Topics

• Why?
• Accommodation
• Airports
• Climate
• Currency
• Essentials
• Getting There

• Internet Resources
• Passes
• Passports & Visas
• Public Holidays
• Shopping

• Speaking the Language
• Tipping
• Tours
• Travelling Around
• What & Where to Eat
• Jetsettr Travel Resources
• COMPETITION

Why Italy? Why the Italian Riviera

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Often referred to as the Italian Riviera, the Ligurian region of Italy can offer a relatively less touristy perspective of this diverse country – especially when compared to hotspots like Rome and Venice.
But then again, don’t expect that you’ll have it completely to yourself with town names such as Portofino and Cinque Terre within its boundaries!

So why put aside time in your holiday to explore the Riviera di Levante you ask? Well take Cinque Terre for example. Seeing and exploring the precariously perched villages of the 5 pastel-painted towns is reason alone! Add in the opportunity to visit a jet-set resort town where a Louis Vuitton store sits amongst other design house shop fronts where the permanent population barely scrapes above 500 and you’ve got yourself some great reasons to spend some time in this beautiful, protected area of the Mediterranean.

Accommodation

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Hotel Metropole, Santa Margherita

How do we choose our preferred accommodation?

Before I travelled overseas last year I spend over 6 months searching for the best hotels to stay in around Europe. Wherever possible, these hotels had to:

• Be within walking distance of the centre of the town/city, the main attractions and the train station

• Be in good condition with at least 3 stars & have good feedback from past travellers

• Preferably have access to wireless internet facilities

• Preferably have breakfast included in the nightly rate

• Have reasonable rates preferably no more than €150 per/night

Where to Stay in the Italian Riviera

If you’re travelling on a budget, you may find that staying in Portofino is out of the question however just around the coast road, Santa Margherita, another glamourous resort town along the strip offers a few more reasonable accommodation options along-side its prestigious hotels.

You may also want to consider La Spezia as a base to explore the region. Located just over an hour south of Santa Margherita in the car or an hour and a half plus on the train on the other side of Cinque Terre, this port town home of the Italian Navy doesn’t have nearly the same amount of glamour as its stately neighbours however there is a much wider selection of reasonably priced accommodation for you to entertain (thus all the tour buses!).

Now we admit that our accommodation recommendation for the Italian Riviera will be at the top of most travellers’ budgets however if you’ve got the opportunity to splurge a little, then this is one place we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

What is Jetsettr's Preferred Hotel for the Italian Riviera & How Do I Book?

The Jetsettr team had the pleasure of staying at the Hotel Metropole, Santa Margherita whilst exploring the Italian Riviera.

For more information on the hotel and to book, click here.

Other Accommodation Recommendations

For accommodation recommendations for other parts of the Italian Riviera, we recommend Trip Advisor which enables you to browse accommodation, read reviews from travellers throughout the globe and then search for the best deal on your chosen accommodation or attraction with one of the world's most trusted travel resources. Get recommendations for the Italian Riviera.

Airports

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GENOA (COLUMBUS) AIRPORT – www.airport.genoa.it

Aeroporto Internazionale di Cristoforo Colombo

• 6km west of Genoa city

ROME AIRPORTS

Rome Fiumicino (Leonardo Da Vinci) Airport 

• 30km south-west of city centre (most accessible)

Ciampino (increasing popular airport for low-cost carriers)

• 15km south-east of city centre (less accessible)

Climate

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Similarly to the French Riviera, weather in the Ligurian region of Italy is mild throughout the year thanks to the protection of the 2000m mountains backing it.  

The area also has reasonably low rainfall when compared to other parts of the country making it an ideal holiday destination throughout the year when it presents holidays-goers with the opportunity to avoid Europe’s otherwise harsh winters.

Notably however, spring of course is a beautiful time of year to visit when much of the rugged coastal flora is in bloom.

Currency

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The official currency is the Euro € (100c = €1).

Essentials

Internet Access

•  

La Spezia

Parco Nazionale Office - €0.80 per/ 10mins

Riomaggiore

Parco Nazionale Office - €0.80 per/ 10mins

Santa Margherita

Internet Point - Via 25 Aprile 1945, 7

Tourist Information

La Spezia

• Cinque Terre Park Office inside La Spezia’s train station

Cinque Terre – Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Manarola, Monterrosso, Vernazza

• Parco Nazionale Offices www.parconazionale5terre.it 
• (main office in Riomaggiore – most of them located inside the train station)

Portofino Tourist Office

• Via Roma, 35
• ProvideS free trail maps etc.
• www.apttigullio.liguria.it

Santa Margherita Tourist Office

• Via XXV Aprile 2b
• Lots of info on water sports 
• www.apttigullio.liguria.it

Supermarket/Grocery Store

Santa Margherita Supermarket

• Via Favale (to get there, walk along Via Tomaso Bottaro until just past Via Favale on your right. Turn right at the Kodak signs, walk Walk up the path between the buildings until you come Into the sqaure – the supermarket is at the back of thesquare in the building you can see.)

Getting There

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To/from the airport

Genoa

AMT line 100 runs to and from the airport and Stazione Piazza Principe at least every hour (€4, 30mins).

INFObox

Genova Piazza Principe Station (Genoa)

This is Genova's main station. Principe station is connected to the second main station of Genova, Brignole, by a long tunnel. Principe is on the west side, close to the port, the university and the historical centre.

Address: Piazza Acquaverde 16126 Genoa

Station Facilities

• Information and Assistance
• Baggage Storage
• Toilets
• Currency Exchange

From there you can catch a train to Santa Margherita Ligure in about 40 minutes or La Spezia in just over an hour on the shortest route (approx. $10-19 for a ticket and reservation depending on whether you’d prefer to travel first or second class otherwise you could consider using a rail-pass)

Please note that some trains leave from Genoa’s Brignole Station (see box above for details).

Rome

Take the Leonardo Express train (directions well signed from arrival halls in airport) from platform 25 which takes you to platform 29 at Rome Termini Station (main train station in Rome) in 35 minutes for €9.50 at last check.

JETSETTR TRAVELtip

Platform 29 is at the far-end of the station and you will need a good 5-10 minutes to walk the distance from the terminal hall so give yourself plenty of time!

From Rome Termini Station, take the train to Rapallo (4hrs 24mins - $95 - $127) and then onto Santa Margherita (4mins – included in original fare price) or La Spezia (3hrs 40mins to 4hrs 5mins - $54 - $103 one –way)

Get your ticket or rail pass before you leave home with the Australian Official Distributor for Rail Europe here.

Internet Resources

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For more details on Cinque Terre, visit:

Cinque Terre National Park 

• http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/5terrecardsnuovo_2.asp?id_lingue=2

Cinque Terre Online

• http://www.cinqueterreonline.com/5terrecard.htm

Cinque Terre Information

• http://www.cinqueterre.com/eng/information/card/

Passes

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Cinque Terre Card

Make the most of your Euro with the Cinque Terre pass.

Available with or without train travel and for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days, all passes give you unlimited use of the walking paths (of which otherwise there’s a €5 fee), the electric village buses, the elevator in Riomaggiore and cultural exhibitions.

Passes are sold at Cinque Terre National Park offices and in some other local train stations.

For more details on the card and Cinque Terre,

• http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/5terrecardsnuovo_2.asp?id_lingue=2
• http://www.cinqueterreonline.com/5terrecard.htm
• http://www.cinqueterre.com/eng/information/card/

Passports & Visas

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All visitors to Italy require a valid passport.

A visa is not currently required by Australian passport holders for stays of up to 90 days.

Citizens of other countries may require a visa.

Different regulations apply for stays of more than 90 days. For further information please consult with the Italian Consulate or your travel agent.

Public Holidays

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Shopping

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Portofino

You’ll find the designer stores in prime position around the harbour whilst Via Roma houses an array of local stores selling everything from souvenirs, clothing and arts and crafts.

Santa Margherita

The foreshore boasts a number of boutiques and brand-name stores including the design houses but walk among the stores in Piazza Caprera and the near vicinity to find stylish boutiques beside antique stores, tratorrias, flower stalls, butchers and fruitterers (and make sure you pick up some fresh fruit to snack on through-out the day too – it’s just so fresh!)

Cinque Terre

The majority of the five Cinque Terre National Park offices/stores sell llocally crafted gifts and souvenirs but it’s the winding streets of these five curious villages where you’ll find the real treasure. From rustic pottery that will have you wondering how on earth you can get that gigantic pot home to hand-made jewellery, resort-wear and the best selection of local pastas, wines and so much more.

Speaking the Language

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Tipping

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Tipping in the tourism and hospitality industries in Italy is common practice. It is customary to tip taxi drivers, porters, local guides and staff at restaurants and hotels.

Be aware that cheeky restaurateurs as well as other service providers will often automatically add a service charge and tip to the bill. Good luck in disputing it if you intend to – it’s not easy!

Tours

The Italian Riviera is one of those destinations that is relatively free of the dozens of tour buses and bus after bus load of camera-weilding tourists that we come to expect when exploring the major sights throughout Europe and so it gives you the perfect opportunity to explore, unhindered around these spectacular towns.

If perhaps you’re looking to explore the area as a day-trip from the more major centres such as Milan and Florence, there a number of options available – the link below will show you what’s on offer.

Browse and book tours and travel experiences for Cinque Terre now.

JETSETTR TRAVELtip

If there is something you specifically want to do or see, pre-booking is recommended– especially for visits in the mid to high seasons. Popular tours often get booked out well in advance (I made this mistake myself!) so get over there and get your tours booked to avoid disappointment!

Travelling Around

Buses

ATP Tigullio Transporti (www.tigulliotransporti.it) run regular bus services between Portofino and Santa Margherita.

Ferry

Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio offer daily ferry services between April to October around the area.

From Portofino to Santa Margherita (€5.50/€8.50 – one way/return) and to Rapallo (€7/€10.50).

From Santa Margherita to Cinque Terre (€17/€24.50), Portovenere (€21/€32) and Rapallo (€3.50/€4.50).

Train

One to three trains an hour travel between Goenoa and La Spezia stopping at each of the five towns of Cinque Terre.

The Cinque Terre Treno Card covers unlimited train travel between Levanto and La Spezia.

Walking

The 3km walk around the pathed coastline between Portofino and Santa Margherita is beautiful and free!

The Via Dell’Amore is a short, pathed walk between the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola. Leave your love note with the hundreds of others along the way! It’s an easy and pleasant walk that most tourists try even if they’re not intending on doing any of the more demanding hiking trails.

What & where to eat

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When it comes to food, Italy conjures the same images for most people – incredible pizza, pasta, cheese and olive oil – and of course it is all of these things! But dig a little deeper and even the most passionate foodie won’t be disappointed!

With each region claiming possession of different Italian specialties, wherever you travel to, you’ll always find something new to try. Whether it’s pizza in Naples, Limonchello in Sorrento or pesto in Genoa, you’ll be so inspired by the food experiences you have, you might just go home talking cheese...

And what a destination to start with! With Genovese basil the main ingredient in the region’s famed pesto sauce, the area boasts a Protected Destination of Origin for this classic sauce and holidaying in the area will present you with the best opportunities to try it!

And while we’re talking big, the Ligurian region also states historial claims to focaccia bread although these days you’ll find it made all over Italy.

In Cinque Terre, Lonely Planet suggests La Lanterna for the best seafood around whilst Manarola produces the famous sweet sciacchetrà wine and in Camogli, they say you can’t go past the crunchy herb bread.

Jetsettr's Italian Riviera Travel Resources

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The Italian Riviera Trip Designer

We've put together a great selection of travel accessories  for a perfect trip to the Italian Riviera!

Browse the Italian Riviera Trip Designer

Hotel Metropole, Santa Margherita

Hotel Metropole is Jetsettr's recommended hotel for Santa Margherita in the Italian Riviera.

We admit that our accommodation recommendation will be at the top of most travellers’ budgets however if you’ve got the opportunity to splurge a little, then this is one place we’re sure you’ll enjoy doing so! Find out more or book a room for Hotel Metropole here.

For hotel options in other towns of the Italian Riviera, we highly recommend Trip Advisor to find the best deal and to access real traveller reviews. Start searching now.

Lonely Planet

Get yourself a Lonely Planet guidebook and make the most of your journey. Start your journey here.

Rail Europe

Rail Europe offers a number of hassle-free ways to get you to and from the Italian Riviera from single ticket journeys to an Italian or multi-country train rail pass. Discover your options here.

Travel SIM

Keep in touch with friends and family with this international SIM card from Australian company Travel SIM.

Enabling you to use your own mobile, have your friends and family SMS you for free from their website and with incredibly competitive calling rates, it's the Jetsettr team's recommended communication choice. Read more or purchase your Travel SIM now.

Trip Advisor

Browse accommodation and read reviews from travellers throughout the globe and then search for the best deal on your chosen accommodation or attraction with one of the world's most trusted travel resources. Get recommendations for the Italian Riviera...

Portofino    Santa Margherita    Cinque Terre    La Spezia

Viator

Viator offers what could be debated as access to the biggest range of tours, day trips, attractions and more online. And as a Jetsettr Travel Partner, you can research and then book it all before you go.

Get browsing and booking!

COMPETITION

This month, we're giving 4 lucky people a FREE copy of the Lonely Planet Guide digital chapter for Liguria, Piedmont & Valle d'Aosta to help plan your journey to this fascinating region.

The first four (4) people to

• Purchase an item from the Italian Riviera Trip Designer, 
• Subscribe to Jetsettr e-news, 
• Become a friend of Jetsettr's Facebook page and/or 
•  Follow Jetsettr on Twitter will WIN!