Archive for 'Liguria'

The beautiful crescent-shaped town of Portofino stretches along the coast of Liguria on the Italian Riviera and is one of Italy's most wonderful, exclusive and famous seaside destinations. It is a picturesque village that is filled with a cluster of colourful buildings hugging the port, boats and yachts bobbing in the harbour, and tourists wandering the streets and eating fresh food at tables overlooking the water.

If you have found a luxury villa in Liguria, it is an ideal place to spend some time unwinding and enjoying the unique atmosphere of the town. While there, one of the must-see highlights is the lovely Castello Brown.

Castello Brown is perched on a rocky outcrop above the town, which overlooks Portofino and is surrounded by picturesque hanging gardens. While it is now a house museum, its very prominent and strategic location in the town clearly indicated its original function as a practical defensive structure.

When you are booking a vacation rental and have found a few options that you like the look of, it can be hard to narrow the list down to one but something that can really help are reviews. Hearing what real people have to say about something helps give us peace of mind. As we are lucky enough to have customers who always give us helpful feedback, we thought that it would be a good idea to put together a list of our most-reviewed properties to show some of the excellent villas and experiences you can expect when you book with us! Here are our final two picks among the properties that have been reviewed most frequently.

9. La Regolina

La Regolina is a lovely farmhouse, located in a beautiful position overlooking the beautiful Gulf of Levanto in Liguria, an area that adjoins the famous “Cinque Terre”. Carefully restored and tastefully furnished by the owner, an architect, it boasts modern facilities in an original farmhouse setting and six bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. There is also a very large sunny terrace, leading from the sitting room, furnished for eating outside while enjoying fantastic views over the sea.

Focaccia is a delicious flat oven-baked Italian bread that is similar to pizza and is topped with herbs and other ingredients. It is an incredibly popular dish throughout all of Italy and is thought to have originated with the Etruscans, but today it is widely associated with Ligurian cuisine. The long line of coastal towns in this region meant that a large number of local variations were born in Liguria such as the biscuit-hard Focaccia di Camogli, the oily softness of the one made in Voltri and the Focaccia col Formaggio ("focaccia with cheese") made in Recco, near Genoa. Other variations are available all throughout the country but, if you're interested in or love focaccia, Liguria is the place to be. Just find a luxury villa in Liguria and try out as many as you can get your hands on!

For now, while you plan a trip, here is a basic recipe for the kind of standard focaccia that most are familiar with to help whet your apetite.

Genoa is the capital of the region of Liguria and located on the Gulf of Genoa, along the Italian Riviera, in the Ligurian Sea. Historically, it was one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean and has been nicknamed “la Superba” ("the Proud one") due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks. It is an incredibly picturesque and beautiful city that is rich in history, art and culture, with an old town that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As the sixth-largest city in Italy it is, by no means, unknown but trails behind the likes of Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan in the minds of international tourists. However, we think you should make it your next holiday destination. Here are ten reasons why you should find a villa in Liguria and visit Genoa.

1. It's Home To The Most Beautiful Garden In The World

Genoa is home to many architectural gems and hidden treasures but the Biosfera by famous architect Renzo Piano, stands out.

Genoa is an often overlooked Italian gem, a stunning city on the Italian Riviera that is rich in culture and history, has a lovely Old Town and an endless list of things to see and do. In this final post in this series, we have the final installment of our ten reasons why you really do need to make time to visit this incredible city. Just find a villa in Liguria and visit Genoa for yourself.

9. The Doge's Palace

Between 1339 and 1797 the then Republic of Genoa, a state of the Holy Roman Empire, was ruled by the Doges of Genoa, who resided in the Doge's Palace. A striking and elegant building, it is one of the architectural gems of the city. Altered many times over the years, it is now a public building that can be visited and you can also take organised tours of the building's historic tower and prisons.