La Dolce Vita! I finally got the opportunity to visit the Italian Riviera in October 2023. I have been all over Italy and knew this needed to be my next stop. It is such an iconic area with the most beautiful towns to explore. To start this adventure off, I rented an Airbnb and stayed in Boccadasse, Genoa for 3 nights. It’s an old, former fisherman’s village featuring pastel-colored houses with green shutters. I then made my way to Rapallo, which is a neighborhood near the infamous town, Portofino. If you’re looking to go there, Cinque Terre and all the other well known spots, then you might want to consider staying in Rapallo or Santa Margherita Ligure since it’s a great base for you to be to get around. The transportation system is easy to maneuver and very convenient to get from town to town. I took a train from Genoa to Rapallo and was there in less than an hour! I stayed in Rapallo for 4 nights. In total, I was on the coast of the Italian Riviera for 1 week. Below is a curated guide for your special stay in this beautiful part of Italia.

Genoa (Boccadasse):

Visit the iconic Boccadasse Beach
Strada Nuova Museums - Palazzo Rosso
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
Church of St. Anthony of Boccadasse
Lighthouse of Genoa
Palazzo Spinola National Gallery
Walk to Belvedere Capo Di Santa Chiara- Panoramic views of the ocean!

Food:

Barrakuda- Fantastic seafood restaurant. It’s a small, hole in the wall. I ordered both a panino and mixed fried fish in a cone. Both were delicious.
La Strambata- I came here in the morning for my cappuccino and cornetto. Quaint and right on the water!
Del Ponte Bistrot- This was a damn good pizza if I do say so myself. You won’t be disappointed.
Grab a gelato at Caffè Cremeria Ciarapica
Gelateria Pisacane- Another great place to grab gelato.

Portofino:

To get here, you can either take a boat or a bus. I took bus 782 from Santa Margherita to Portofino. It takes about 15 minutes total to get from one end to the other and the busses come pretty regularly! You can buy a bus ticket at Santa Margherita train station. They will most likely direct you to the coffee shop they have that sells bus tickets.

Area Marina Protetta di Portofino- Natural Preserve
Santa Margherita Ligure- A local town nearby with a great beach, shopping and restaurants!
Castello Brown- Stunning castle in Portofino
Marina di Portofino- Where all the boats dock. It’s really cool to see!
Faro di Portofino- Lighthouse
Baia Cannone- One of the infamous places to beach at. I got lucky and arrived when no one was there which hardly ever happens so maybe October isn’t so bad to visit!
Paraggi- Another great beach to check out.
Rapallo Castle
Rapallo Montallegro Cable Car
San Michele di Pagana

Food:

Hotel Belmond Splendido- Dinner with a view. Great food as well. Indulge in the seafood and regional wines.
The Eight- Roasted Octopus is out of this world. Good for a light or full spread dinner.
Langosteria a Paraggi- Fantastic oysters
Delfino Pizza- Known for its super thin pizza, it comes with a variety of toppings.
Pastificio Dasso- Their fresh pasta was unbelievable.
Pezzi- Order the farinata, an Italian-style flatbread made with chickpea flour.
La Trattoria- A Ligurian restaurant. Great for traditional/local dishes.
Ristorante Puny- A famous dining location for good reason. Known for it’s fresh, home-made pasta.
Gelateria Gepi Portofino- Looking for a sweet tooth? This gelateria serves great Gelato for those hot, sunny days walking around the city.

Cinque Terre:

I only visited 3 out of the 5 towns while in Cinque Terre. I went to Riomaggiore, Monterosso, and Manarola. Easy/best to get to via train! If you’re looking to stay over night in these areas, then Airbnb is the way to go as these are tiny towns by the water.

Spend a day at the beach in Monterosso! The water is so clear and the colorful umbrellas are out during summer, covering the entire beach strip. It’s a fun time!
Manarola was great to stop through when on the way back to Rapallo. I was only here for a few hours and had lunch at Trattoria dal Billy.
Enjoy the scenic spot that is Riomaggiore. It’s definitely worth going to, even if you’re just passing through. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep in mind, it’s a huge tourist destination.

Lucca:

Okay, this is a bit far out but if you have read my other blog posts, you know by now I am an adventurous traveler. When I kept hearing amazing things about this city, I knew I had to take 1 day to explore it. Do I wish I could have stayed longer? Absolutely. But alas, that wasn’t the case. I took the train from Rapallo, where my base was and it took me about 2 hours one way. I made sure to leave early in the morning so I could have all day there.

Grab a drink in Plaza del Anfiteatro
Have lunch at In Pasta- Cibo e Convivio. The food is unbelievable. Most importantly, the tiramisu is out of this world. Highly recommend!
See the Guinigi Tower
Cathedral of Lucca
Roam around Palazzo Pfanner
Go to the Botantical Gardens of Lucca
The Baptistery of St. John
Porta San Pietro
Rent a bike! The best way to the city. You will see some other people doing this as it’s a very common means of getting around.