Liguria is a narrow, crescent-shaped region in northwest Italy, hugging the Mediterranean between the Alps, the Apennines, and the sea. Known as the Italian Riviera, it is famous for the five cliffside villages of the Cinque Terre, the glamorous harbour of Portofino, and the maritime city of Genoa. Liguria is also the birthplace of pesto, focaccia, and a culinary tradition built around the sea and the steep, terraced coast.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Cinque Terre from Genoa or La Spezia
The five colorful fishing villages clinging to dramatic Ligurian cliffs - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso - form a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy's most spectacular coastlines. From Genoa or La Spezia the villages are an easy and rewarding day trip linked by the frequent Cinque Terre Express train and by seasonal ferries.
Highlights: Hiking the coastal Sentiero Azzurro between villages · Swimming at Monterosso Beach, the only sandy village · Seafood and pesto lunch in Vernazza's harbor · Photographing Manarola's stacked pastel houses at sunset
Portofino & San Fruttuoso from Genoa
Portofino is the iconic horseshoe harbor of pastel houses and superyachts at the tip of a green promontory, while nearby San Fruttuoso hides a medieval Benedictine abbey in a cove reachable only by boat or on foot. Combining the two - ideally by ferry - makes one of the Riviera's most memorable day trips from Genoa.
Highlights: Portofino's pastel harbor and Castello Brown viewpoint · The cliffside abbey of San Fruttuoso, accessible only by sea or trail · The bronze Christ of the Abyss statue submerged off San Fruttuoso · Swimming and seafood in secluded coves
Portovenere & Gulf of Poets from La Spezia
Portovenere is a strikingly beautiful medieval fishing village at the southern edge of the Cinque Terre park, with a colorful seafront, a hilltop castle, and the Church of San Pietro perched dramatically on the rocks beside Byron's Grotto. Less crowded than the Cinque Terre itself, it sits at the head of the Gulf of Poets, with boat trips to Palmaria Island and excellent seafood.
Highlights: Church of San Pietro on the headland and Byron's Grotto · The colorful tower-house seafront and Doria castle · Boat trips to Palmaria Island for swimming and caves · Seafood restaurants along the harbor
Sanremo & Dolceacqua from the Riviera di Ponente
Sanremo is the glamorous capital of the Riviera dei Fiori, famed for its Italian Song Festival, Belle Epoque villas, Liberty-style casino, and onion-domed Russian Orthodox church. A short trip inland leads to Dolceacqua, a medieval village dominated by a Doria castle and crossed by a high single-arch stone bridge that Claude Monet painted in 1884.
Highlights: Sanremo's casino, Russian church, and Pigna old town · The seafront cycling promenade along the old railway · Dolceacqua's medieval hump-backed bridge painted by Monet · Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC red wine tasting
Hanbury Gardens, Ventimiglia & the French Border
The Giardini Botanici Hanbury spread across the La Mortola promontory near the French border, an 18-hectare estate planted by Sir Thomas Hanbury from 1867 with around 5,800 species from five continents - cacti, palms, citrus, and exotic blooms cascading toward the sea. The same trip can cross the border to elegant Menton or the principality of Monaco within minutes.
Highlights: Subtropical terraced gardens descending to the Mediterranean · Around 5,800 plant species from five continents · Views across the bay toward the French Riviera · Easy add-on to Menton (France) or Monaco by train
Sestri Levante & the Bay of Silence from Genoa
Sestri Levante, the 'town of two seas,' sits on a narrow isthmus between two bays - the tranquil Baia del Silenzio (Bay of Silence), framed by colorful fishing houses, and the broader Baia delle Favole (Bay of Fairytales), named by Hans Christian Andersen, who stayed here. It makes a relaxed, beach-focused day trip from Genoa with a charming old town behind the sands.
Highlights: The serene, photogenic Baia del Silenzio · Baia delle Favole, named after Hans Christian Andersen · The colorful old town and seafront promenade · Sandy beaches and calm swimming water
Milan from Genoa
Italy's capital of fashion and finance is an easy 90-minute train ride from Genoa, making a big-city day trip feasible. Highlights include the soaring Gothic Duomo and its rooftop terraces, the glass-roofed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (book far ahead), the Brera district, and the Navigli canals for aperitivo.
Highlights: The marble Duomo and its rooftop terraces · Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade · Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie (reserve ahead) · Brera galleries and Navigli canal aperitivo
Pisa & Lucca from Genoa or La Spezia
Just over the Tuscan border, Pisa and Lucca pair perfectly for a cross-region day trip from Liguria. Pisa offers the Leaning Tower and the marble ensemble of the Piazza dei Miracoli, while walled Lucca - 25 minutes away by train - charms with its intact Renaissance ramparts (walkable and cyclable), Romanesque churches, and the oval Piazza dell'Anfiteatro.
Highlights: Pisa's Leaning Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery at the Piazza dei Miracoli · Cycling Lucca's complete tree-lined Renaissance city walls · Lucca's Piazza dell'Anfiteatro built on a Roman arena · Tuscan cuisine and wine across the regional border
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Genoa to Cinque Terre or Portofino from €70 per person including transport and guide
- Private
- Private car hire with driver from €90/half day; hotel concierge can book; useful for Portofino and inland villages
- Public
- Trenitalia and the Cinque Terre Express serve the whole coast; check timetables at trenitalia.com or on the app
- Rental
- Car rental from €40/day; useful for Riviera dei Fiori and inland hills, though cars are banned in Portofino centre and impractical in Cinque Terre
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Book Frecciarossa and Intercity tickets in advance on Trenitalia for the cheapest fares - prices rise with demand
The Cinque Terre Express and coastal regional trains are the backbone of Riviera day trips - buy the Cinque Terre Card for unlimited village hops
Ferries (Golfo Paradiso, Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio, Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti) run roughly late March to October and are the most scenic way along the coast
Portofino, San Fruttuoso, and the Cinque Terre villages are largely car-free - arrive by train or boat rather than driving
Western Riviera trips (Sanremo, Dolceacqua, Ventimiglia, Hanbury Gardens) combine the coastal train with Riviera Trasporti buses up the inland valleys