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.
Best photo spots
Iconic and lesser-known locations worth shooting.
Manarola at Blue Hour (Punta Bonfiglio)
The definitive Cinque Terre postcard - pastel tower-houses cascading down a ravine to a tiny harbour, with vineyard terraces above. The Punta Bonfiglio promontory by the cemetery and Nessun Dorma bar gives the classic elevated view.
Best time: Blue hour, 20-40 minutes after sunset when the house lights glow against deep blue sky
Tip: Arrive 45-60 minutes before sunset to claim a railing spot on the promontory · Bracket exposures so lit windows and the remaining sky both hold detail · A 24-70mm zoom covers the full cluster; around 35-50mm isolates the core houses · Bring a tripod and remote or 2-second timer for clean blue-hour long exposures · Nearest toilets and water are back in Manarola village near the harbour
Vernazza Harbour from the Coastal Trail
A short climb up the Blue Trail toward Monterosso reveals the iconic view of Vernazza's natural harbour, the octagonal bell tower of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia, and the amphitheatre of pastel houses wrapping the cove.
Best time: Late afternoon golden hour; sunrise for an empty harbour
Tip: Climb 5-15 minutes up the Monterosso trail to the first overlooks for the classic frame · Place the church bell tower as an off-centre anchor and let the harbour lead the eye · A 24-70mm range works; go wider for the full amphitheatre, longer to compress the houses · Carry a Cinque Terre Trekking Card, usually required to walk this trail section · Go at sunrise for an empty harbour and calm water; wear proper footwear on the stone steps
Riomaggiore Harbour
Tower-houses in saturated reds, yellows, and oranges stack up the ravine above a slipway of pulled-up boats. The rocks and stairs to the left of the harbour give the classic vantage.
Best time: Sunset and blue hour, when the west-facing harbour catches warm light and reflections
Tip: Shoot from the rocks left of the harbour so the houses pile toward the sky · Go at sunset into blue hour for warm facades then lit windows and reflections · A 24-70mm zoom suits the scene; around 35mm balances houses and foreground boats · Wear grippy shoes and watch footing on the wet, uneven rocks near the water · Nearest toilets and water are up in the village along Via Colombo
Portofino Piazzetta and Harbour
A horseshoe of tall ochre-and-pink houses, luxury yachts, and green hillside reflected in the still inner harbour. The path up to Castello Brown and the church of San Giorgio gives the classic high-angle view.
Best time: Golden hour and blue hour; dusk for lit reflections in the harbour
Tip: Climb the steps toward Castello Brown for the high-angle harbour shot · At water level, frame the piazzetta cafes with the boats and reflections behind · Use a 24-70mm zoom; go wider on the quay and longer to compress the facades from above · Shoot golden into blue hour on a calm evening for the cleanest reflections · Arrive by ferry or bus from Santa Margherita as car access and parking are restricted
Boccadasse Fishing Cove
A tiny crescent beach at the eastern end of Corso Italia, with wooden fishing boats hauled onto the pebbles and tall pastel houses rising directly from the water - a perfectly preserved fishing village inside the city of Genoa.
Best time: Sunrise, when the east-facing cove glows, and blue hour for the lit houses
Tip: Get low among the beached boats and use a hull or prow as foreground · Shoot at dawn when light pours straight into the east-facing cove and crowds are gone · A 24-70mm or even a wide 16-35mm captures the full arc of houses from the beach · Pick a windless morning for mirror-still reflections of the facades · Combine with a walk along Corso Italia; cafes and toilets are a short stroll away
Abbazia di San Fruttuoso from the Bay
A 10th-13th century Benedictine abbey wedged into a hidden cove on the Portofino promontory, reachable only by boat or trail, framed by wooded cliffs and clear turquoise water. The bronze Christ of the Abyss lies offshore.
Best time: Midday to early afternoon, when high sun reaches into the steep south-facing cove
Tip: Shoot from the boat on arrival with the abbey centred between the cliffs · Use a polarising filter to cut glare and bring out the turquoise water colour · A 24-70mm zoom covers the cove; go wider only if the boat sits close in · Visit late morning to early afternoon when high sun reaches into the steep cove · Take an early or late sailing to avoid the busiest midday crowds on the small beach
Camogli Seafront Houses and Punta Chiappa
Unusually tall, narrow houses in gelato colours with painted trompe-l'oeil balconies line the seafront. From the headland of Punta Chiappa you get the whole town set against the Golfo Paradiso.
Best time: Late afternoon golden hour; blue hour for the lit promenade
Tip: Shoot from the breakwater looking back so the coloured facades stack edge to edge · Pick a calm, windless morning for mirror reflections of the houses in the water · Use a 24-70mm zoom; a longer lens compresses the facades into a denser wall of colour · Walk or take a boat to Punta Chiappa for the wide town-and-gulf composition · Arrive by train on the Genoa-La Spezia line; cafes and toilets line the seafront
Baia del Silenzio, Sestri Levante
A near-circular sheltered bay rimmed by pastel houses standing right at the waterline, with boats and a curving sandy beach. The terraces by the Convento dell'Annunziata above add a higher angle.
Best time: Sunrise over the east-facing bay; blue hour for lit waterfront houses reflected in calm water
Tip: Frame the arc of houses reflected in the bay with a moored boat for foreground scale · Shoot at sunrise for direct light into the east-facing bay and an empty beach · A 24-70mm zoom covers the arc; go wider from the convent terrace for the full bay · Choose a windless morning for the mirror-still reflections the bay is famous for · Reach the bay on foot through the old town; cafes and toilets are close by
Spianata Castelletto Panorama
A pine-shaded balcony about 80 metres above Genoa's medieval rooftops, reached by a Liberty-style elevator from Piazza Portello. It looks southwest over the old town toward the Porto Antico and La Lanterna lighthouse.
Best time: Sunset and blue hour, when the sun sets over the harbour and city lights come on
Tip: Take the historic Ascensore Castelletto Levante up from Piazza Portello · Shoot at sunset into blue hour as the southwest view lights up and city lamps come on · A 24-70mm zoom suits the scene; a longer lens picks out La Lanterna and the port · Expose for the lit rooftops at blue hour and use a tripod for the low-light frames · Go on a clear day after rain for the most transparent air over the harbour
Nervi Cliffs - Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi
A pedestrian promenade nearly two kilometres long carved along reddish sea cliffs, with the open Ligurian Sea on one side and natural rock pools below, running from the small port of Nervi to Capolungo.
Best time: Sunrise and golden hour over the south-facing sea; stormy days for big surf
Tip: Use the curving promenade as a leading line snaking along the cliff edge · Fit an ND filter for long exposures that turn the sea to mist · A 16-35mm wide lens suits the sweeping path; a longer lens isolates breaking waves · Come on a stormy onshore day for the biggest, most dramatic surf · Reach it on foot from Nervi station; the Parchi di Nervi and cafes are close by
Tellaro Cliffside Village
One of the 'most beautiful villages of Italy', Tellaro is a cluster of ochre, pink, and red houses clinging to a rocky spur on the Gulf of Poets, with the small pink church of San Giorgio perched right above the sea.
Best time: Golden hour and blue hour warm the houses and the church; sunrise for soft light over the gulf
Tip: Shoot from the rocks looking back at the church above the water · Include breaking surf or a moored boat for foreground interest · A 24-70mm zoom covers the village; a wider lens takes in the church and rocks together · Visit at golden or blue hour on a calm evening for warm colour and reflections · Wear grippy shoes for the uneven, sometimes slippery seaside rocks
Via Garibaldi Palaces (Strade Nuove)
A short Renaissance-Baroque street of aristocratic palaces - the UNESCO Strade Nuove and Palazzi dei Rolli - lined with frescoed loggias, marble portals, and richly decorated courtyards including Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco, and Palazzo Doria-Tursi.
Best time: Midday for light reaching into the narrow street; blue hour for lit facades; interiors any time
Tip: Shoot straight down the narrow street to layer the facades and limit leaning verticals · Step into the open atria for symmetrical columned courtyard shots · Use a 16-35mm wide or a tilt-shift lens and correct verticals so palaces stand straight · Shoot exteriors around midday for even light, or blue hour for lit facades · Check tripod rules at each museum entrance, as interior use is often restricted
By subject
Match your shooting interest to Liguria's strengths.
Sunrise photography
Boccadasse fishing cove (east-facing Genoa), Baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante, Camogli seafront on calm mornings
Sunset photography
Riomaggiore harbour, Spianata Castelletto over the Porto Antico and La Lanterna, Portofino bay from Castello Brown
Architecture photography
Genoa's Via Garibaldi Palazzi dei Rolli, the Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, the Portofino piazzetta, Camogli's painted facades
Street photography
Genoa's medieval caruggi and Mercato Orientale, the Cinque Terre village lanes, Camogli's seafront promenade
Nature photography
Nervi sea cliffs and Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi, Punta Mesco panorama, the Cinque Terre vineyard terraces
Night photography
Manarola illuminated at blue hour, Portofino harbour reflections, Genoa's Porto Antico and Bigo at dusk
Best times to shoot
Light, weather, and seasonal considerations.
- Sunrise
- 5:45 AM summer / 7:45 AM winter - ideal for east-facing coves like Boccadasse and Baia del Silenzio
- Midday
- Best for the turquoise water at San Fruttuoso and the Cinque Terre coves; harsh and contrasty on the pastel village facades
- Sunset
- 9:00 PM summer / 4:50 PM winter - best at west-facing Riomaggiore and Spianata Castelletto over the port
- Blue Hour
- 20-40 minutes after sunset for the illuminated houses of Manarola and the lit Portofino harbour reflections
Photography tips
Make your shots stand out.
Shoot during golden hour (1 hour after sunrise, 1 hour before sunset) for warm, directional light.
Always ask permission before photographing people, especially in religious or cultural contexts.
Carry spare batteries and storage — opportunities for great shots appear unexpectedly.