The Italian Riviera—more than twice the length of its Côte d’Azur counterpart—runs for over 300 kilometers along the Ligurian coast, starting at the French border and finishing up where Tuscany begins. It’s a long ramble of coastal bliss, with plenty of reasons to visit this summer: there are new and reimagined hotels (some with frescoes), a concierge-serviced villa, an enticing Portofino‑coast beach escape, and a three‑Michelin‑star chef reinventing beach‑club dining. Plus, plenty of updates from the region’s best-known properties.
NEW PLACES TO STAYA lavish villa near Portofino
Villa Amore, located in Zoagli , a town near Portofino, dates from the 1920s.
Courtesy of Villa Amore
In Zoagli, an under-the-radar town not far from Portofino, the Art Deco Villa Amore, a luxury dwelling with concierge services, is now available for booking. Perched hillside, the salmon-colored villa dating from 1928 (Zoagli was a popular destination for European elites in the 1920s and 1930s), overlooks the glittery Gulf of Tigullio; it was recently restored by the Ranza family, who own the stylish Senato Hotel Milano, a mainstay during the city’s fashion and design weeks. There are spacious living areas and five bedrooms
The villa’s infinity pool.
Courtesy of Villa Amore
decorated with a mix of period antiques, modern pieces, lush fabrics and heritage wallpapers. Panoramic terraces and an infinity pool afford spectacular views of one of Italy’s most glamorous coastlines, which includes the Portofino peninsula. Villa Amore also has a private gym and Mediterranean garden. Beach club access, Vespa tours and private boat charters can be arranged through the property. (The villa requires a five-day minimum stay in high season.)
A Liberty-style hotel in Rapallo with suites and apartments
This summer in Rapallo, AN Hotels will open the Elysium Portofino Coast, an intimate four-star hotel housed in a Liberty-style dwelling. Built in the early twentieth century, the Elysium overlooks the Rapallo harbor and Tigullio Gulf and is set up for both short and long stays. Accommodations will include 17 suites with equipped kitchens and either terraces or balconies; some will have garden settings. Two apartments will also come with kitchens and terraces that offer sweeping sea-views. Plans are for the Elysium to have an in-house restaurant which will be open to non-guests.
A frescoed palazzo in Imperia
Oneglia, a district in Imperia.
getty
Imperia is one of the western Italian Riviera’s lesser-known getaways, but visitors looking for new seaside destinations have a fresh reason to come here with the debut of the boutique hotel, Palazzo Ricardi. A former home for a local aristocratic family, the palazzo was built in the late 18th century, although it was a century later that the building and its then-owners became prominent in city life. There are only four suites —each with frescoes—furnished with a mix of classic and modern Roche Bobois pieces. In addition, there’s a pool and spa, along with a separate private villa to rent.
La Spezia for the yachting crowd
Liguria has various ports, like those in Genoa, Portofino and Cala del Forte in Ventimiglia, that can welcome superyachts and megayachts. La Spezia, a city near Cinque Terre, offers two marinas for very big boats—Porto Mirabello, which can berth yachts up to 140 meters, and Porto Lotti, over 100 meters. For yachties looking to make a land-based pit stop, there’s the recently-opened Porto Lotto Suite Hotel, with 12 large rooms located in the upper portion of the marina’a club house, a restaurant, infinity pool, spa and gym.
HOTEL UPDATESA frescoed landmark in Genoa
Genoa, one of Italy’s busiest seaports, is the capital of the Italian Riviera, or more precisely, its region, Liguria. With a large medieval center and many fine museums, the city is always worth a visit.
The Palazzo Durazzo Suites are located in a historic, 17th-century property.
Courtesy of the Palazzo Durazzo Suites
For a taste of historic Genoa, head to the Palazzo Durazzo Suites, a five-star luxury boutique hotel set in one of Genoa’s famed Rolli Palaces (which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site). In the 16th and 17th centuries, when Genoa was at its financial peak as a seafaring republic, these typically Baroque palazzi, owned by the city’s elites, were chosen by the government to host visiting dignitaries.
A suite with a frescoed ceiling.
COURTESY OF THE PALAZZO DURAZZO SUITES
Dating from from 1626, the Palazzo Durazzo, located in the city’s medieval district opposite Porto Antico (the old port), began with 12 distinct suites, some with magnificent frescoes and moldings; the rooms are decorated with a blend of antiques and contemporary art and furniture. Eight new suites, each with its own design, will be added this June. In addition, Il Capriccio, the in-house restaurant, will be open for dinner, and the property will be arranging custom boat charters to coastal spots like Portofino and Cinque Terre.
Portofino’s grand Splendido
A view of Portofino harbor from the Splendido’s pool.
COURTESY OF the Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
The Italian Riviera’s grande dame, the Hotel Splendido (a Belmond Hotel), recently underwent a multi-year renovation helmed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio that included a refurbished main building, bar and pool area, and the addition of a permanent Dior Spa. This year, the fabled resort, a magnet for celebrities since the 1950s and tech tycoons in more recent times, introduces a number of what the hotel is calling “signature suites,” offering additional amenities and services.
An outdoor space of the Dior Spa.
COURTESY OF the Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
These special accommodations offer themed decor and experiences: the Flora Suite, located in the hotel’s garden, has a private terrace and design that includes floral boiserie. Botanical-focused experiences in the Portofino area or on-site are among the curated happenings that can be arranged. The San Fruttuoso suite, named after the important medieval abbey nearby, offers exceptional views of Portofino’s bay, a living room with a spacious dining
The new bar area.
COURTESY OF the Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
area, and for a memorable outing, the opportunity to sail to the abbey in San Fruttuoso to learn about its history. The aptly named La Dolce Vita suite, also in a garden with great sea views, comes with the chance to learn more about the hotel’s storied past from a place where a lot of its history happened (or was discussed)—the cocktail lounge—recounted by a master bartender who is steeped in Splendido lore.
Sanremo news
The Royal Hotel Sanremo.
Courtesy of Royal Hotel Sanremo
The Royal Hotel Sanremo, a gracious five-star Belle Epoque landmark, is one of the Riviera’s best-value luxury offerings.This year, the 126-room resort added a penthouse suite to its line-up (there are 14 other suites), designed to take advantage of the hotel’s superb vantage point overlooking the Ligurian Sea. The new one-bedroom suite comes with a corner terrace furnished with sunbeds, a living room, two bathrooms and stunning coastal views.
The hotel recently added a new penthouse suite.
Courtesy of Royal Hotel Sanremo
Other news: a revamped lobby area called the the Lawrence Lounge (named after the hotel’s founder) now provides all-day dining. A few steps from the lounge is the Royal’s heated saltwater pool, which was designed by the influential architect Gio Ponti, often described as “the father of modern design,” in the late 1940s to look like a natural lagoon. The Royal hosts cocktail parties poolside for guests each Wednesday evening.
Sestri Levante Updates
The hotel’s recent renovation includes refurbished rooms and suites.
Courtesy of Hotel Vis à Vis
Dining with a view at Hotel Vis-a-Vis.
Courtesy of Hotel Vis à Vis
The Hotel Vis à Vis, perched on a hill with sweeping views of Sestri’s two famous bays, the Baia di Silenzio and the Baia delle Favole, offers some of the the best vistas on the Italian Riviera. (Nicolò Mori, the hotel’s CEO, says you can see all the way to the French-Italian border more than 200 kilometers away on a clear day.) The well-positioned four-star property just completed a major renovation with a new facade, refreshed rooms and suites (there are 15 suites among the 42 rooms, a third of which have sea views) that are decorated in white with accent colors, refurbished balconies and new panoramic cocktail areas. For dining with those spectacular views, head to the hotel’s Deck Zeus Sky Bar or the Olimpia restaurant, known for its sophisticated tasting menus. The Vis à Vis also has a popular restaurant, Portobello, at another location right on the Baia di Silenzio.
The Hotel Miramare & Spa is the only hotel in Sestri Levante that has a private sandy beach, which is located on the Baia del Silenzio, one of Sestri’s two distinct coastal areas. The Miramare, seeing interest in the town’s idyllic location outside peak tourist months, will now stay open year-round.
There’s a new wellness area, with a variety of deep relaxation treatments, some paired with aperitifs and sea-view dining to help you unwind even further. The hotel has a sister property, Miramare Suites, on Sestri’s other bay, Baia della Favole, with a popular restaurant, La Locanda Carmagnini, to complement the Miramare’s Baia del Silenzio, known for its seafood and exquisite on-the-water location.
In Portovenere’s historic center
Portovenere’s Colonna 24, a stylish B&B in the heart of the town’s centro storico with easy access to everything in this colorful fishing village, is now available to rent in its entirety for family or group travel. There are five bedrooms and one junior suite, all designed in a sleek, modern style. Colonna 24 arranges private boating excursions, from one-and-a-half to eight hours, in the highly photogenic Golfo dei Poeti and to Cinque Terre,
BEACH CLUBSA new beach haven on the Portofino coast
ö Magazín’s Bagni Michele in San Michele di Pagana.
Courtesy of ö Magazín
In addition to its famous namesake town, the Portofino Coast is home to a cluster of dolce-vita ready villages on the Gulf of Tigullio. Beach clubs are at a premium in many areas, so it’s welcome news for sun-worshipers that a new lido (an Italian term for beach club) is opening this summer in the exquisite hamlet of San Michele di Pagana, next to Rapallo.
An initiative of the Ligurian hospitality group, ö Magazín, with restaurants in Portofino, Rapallo and Paraggi, the Bagni San Michele will be the company’s first combination bistro and beach club. The lido will be open from breakfast to sunset and provide seaside service, umbrellas and sunbeds.
Beach lovers can also head to Paraggi, with its oh-so-chic sandy beach next to Portofino. For the second year, the group will offer the ö Magazín in Spiaggia restaurant at Paraggi’s Bagni Bosetti, a top gathering spot for decades. At these ö Magazín locations, expect locally sourced Ligurian seafood dishes, a pied dans l’eau dining experience—and a heavenly day at the beach.
Balzi Rossi on the French-Italian border
On the extreme western end of the Italian Riviera in the hamlet of Grimaldi Inferiore, you’ll find one of the most memorable beach clubs in all of Italy, La Spiaggetta dei Balzi Rossi. An alluring seaside haven, La Spiaggetta not only offers a heady dose of Riviera bliss, but some serious historical bona fides, because of its location near the Balzi Rossi caves, one of the continent’s most notable archaeological sites. This intimate beach club with only a few rows of loungers (you can find up to 30 at other lidos In Italy), offers a languorous setting and clear aqua seas that attracts many visitors not only from Italy, but also from the nearby Côte d’Azur, no small feat considering the French Riviera’s world-famous coastal attractions.
Mauro Colagreco, the famous three-Michelin-star chef. (Photo by ZOULERAH NORDDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
La Spiaggetta, run by Vera Kovacs and Gualtiero Gatto, will offer new experiences this summer, including sunset aperitivo cruises and fast boat transfers from Monaco, Sanremo and Ventimiglia. But the club’s big news is that celebrity chef Mauro Colagreco, famous for his three-Michelin star restaurant, Mirazur, in nearby Menton (France), is now overseeing La Spiaggetta’s restaurant a few meters from the sea. Colagreco will bring a fresh sophistication to beach-club fare at this sought-after dining spot with locally sourced Ligurian and French ingredients. In addition, there will be specially themed evenings with dining and music, and movie screenings on the beach.