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Liguria Local Reference INFOrmation
Information on the national parks, nature reserves and locations for hiking, walking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities around Genoa, Imperia, Savon and La Spezia.
The Italian Riviera is particularly prone to fierce storms, heavy rainfall and rough seas. Always check weather reports before setting out.
National Parks & Nature ReservesThe Cinque Terre National ParkThis UNESCO world heritage site in the province of La Spezia covers all five Cinque Terre villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. There is a host of walking trails that link one village to the next. The route from Riomaggiore to Manarola is known as "Lover's Lane" (Via dell'Amore) due to the particularly scenic nature of the coastline. Routes available to walkers are to be found on the park website. The park also offers cycling and horse riding opportunities. The Cinque Terre National Park can be reached by train from La Spezia and Genoa. In the spring and summer there are also sea connections via La Spezia, Lerici and Porto Venere. The Carta Cinque Terre discount card allows a limited number of train trips within the park boundaries, access to all walking paths, bird-watch hides, visitor centres and botanical trails. Cards can be purchased in the park's information offices, the addresses of which are also available on the website.
There are a number of visitor centres:
The Marine Protected Area of PortofinoThe Marine Protected Area (Area Marina Protetta di Portofino) is an ecologically protected area which includes the municipalities of Camogli, Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure. The area is particularly good for sport fishing, diving, yachting and swimming, although there are strong sea currents in this area. There is a very rich and diverse fauna along this coast. Note: Swimming is only allowed in zones B and C.
The area can be reached by bus, ferry or train, with stops at Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure. Information can be obtained from the Santa Margherita Ligure Tourist Office:
Riserva Naturale Regionale di Rio TorseroThis regional nature reserve close to Ceriale, is famous amongst palaeontologists for the abundance and variety of its fossils. The reserve is home to a museum where these finds can be examined. Trails in the park include the 10 Km Ceriale to Poggio Grande route, taking in areas of natural beauty that are equally interesting from a historic point of view. The park can be reached by train; there are stops at Albenga and Ceriale. Further information can be obtained from the park's tourist information office:
Alta Via Dei Monti LiguriThis is a 400 Km excursion route linking Ventimiglia and La Spezia. Paths are well marked out with red and white markers and routes can take from a few hours to several days to traverse. The scenery changes dramatically along the way and there are marvellous views over Corsica and the Alps. Sports that can be practised in the park include hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, climbing and paragliding. Outdoor Sports in LiguriaGolfLiguria is well equipped for golf enthusiasts of all levels, with a total of five courses across the four provinces. Golf was initially played in Italy in 1903 and there is now an Italian Golf Federation with a branch in Liguria.
Climbing (Arampicata)There are good free-climbing opportunities at Monte Pietravecchia which features calcareous rock walls. There are also climbing routes with steel cables and stepways to assist climbers. There are other alpine trails in Punta Martin and Monte Penello and in the winter months, ice axes and crampons are needed for climbing the northern face of Monte Aiona. Details of trails can be found on the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri website. Imperia also has its own regional branch of the Italian Climbing Federation.
Cycling (Ciclismo)There are regional and provincial branches of the Italian Cycling Federation (Federazione Ciclista Italiana). See the Federation website for details. The Federation also organises cycling races throughout the year.
Experienced mountain bikers may wish to ride along the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri, although it must be remembered that these routes are primarily designed for walkers so paths are not ideally suited to mountain bikers. Bike riders are asked to limit their speed and never to leave the marked trails. To reserve bike excursions in the Cinque Terre national park, go to the information office in any of the five villages.
TennisThe first Italian tennis club was the Bordighera Lawn Tennis Club, founded by English residents in 1878. There is now an Italian Tennis Federation of which there are regional branches in each province of Liguria. There are many tennis courts in the region, some of which have free entrance and floodlit courts.
Sailing (Vela)The first sailing club in Italy was founded in Como in 1852 and the first in Liguria, the Regio Yacht Club Italiano, was founded in 1879 in Genoa. A list of sailing clubs in Liguria is available from the Italian Sailing Federation (Federazione Italiana Vela - FIV).
Walking & Hiking (Escursionismo)There are good walking/hiking opportunities in the Cinque Terre and Levanto areas. As well as in the parks mentioned above. The tourist office in Levanto can provide hiking information as this is the main hiking centre of Liguria. Close to the sea there are "beginner" hikes and further inland there are more challenging hikes.
Whale watching (Avvistamento di Cetacei)The Romans called the Ligurian coast the Whale Coast. It is home to a variety of sea mammals including blue dolphins and sperm whales, protected thanks to the creation of the Pelagos Marine Sanctuary which stretches from the Côte d'Azur to Tuscany. There are many companies offering whale watching excursions to raise public awareness of whale and dolphin conservation.
Further Information
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