HappyTrvlr

We'll will be driving from Nice to the Piemonte region of Italy in June and are considering stopping off somewhere on the Riviera Ponente in Liguria for a night or two. We've been to the Riveira Levante( Santa Margherita Ligure, Camogli, CInque Terre, and Portovenere) on earlier trips and enjoyed it all tremendously. Can anyone recommend a town with some charm on this section west of Genoa that isn't an overbuilt resort, crowded with tourists? Or should we bypass this area? We love seafood and that is a major attraction for us. We will be returning to France to return our rental car and fly back to the US at the end of our trip.

zoecat

The town of Noli sounds like it fits your description.

dfourh

I love SanRemo. It is in some ways a dense, busy place, but it is an Italian classic and a feast for the eye (with a great market), if you like vibrant, alive, but somehow still glowingly radiant Riviera life. Bordighera is kind of pretty but not real exciting. The old town at the top of Imperia is a remarkable surprise, and makes for a great visit, as does Albenga. Most other places, like Alassio and Finale Ligure, are more simple beach towns, though the beaches are great. I love taking the bus between busy Ventimiglia (they have a vibrant street market) along the coast through Bordighera and Ospedale to SanRemo. In some ways it is a tight, bustling stretch, but it is a densely Italian dolce vita, and is just packed with an immense variety of aspects and images.

HappyTrvlr

I have looked at Noli but wonder if the surrounding areas are very built up, industrial, etc. Have you visited Noli, Zoecat, or know someone who has been there? TI read tha section of the Riviera described as a sprawl, industrial, jam packed with tourists. But Noli does sound nice.

zeppole

Why don't you buy David Downie's "Food and Wine to the Italian Riviera and Genoa" and look at his recommendations for great food along that coastal stretch of the Riviera, and then google up pictures of the towns that sound good to you?

One reason I suggest your looking at his book is that if you have a car, you can also make forays up into the Ligurian hills, which are really quite fascinating, and Downie describes them well.

You do have to cherry pick your spots along the Ponente if what you are looking for is "not-a-concrete-building-in-sight-thank-you". There are some coves and fishing villages that will do you, but other parts do look like the southern coast of France, I'm afraid. But in June, it won't be overrun with tourists at all.

Were it me, I might look to stay a bit up in the hills, in an olive oil farm, but drive to lunch by the sea. Or stay in one of the historic hilltowns. Many are incredibly atmospheric and peaceful.

zeppole

I should also mention that Downie's book has beautiful pictures.

HappyTrvlr

Thanks for all the information about this area,zoecat, dfourh and Zeppole. Zeppole, your "not a concrete building in sight" is exactly what I mean.I'll try to get a copy of the book
but in the meantime, Zeppole do you have any comments on Noli?
I really want to stay on the coast as we'll be in Piemonte, Emilia-Romana and Tuscany after this, five weeks,and we'd like to be near the water for a few days.

HappyTrvlr

Ttt

zeppole

I haven't been to Noli. Here are some pics:

http://www.jczinn.com/Italy/Italy%20...talyindex.html

http://bellavitaitalia.blogspot.com/

tdk320n

TTT

ekscrunchy

Does this offer any help?

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-to-see.cfm

zeppole

PS Happy Trvlr,

it occurs to me to add that the only reason I've yet to visit Noli is that I live on the Riviera Levante, and have guessed that Noli is a great deal like the towns I see pretty much every day -- so if I'm going to bother to get up out of the lounge chair to go someplace, it's usually to see something very different. I seem to recall reading trip reports in various places (here, Slow Travel, etc) where people who went to Noli felt they'd discovered a gem and wondered why the whole world wasn't stampeding to be there. But can't verify from personal experience.

I clicked onto the link that ekscrunchy provided and must say that some of the postings reflect an awful lot of ignorance or prejudice against the Ponente. If you get off the autostrada, there are actually at least a half dozen towns with very pretty vistas and historic centers, and lots of true Riviera food and fun. The Riviera Levante is the super-tourist attraction for "quaint" and "shop", but the Ponente is a great place to kick back, swim and eat, with many attractive spots.

nochblad

For those of you not familiar with Liguria there are two parts - the Levante and Ponente. In other words the eastern side (Levante) where the sun rises and the Ponente where it sets.

As in many areas of Italy who is familiar with one side is not so familiar with the other (as Zeppole admits). Living in Como I am very familiar with the western section of Lake Como but quite unfamiliar with the eastern leg. I have been to Lecco but in over 30 years have never been to Varenna!

Equally, even within sub-sections such as Liguria Levante (nicer than the Ponente I my opinion) not everyone knows their region that well. This is the beauty of Italy. I have a good friend from Genova and always enjoy going out with him but was surprised to know that he was totally unaware of a dish for La Spezia. Everyone has had trofie al pesto but he had never had testaroli. Zeppole ....?

zeppole

If you are asking me if I've ever eaten testaroli, I certainly have. You can actually buy it where I live vacuum-packed. I would quibble, however, with calling it a dish from La Spezia. It is a dish I associate with the Lunigiana, an area that doesn't exist anymore on official maps, but historically was centered around the old Roman port of Luni, that was used to ship Carrara marble from the Tuscan hills down to Rome. Testaroli is part Ligurian, part Tuscan. (For what it's worth, my favorite way to eat pesto is over lasagne noodles, which is quite common around the Portofino promontorio.)

As for the differences between the Ponente and the Levante, to me they are mainly are about landscape rather than architectural. The towns of the Riviera, from la Spezia all the way into France, almost uniformly have the same configuration and architecture. Menton is really not much different from Rapallo architecturally. There is plenty of Ponente-style concrete around Recco or Deiva Marina and ringing Lavagna. But the very dramatic juxtaposition of mountains smack against the sea in the Levante gives way in most of the Ponente to deeper, flatter beaches and lower hills -- which is precisely why it experienced a building explosion of resort hotels and le Cinque Terre never did.

It is very common to meet residents of the Riviera Levante who have not only never been to the Riviera Ponente, they have never been to the town 2 stops up the train line. And in reality, there is seldom anything in that town that isn't in your town too, so it is perfectly understandable.

But what is nice about the Ponente, I think, is that it isn't on the mass-tourist track. Lots of Italians vacation there, and some northern Europeans, but it has retained a very local character.

HappyTrvlr

Zeppole and Ekscrunchy thanks so much for the links. The photos are so helpful. I have thought about driving back to Camogli but it doesn't make sense as we are traveling from Nice to Alba.I figured there has to be somewhere that meet our criteria. I like the fact that the Riviera Ponenete isn't on the "mass tourism track." Many of the reviews of hotels and BnBs on Trip Advisor are in Italian. I am thinking about booking in Noli. You have all been wonderful to share your knowledge of this area. Thanks again.I'll let you know where we end up and how we liked it.HT

nochblad

Zeppole - I said it was from La Spezia for the benefit of most readers but in fact I always have eaten it at Sarzana which is of course close to the area you refer to.

HappyTrvlr

Zeppole, I read your trip report on the Val d'Aosta where you went without reservations. We are thinking of going to the Piedmonte in June without any and wonder if that will be a problem? So often we wish we could stay longer in one place or leave another early..

HappyTrvlr

We stopped in Noli, Liguria overnight on our way from Tuscany to Nice and found it to be a delightful small town set on a beautiful bay. Noli has a medieval quarter with winding streets and alleys, a beautiful beach and palm lined waterfront avenue.There is also a large castle up on the hill.
We stayed at the historic Palazzo Vescovile, the former Bishop's Palace, up on the hill with sweeping sea views. Access is by elevator from an area next to the sea, up to a funicular.You ring a buzzer and staff come down to take your luggage up and another leads you to their safe, protected free parking.
Our room was a duplex with the sleeping area upstairs, good a/c,and a bonus was a 15th century fresco on the wall.
Dinner outside overlooking the sea at their Michelin star restaurant Il Vescovane was superb, The service and our seafood dinners were both excellent. Reservations are a must as Il Vescovile filled up quickly. Noli is a gem on the Riviera Ponente and highly recommended if you are driving through this area.

SuQue

Sounds lovely and a good option.

bettyo70

Hi Everyone,

Hope you don't mind that I'm jumping on this thread to find out if NOLI is a good Homebase for us when we visit Liguria in late-September.

We've been to Camogli and hiked Cinque Terre a few years ago, and loved it. That's why we're wondering if another part of Liguria would be a good idea. We plan on doing the following:

--explore the prehistoric caves
--more scenic hikes and boat trips
--exploring Medieval Quarters and Castles
--taking a dip in the water would be nice too, but we're not crazy about those paid beaches where every bit of space is sectioned off

Also thinking of renting a convertible and running around the French border.

Would love to hear your recommendations. Grazie mille!