Extending south to Tuscany, Italy’s mountainous western coast on the Gulf of Genoa is called, Liguria, a picture book country with paradisiacal cliffs, remote villages, bucket loads of sunshine and a region known as, Cinque Terre, that comprises five villages.

Our journey begins in Genoa, the fifth largest city in Italy. A guided tour of the harbour is a good way to gain an understanding of this city which became a powerful economic force in the sixteenth century. The Palazzo Reale was once the residence of the Savoy-Piedmont royal family, with bel-etage, gallery and hanging garden.

Monterosso Al Mare is the first and largest of the five villages that comprise Cinque Terre, on the route south. It extends across two bays and two districts, separated by a rock. The modern district of Fegina has a long waterfront promenade, a well-kept sandy beach and a good range of accommodation.

Vernazza is considered to be the most beautiful of the five villages mainly because of its location within a splendid bay.

Corniglia has no direct access to the sea, but extends along a massive rocky plateau about a hundred metres above the sea. On the hilly outskirts is the San Pietro Church, built in 1334, with an elegant, decorated facade and a rose window of Carrara marble.

Portovenere is situated on a long promontory in a remarkable location on the Ligurian coast. Just outside the famous Old Town are some splendid exclusive apartments, each with their own character. It was here that the Romans founded Veneris Portus, the ‘Port Of Venus’.

The magic of Liguria is based on the contrast between a narrow Mediterranean coastal strip and steep, barren mountains. Whether you walk this scenic landscape or explore it by train or ship, Liguria is a special dream of romance and beauty.