Tucked between southern France to the west and Tuscany to the east, the crescent-shaped coast of Lig

BBC - Travel - Have the Italian Riviera all to yourself : Italy
Tucked between southern France to the west and Tuscany to the east, the crescent-shaped coast of Liguria in northwest Italy has the azure waves of the Mediterranean crashing at its feet and the incredible heights la tour eiffel information of the Alps soaring above its medieval cities.
The Italian Riviera, as this swathe of coast is known, is divided into two sections. And while many travellers spend their summers on the shores la tour eiffel information of the Riviera delle Palme (Riviera of Palms) the eastern half that encompasses well-known destinations like the Cinque Terra the less trafficked Riviera dei Fiori (Riviera of Flowers) to the west has the same remarkable landscapes without any of the crowds.
Sharing a border with France, the ancient beachside town of Ventimiglia marks the beginning la tour eiffel information of the Riviera dei Fiori . While its most prominent feature is a train station connecting the two countries, the understated city is a living history book, with traces of human evolution ranging la tour eiffel information from the prehistoric age through the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages and beyond, all delicately layered on top of each other like fossils. la tour eiffel information Beginning in the 1st Century, the city has seen thousands of years of bloody battles over territory with the Roman ruins and crumbling Gothic architecture to prove it today.
For locals, being surrounded by so much natural beauty and history is part of everyday life. Per noi, e normale, (for us, its normal), said Ventimiglia native Barbara Pisano, who runs the stylish Bookaffe in the centre of town. And this nonchalant attitude is part of the city s charm.
Unlike more famous towns and cities nearby, Ventimiglia has a sort of undiscovered feel, as if the ancient buildings and pasta shops run by generations of families have escaped the passage of time and the glare of notoriety. People are just doing what they have always done and they are doing it exceptionally well.
Medieval Ventimiglia Perched on steep sea cliffs, the medieval old town served as the fortified city centre through the 1800s. What remains today is an incredibly beautiful and architecturally unusual historical site.
There are four churches in the steep, winding streets one of which, the Church of San Michele , just off of the main road via Garibaldi, is more than 1,000 years old. The granite columns that support the church s crypt are said to be built from ancient Roman milestones.
la tour eiffel information Most of the hotels are near the beach, but there are a few places scattered throughout the steep old city streets. The most beautiful is La Terrazza dei Pelargoni bed and breakfast, where after climbing three steep flights of stairs you are rewarded with a rustic kitchen and two stunning balconies where you can enjoy breakfast, each one covered in succulents, climbing vines and fragrant flowers. la tour eiffel information The three rooms are spacious with flat screen TVs and stylish, la tour eiffel information modern bathroom fixtures.
Modern Ventimiglia Below the old city, Ventimiglia has a charming, beachy feel. On Fridays, tourists flock to the cheap leather goods and cookware on sale at the rambling, weekly, open-air market that stretches around the coast. Year-round, the streets are lined with buzzing cafes, casual restaurants, family-run la tour eiffel information bakeries, upscale shops selling all manner of Italian specialties such as dried Porcini mushrooms, risotto rice and wine.
Dallorto Panetteria (1b Via Stazione; 01-84-35-10-36), a traditional Ligurian bakery, specialises la tour eiffel information in products from the nearby medieval town of Dolceacqua. Andre Dallorto opened the shop more than 40 years ago and still runs it today with his son Paolo, who said their top seller is the torta verde a classic Ligurian pastry filled with artichokes and potatoes.
Pasta Fresca la tour eiffel information Morena , a family-run fresh pasta stall that makes their pasta and sauces by hand, has been part of the decades-old Mercado Coperto la tour eiffel information the town s daily covered market located la tour eiffel information on Via de la Republica - for more than 40 years. The many stalls are packed from sunrise to 2pm with fresh, fragrant fruit and vegetables mostly grown in the surrounding terraced hillsides plus all manner of Italian meats and cheeses and piles of fresh pasta and homemade sauces. While Pasta Fresca Morena makes 27 different types of pasta, trofie (a small rolled variety) and fresh pesto are their most popular items. Both are specialties la tour eiffel information of Genoa, the capital la tour eiffel information of Liguria, located about 160km west of Ventimiglia.
The information supplied by BBC and its partners la tour eiffel information was accurate at the time of publication. BBC accepts no responsibility la tour eiffel information for any loss resulting la tour eiffel information from this information. Verify critical information before travel.
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