Hello, my handle relates to my car but I forgot the 'B', it should be MGB Mki BRG.
Hello, my handle relates to my car but I forgot the 'B', it should be MGB Mki BRG.
Member since:11.11.2003
Reviews:7
Liguria is one of those places that you'll either keep going back to or wish you'd never been to in the first place!
If you don't know, Liguria is the region of Italy nestled between Montecarlo (to the North), Piedmonte (to the East), the Med (to the West) and Tuscany (to the South). It is served by the airports of Nice, Pisa and of course Genoa (all of which are well served by the budget air-lines). The advantage of this great location is that it is ideal for a two-centre holiday if you are nervous about spending the whole time there; you've got the Cote D'Azur & Tuscany on your door-step and you aren't far from Milan and the Italian lakes as well!
The region is split into three: The coast to the West of Genova heading up to France (Riviera del Ponente, the sun-set coast); the coast heading East toward La Spezia, Cinque Terre and finally Tuscany (Riviera del Levante - the sun-rise coast) and finally, the Mountanous interior. I am particularly fond of the stretch of coast that encompasses Camogli, Portofino/Santa Margarita, Zoagli, Chiavari, Lavagna & Sestri Levante which (with the exception of the playboys playgound of Portofino) has remained distinctly Genovese.
So who does it suit best? Well if you're a family looking for an unsophisticated old-fashioned beach holiday which is safe and had loads of simple, great food, it is perfect for a summer holiday. If you see yourself as a latter-day Audrey Hepburn & Cary Grant, hire a convertible and cruise some of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world staying at such glamorous spots as the Splendide in Portofino or the Villa Balbi in Sestri Levante and take a boat out to visit some of the smaller bays. A perfect long-weekend. Or maybe you just want to get away from it all and hire a villa in one of the medaeval hamlets about 90 minutes inland in the mountains above the coast where the nearest shop is a six-hour round trip on foot; where the roads are dirt tracks and the people do nothing except plough the fields, make wine and chat all day; where the views have not changed in almost a thousand years and where the only sounds are the bells ringing from around the necks of grazing cows or from the various churches dotted around the valleys. Or perhaps you're an older couple and fancy walking the 5 villages of Cinque Terre Or if you're like me, you'll combine all four elements to have a perfect holiday.
If you look at the reviews of Tuscany and the towns therein, you'll find loads. Liguria though is just as beautiful but Italy's best kept secret. Italians have tried to keep this place to themselves for the past 50 years for good reason. Not that they are un-welcoming; far from it - they assume that if you've made the effort, you must be a real connoseur of Italy. So I'd say that this place is best suited to people who have been to Italy before but want something more; not the Italy-lite that is peddled in some places. Trust me, it's worth the effort - you'll love it...or hate it!
PS: 2004 sees Genoa as European City of Culture and the place has really benefited. The harbour has been renovated, loads of great buildings have opened up their doors so you can wlak in and examine the architecure and the frescoes, there are lots of great exhibitions, all of a sudden, there seem to be loads of trendy clothes, furniture and homeware shops opening up and there is undoubtably a real buzz about the place. In the past, I have always advised people to give the place a miss and head to the real gems of Liguria but I am converted. Spend the day in Genova. And, if you want to impress the locals, add a bit of dialect to your Italian: "Zena" - Genoa "Shpezza" - La Spezia "Port-oo-fin" - Portofino "Char-vy" - Chiavari "Shee" - yes "En- em -oo" : Let's go "Quant- oo- le" How much? "Sev - e gem- oo" See ya "Bel- lin"/"Bel-landy" Wicked/cool/bloody hell or any other sign of appreciation "Coss-oo-ge" - what is it? "Fi-jeu" - Son "Mu-je" - wife "Pi-chin" - little
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I'd have to agree with most of the comments below but an interesting insight:) -Jon
lazza123 20.01.2004 15:04
Hi welcome.. A mentioned below, a few more personal feelings about it wouldn't go amiss, but great op non the less. If you do add to this, then let me know, I'll happily re-read/rate it for you. Larry
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Jan 20th, 2004
(May 26th, 2004)
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