Liguria property

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Liguria, better known as the Italian Riviera, has recently begun to arouse interest with foreign homebuyers. Stretching from the Tuscan border in the east to the French border in the west, this region offers a fantastic range of locations, from magnificent beaches, which become crowded in the summer, to isolated mountain villages surrounded by olives and vines.

Genoa, birthplace of Christopher Columbus, is the region’s capital. It’s an eclectic city that mixes old and new but life remains centred on the warren of streets that surround its harbour, which is still Italy’s most important commercial port. Recently renovated as part of the 1992 Columbus International Exposition, with the restoration of many of the dockside buildings, the port area is dominated by a giant derrick, the Grande Bigo. But the town offers more than just a rich history – it also has a wealth of restaurants, shops, theatre, opera, cinema and clubs and bars.

The Riviera itself divides in two: the Riviera di Ponente, which is west of Genoa and the Riviera di Levante to the east. The Riviera di Ponente is the more developed, with some of the most expensive resorts in Europe, and the medieval towns of Noli and Albenga. Property prices are likely to be extremely high round here. The eastern coast is more irregular but it is worth heading for the hills where medieval villages, built in defence against Saracen invaders, spiral around hilltops. The mix of fishing villages (some of which are only accessible by boat) and mountains has captured the imagination of some of the world’s greatest romantics.