The brightly coloured houses of the Cinque Terre and sunbleached cobbled streets in Portofino may be the icons of the Italian Riviera. But their seaside charm is increasingly tarnished by crowds of tourists.
I am an Italian who has lived in the UK for 10 years, but each autumn I reunite with my family for a holiday in Liguria, the region that harbours the Riviera. It is common for Italians like us, whose family home is on the coast, to take our holidays after summer. The weather is mild and the places we love mellow.
After half a decade of holidaying in the Riviera di Ponente (west of Genoa), our regular haunts are small hilltop towns and pretty coastal stretches away from the classic Riviera to the east.
These are the places I recommend visiting, though it’s worth noting that with limited public transport, a car is required to hop between them (hire companies are widely available at Genoa airport).
Laigueglia
For a day of sea and sun, I head to the crescent-moon-shaped beach in Laigueglia, a seaside resort that’s listed among Italy’s most beautiful villages (“I Borghi più belli d’Italia”). There is plenty to see, from the 15th century defensive fortress of Torrione del Cavallo, to the 17th century Chiesa Dell’Immacolata (Church of the Immaculate Conception). But its main event is the “Spiaggia Dorata”, the sandy, golden beach stretching two miles. The crowds have dispersed by October, when it’s also still warm enough for pleasant beach walks.
Cervo
To see just how beautiful Cervo is, visitors must tackle a steep climb up lanes and stairs from the car park at the bottom of a hill to the medieval town centre. Holding on to the ochre sandstone walls as you climb, a splendid stretch of sea unrolls beneath you. The ocean’s autumn palette of dark blues and greys clashes with the fuchsia Bougainvillea flowers still trickling down the stone walls. It’s easy to see why Cervo is also listed among Italy’s most beautiful villages.
Though the interior of the San Giovanni Battista church on Piazza San Giovanni is a tad underwhelming, the sinuous facade and terrace are worthy of the walk. Afterwards, I’ve enjoyed an aperitivo with a spectacular view at the Bar Mediterraneo. I would also suggest a stop at the medieval Castello di Clavesana, home to the town’s ethnographic museum.
When the tide recedes, it uncovers the lovely, pebbly Cervo Beach. It’s a spectacular place to stroll at sunset, with the town’s colorful layers towering above, like a Jenga tower of red roofs and church spires.
Pieve di Teco
With its stone Santa Filomena Bridge arching over the Arroscia River, remnants of the town’s original defensive walls and medieval porticos, Pieve di Teco feels like the set of a period film. The jewel of the Valle Arroscia (the river valley), Pieve makes for a great day trip. As a reward for wandering its cobbled streets, I like to savour the pillowy pagnotta di Pieve (sourdough bread) and indulgent farinata (a savoury pancake made from chickpea powder) at Panificio Ferrari, a family owned bakery on Via S Tenente Luigi Eula that was established in 1870.
From the bakery, it’s a short walk to the Ubaga Masks Museum on the central Piazza Borrelli. Based within the grounds of a former church and convent, the museum explores the folklore surrounding “ubago” – meaning the darkness of the north-facing valleys – through traditional music and artefacts.
Vessalico
After a trip to Pieve di Teco, I’d suggest driving to neighbouring Vessalico, known for growing one of Italy’s finest garlic varieties. My tip is to book a table at Da Maria, in the town centre. This family run osteria serves a multi-course lunch of Ligurian dishes, such as braised rabbit, hand-cut pasta al pesto and savoury courgette doughnuts. It’s all washed down nicely with a glass of ruby-red Ormeasco, Pieve di Teco’s speciality wine.
Dolcedo
Our family travels do not usually include Michelin-starred restaurants. That is, until we encountered Equilibrio. Led by one of Italy’s most celebrated regional chefs, Jacopo Chieppa, it has become one of our favourite places to eat.
As far as 11-course tasting menus with wine pairings go, its option is very affordable, priced around €100 (£84.50). It’s worth splurging an extra €30 (£25) to try the Follia menu, leaving the chef’s creative “folly” to decide your journey of Ligurian classics with a playful twist. Every local flavour sings – from “pearls” of local crab, to skewered sweetbreads, and pesto-filled antipasti. On top of that, you’re dining in a 19th century mill, surrounded by the sounds of the river.
Dolcedo itself is a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of place, but it is has one of the region’s oldest piazzas, home to the Saint Thomas Church and a viewpoint at Via Mameli, where you can take in the entire town, bisected by the Prino River and linked by the stone Grande bridge.
Triora
Known as Liguria’s “witch village”, Triora is best visited in October or November, when fog often envelops its medieval buildings, adding to the atmosphere. The town was notorious as one of the places in Italy where 16th century witch trials took a deadly turn. While the Strigora, or Witches Festival, is held in late summer, there is no better time than autumn to enjoy Triora’s comfort food of grano pestao (wheat) soup, and chestnut suggelli pasta tossed in olive oil and porcini, with a glass of local pigato wine.
Where to stay
Choose a base from which to drive to a few towns and villages. Albergo Teresa in Laigueglia is a family-run small hotel, 50 metres from the beach. Rooms start at €120 (£101) per night for a double with a sea view balcony. B&B Corallini in Cervo has simple, rustic rooms, but you get your own terrace with a sea view. Doubles from €150 (£126) per night.