Oleandro

The town of Balestrino in Liguria is comprised of two parts, the city in which people currently live at the base of a hill and an abandoned town atop it. Abandoned since 1953, the mysterious ghost town of Balestrino is eerily beautiful and utterly captivating. Very little is known about the original city's history and origins, only adding to the grand sense of mystery and intrigue that surrounds this most famous of Italian ghost towns. It is one of the most visited and popular ghost towns in the country with thousands of visitors and explorers coming to see it each year. However, with plans to redevelop the area on the cards, time could be running out to visit. If this sounds like something you would be interested in doing, find a luxury villa in Liguria and drop by.

Some travellers are not content with doing what everyone else does on holidays. They don’t want the standard photos or to line up for hours for famous attractions or to mill in crowds of people. Instead, they want to explore, get off the beaten tourist path, and see beyond the brochures and Instagram to find the hidden gems that a destination has to offer. If you have found a vacation rental in Liguria and are exploring this beautiful coastal region of Italy, then we recommend heading to one beach, in particular, and not because it is a popular tourism spot but, rather, because of something that lies beneath the waves…

Noli, a pretty seaside town around 50km from Genoa, in Liguria, is home to a rather fascinating garden. This may seem like a bold claim in a country like Italy where there are endless beautiful gardens belonging to ancient estates, hidden amongst winding streets in city centres, housing incredible works of art and rare blooms, and much more besides but this garden is truly worth being set aside as something extra special. Why, you may ask? Well, for one thing, it’s an underwater farm. That’s something you don’t see every day, that’s for sure!

The stunning coastline of Liguria is known as the Italian Riviera and is, understandably, home to lots of excellent beaches. So, if you browse our villas in Liguria and are planning a vacation in the region, you will have endless options of beaches to choose from. As with all beaches in Italy, you will find quite a bit of variation in the styles and amenities of the strands in Liguria: from free beaches to beaches that you need to pay to use; options with umbrella and lounger rentals, showers, bathrooms, and more to natural and untouched beaches with little to no amenities; popular hot spots to hidden gems; access for animals or not; beaches fronting towns and boasting snack bars and beach clubs to stretches of coast in more romantic and remote locations. Depending on your own preferences and needs, some of these options will be more appealing to you than others. If you are in the market, however, for a strand fronting a town with lots of facilities, a buzzing beach club, and access for furry pals, then you could find no better option in all of Liguria than Baba Beach. This pet-friendly beach is exceptionally pretty and boasts lots of amenities, ensuring that you and your four-legged friends can enjoy perfectly relaxing days at the sea.

The Monumental Complex of Priamar (“stone by the sea”), which is often known simply as Priamar Fortress, is a sixteenth-century fortress which is located in the port town of Savona. It stands on the rock that hosted the first Savona settlement and the medieval core of the city. This monumental building has undergone many changes over the years and has been put to use for a variety of purposes. Today, it is an important museum and cultural centre in the city. Art lovers, history buffs, military enthusiasts, kids and architecture fans alike will all take something away from a visit to this attraction. Just find a vacation rental in the Riviera Ligure area and enjoy this stunning structure and the beautiful town in which it is located.

Visit the gorgeous coastal city of Savona that overlooks the glittering Ligurian sea! This wonderful place boasts of a deliciously warm climate for most of the year and is surrounded by a wealth of quaint little fishing towns and villages for tourists to explore also.

Why not stay in a pretty vacation rental along the Ligurian Riviera which is close to the city of Savona. Here you can sit back in the evenings, sipping a lovely glass of wine as you look around the majestic scenery that surrounds you after a fun day of exploration!

Sports lovers will thrive here as the coastal area around Savona is very much like an outdoor gym!

Pizza all'Andrea is a pizza dish from the Liguria region of Italy. It is also known as sardenaira or sardinaira and is similar to the pissaladière of Provence in France. It is classified as a pizza but is often considered more like a focaccia and is made with anchovies and olives on top. The origins of the dish are a much debated thing but it is often attributed to admiral Andrea Doria (1466-1560) and is thought to be named after him as well. He is said to have invented and loved the dish: a slice of bread topped by olive oil, garlic and salted anchovies. The dish was invented before tomatoes were readily available and used in Italy, pre-dating the better-known Neapolita pizza, and, therefore, traditionalists do not add tomatoes. However, we are presenting you with a recipe that includes tomato as some can find it too dry without. Enjoy this dish now and then find a villa with pool in Liguria and taste it again while on holidays.