Liguria

Main tourist destinations

Genoa

Genoa has a rich artistic history, with numerous frescoes, paintings, sculptures and other works of art preserved in numerous museums, palaces, mansions, art galleries and piazzas. The city was the center of development of the so-called Ligurian school which has had the greatest exponents in various painters like Rubens, Van Dyck and Bernardo Strozzi.

Most of the works of the city lies in its churches and palaces, where you can admire numerous paintings of the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, such as the cathedral of Genoa, the Church of Christ and the Church of San Donato.

Genoa is also famous for its many tapestries that adorned the halls of the grandest palaces in the city. These, in fact, although externally looked in a rather austere manner, inside were richly decorated, often filled with tapestries, many of whom are of Flemish school.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is the main cathedral of the city and is built in Romanesque-Renaissance style. Other important churches in Genoa are the church of San Donato, the Church of St. Augustine, the Oratory of San Giacomo della Marina, the Church of Santo Stefano, San Torpete and the Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata del Vasto. The latter is a precious example of Baroque architecture, while most other churches and basilicas are the Romanesque style.

The historical center is concentrated around Piazza De Ferrari, where you will also find the Opera and the Palace of the Doges. Strada Nuova (now Via Garibaldi), in the old town, is protected as a World Heritage of UNESCO since 2006. This district was designed in the mid-sixteenth century to accommodate Mannerist palaces of the city's most prominent families, including Palazzo Rosso (now a museum), Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Grimaldi and Palazzo Reale.

A must see is, also, the Old Port, now converted into a mall by architect Renzo Piano, and the famous cemetery Staglieno, renowned for its monuments and statues, the Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone, which houses one of the most large collections of Oriental art in Europe.

In Genoa is also a large aquarium located at the end of the old harbor, next to the symbol of the city, the Lantern, the ancient lighthouse of the port and the first lighthouse in Italy.

Portofino

The most impressive thing about Portofino is the calm and relaxed life style, so that those planning to visit has certainly not among their priorities to run from one place to another to see as much as possible. There are some key attractions that might draw attention away from the beaches and the harbor, but a visit is unforgettable so that you could spend the whole day there. Castle Brown is a sixteenth century castle, once used for defense, but now mostly a museum with a fantastic view of the harbor and the Ligurian Sea. Assolutamebte not to be missed is a cafe in the square, one of the most suggestive and Italy.

Le cinque terre

"Le Cinque Terre" is the name given to the area that comprises the territory of five countries: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.The coastline, the five boroughs and the surrounding hills are all part of the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre and world heritage site protected by UNESCO. The Cinque Terre is known for their beauty. Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the steep rugged countryside to the cliffs overlooking the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of a visible modern development. Trails passable only by foot, trains and ships link the villages, while it is absolutely prohibited the movement of cars. This is a very popular tourist destination. In 1998 the Italian Ministry for the Environment has established the Natural Area of Cinque Terre Marine Protected Area to protect the natural environment and to promote the socio-economic development compatible with the natural landscape of the area. Born in 1999, also, the National Park of Cinque Terre to preserve the ecological balance, preservation of the landscape and the protection anthropological site.