Liguria Hot Spots: Riviera Ponente
The narrow strip of seafront in Liguria that we call the Italian Riviera is actually divided geographically into two separate regions – the Ponente, or the western strip of the Riviera, that curves up from Genova, meeting France, and the Levante, the eastern strip that reaches down towards Tuscany.
The Ponente, or the “coast of the setting sun” is full of lively summer hot spots and villages that are also host to some of Italy’s most important events, even in the off season thanks to the moderate, lovely year round climate of the Riviera. More popular with European visitors and less “posh” (but still elegant) than the nearby French Riviera, the Riviera Ponente is a great alternative to those looking for a fun but not hectic summer on the Riviera without the prices of the ritzy French side.
Sanremo is a great example of this – a lively destination during the summer and one of the Riviera Ponente’s most popular seaside cities. Famous for it’s art nouveau charm (the municipal casino brings you back to a Riviera charm from time long past), and it’s beautiful flowers (aside from tourism, flower cultivation is one of the most important industries in the city), Sanremo has been popular with European tourists since the turn of the 20th century as a summer destination. In the offseason, when not taking in the Mediterranean sun, Sanremo hosts THE music festival of the year, the Sanremo music festival, which keeps Italians glued to their television in February.
Bordighera is a lively town with an enchanting, almost English feel – and there is a good reason why. Drawn to the mild climate, this has been a popular destination for English tourists since the 1800’s and Bordighera absorbed these tourists (and eventual ex-pats) into their village. Also home to many artists and writers, this picturesque little Ligurian town has been immortalized both in art and literature many times – Monet even had a house here. Aside from it’s gardens, cafés and relaxed Riviera feel, the sea here is the star. Blue flag certified beaches and water quality, and a host of charming private stabilimento mean that you can relax on the sea in this perfect little slice of the Riviera just as you can explore the town.
Alassio is another elegant resort town on the Riviera Ponente, surrounded by stately old villas and lush vegetation that slide gently down into the town and the bluest of blue seas. Popular for it’s sandy beach (not pebbly, like many Riviera beaches), the sea also slopes down to the deep gently, making this a great spot as well for families with kids. For more sporty visitors, the nearby natural reserve of Gallinara Island is a great spot for scuba diving and exploring this perfectly preserve and uncontaminated Mediterranean vegetation.
Finale Ligure, a combination of three smaller hamlets, Finalborgo, Finale Marina, and Finalpia, truly has something for everyone, and visitors outside of the July and August busy months will have a lovely time exploring this quieter side of the Riviera. Finalborgo is a medieval, traditional Ligurian village from the 12th 
century that is just a short walk, and quite a dramatic contrast, from Finale Marina. Finalborgo was voted one of the “most beautiful villages in Italy” by the national “borghi più belli” group, and the medieval walls, historic gateways and mosaics are interesting to explore. A short walk away, you can easily arrive at the seaside promenade of Finale Marina, full of parasols for rent and sun beds and lots of open-air restaurants. The area is also popular for trekking and rock climbing, if that short seaside walk wasn’t enough activity to satisfy.
The Riviera Ponente, nestled between the glamour of the French Riviera and the always enchanting Riviera Levante and it’s world famous sites, merits a trip all of it’s own, or at least a stop. Visitors to this charming area will be rewarded with some of Italy’s most well known beach resort towns, mixed in with some charming villages on the sea, all bathed in the warn Ligurian sun.
