a local restaurant. Restaurants are so abundant and plentiful in this section of the country that listing individual places would be redundant. Italian restaurants are usually less inexpensive and just as good as those in France, but of course they feature a slightly different cuisine.
Sample the local wine. Wine production in this part of Italy is done on a small-scale basis, but this should not dissuade you from sampling some very tasty local products. The most popular local wines include Ormeasco, Pigato and the Rossese di Abenga. Wine here is tasty, plentiful and reasonably priced.
Go for a walk. Walking and hiking trails abound in this rugged area. Any place you stay will almost certainly be located near some great scenic outdoor areas. Some highlights include Cap Noli and the Pedernal, which are both located near Finale Marina. There is also the Alta Via del Monti Liguria, which runs through rugged mountains for the length of the Riviera. There are popular sections just outside Genoa (in the east) and another section that runs from Ventimiglia to Dolceacqua in the west.
Visit a Roman ruin. These archways, ponts and castles abound in the Riviera di Ponente. The Finalborgo at Finale Marina is a unique walled-in city that is now filled with shops and restaurants. Also of interest are San Remo, Dolceaqua and Bordighera.
Go shopping. The French are always driving into this section of Italy to take advantage of the many outdoor markets and vendors, so you might want to try this as well. Abenga is recommended, but you will find many markets and bargains all along the rugged coastline.
