The Ultimate Train Journey: 5 Stunning Italian Riviera Towns
Last Updated on September 27, 2025 by spritzience
Spritzience suggests five of our favorite Italian Riviera towns to get away from the Cinque Terre Italy tourist crowds, and experience hidden gems. The Italian Riviera, also known as the Ligurian Riviera, is a stunning stretch of coastline in northern Italy, between the South of France and Tuscany. This crescent-shaped strip of the Mediterranean coastline is centered around the port city of Genoa and offers a wealth of hidden treasures to explore.
This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to book or buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These links help me cover the real expenses behind Spritzience, from visiting locations and retouching photos to the hours spent researching and writing guides that make your trip easier.
From the secluded splendor of Portovenere to the picturesque fishing village of Camogli, there are plenty of hidden gems to discover in this enchanting region. Come along with Spritizience as we explore 5 of the hidden treasures of the Italian Riviera and experience the beauty and charm of this unique coastal region on our train adventure.
Exploring the Hidden Gems of the Italian Riviera Towns by Train
Traveling by train in the Riviera is a great option, given the limited parking in most Italian Riviera towns and twisting roads of the coastline – driving can be more of a challenge than it’s worth. Italian trains are economically priced, and given the vast tunnel system on the coastline it’s generally faster than driving.
Plus it’s more relaxing not to have to fight traffic or worry about if you are driving into a ZTL zone (traffic restricted zone), and will receive a hefty fine in the mail later. Trust me on this, I have no American or Italian friends with cars who have not received at least 1 ZTL fine & it’s not uncommon to receive multiple fines from the same town in the same day; so while we’re always on the look out for them, it’s much easier said than done to fully avoid them.
Plus finding a parking spot is no easy feat. Many of the quaint towns on the Italian Riviera are virtually car free, so if you’re lucky enough to find a parking spot you will probably be walking far to get into the town. For all of the above reasons the train is a great option.
1. First Stop: The Secluded Splendor of Portovenere
Located at the tip of the Gulf of La Spezia, Portovenere is a hidden gem that offers secluded splendor and breathtaking views. What makes this town so incredible is that you when you arrive to the main harbor and look at the beautiful row of colored houses lining it, you feel like this is amazing in and of itself. However, this is just the beginning of your exploration.
As you enter the medieval gates of this picturesque town and walk towards the other end of town, you’ll be surprised and maybe even a little bit awe-inspired to see incredible stone stairs (likely to enable horses to reach the castle) and incredible views of rugged cliffs overlooking the beautiful Gulf of La Spezia and up to the Doria Castle. It’s striking because it was all hidden when you arrived in town, it’s such a great surprise.
The other draw of Portovenere is the amazing grouping of food boutiques for great souvenirs and street food on offer. And as the main streets are flat (yes there are stairs in between the street levels), it’s a little easier to navigate than the Cinque Terre towns that it borders. Check out our more detailed guide on Portovenere.
2. Second Stop: Camogli, A Picturesque Fishing Village
Nestled on the Ligurian Coast, the picturesque fishing village of Camogli is a hidden gem that offers a more authentic and less crowded experience than its neighboring towns. Known as the “City of a Thousand White Sailing Ships,” Camogli is famous for its colorful houses that line the waterfront.
The houses or really apartment buildings have a special and surprisingly elegant feel for what has been a fishing village, due to the “trompe l’oeil” painting of decorations on the building to make them look like stone buildings, with fancy cornices around windows, balconies, shutters and even some statues.
Camogli has a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, and as a car -free location, it’s a particularly relaxing place to stroll around. What also makes Camogli a bit unique, is the number of restaurants and cocktail lounges located directly on the lungomare (sea boardwalk), making for excellent sea views and great people watching.
Visitors can enjoy the beautiful rock beach and then indulge in delicious freshly caught seafood at the local restaurants or the famous cheese focaccia known as Focaccia de Recco Formaggio IGP. It enjoys a protection status from the government and thus the true Focaccia de Recco can only be produced in 4 locations: Recco, Sori, Avegno and Camogli.
Camogli is also a great base for hiking and exploring the surrounding area, with a number of trails that offer stunning views of the Ligurian Sea. You can reach San Fruttuoso and even Portofino via a couple hour hike from Camogli. With its charming atmosphere and stunning natural beauty, Camogli is a true hidden gem on the Italian Riviera.
3. Third Stop, Santa Margherita Ligure
Located on the Italian Riviera, Santa Margherita Ligure is a charming town that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and luxury. This enchanting destination has historic hotels with glamourous pools and beach clubs, elegant villas, and yacht filled harbor and it’s a favorite town for many glamorous Milanese (this is where the Guccis used to summer). Relax on the beach, explore the historic center with its colorful buildings and elegant shops, or take a boat tour to nearby attractions such as Portofino.
Santa Margherita Ligure is also a great base for exploring the rest of the Italian Riviera, it’s located fairly centrally on the Italian Riviera and it receives more high speed trains and a regional veloce train that make it easy to take day trips to other towns along the Italian Riveria.
4. Fourth Stop, Sestri Levante: Where Two Seas Meet
Sestri Levante is a charming town on the Ligurian Coast, located on a peninsula that juts out into the Ligurian Sea; with the Bay of Silence on one side and the Bay of Fables on the other. The Bay of Silence is a picturesque sandy beach lined with colorful houses, while the Bay of Fables is known for its rugged cliffs and stunning views.
The bay of Fables was so named in honor of Hans Christian Anderson, who rented a room there in 1833. More recently, the town has honored him with an annual festival at the beginning of June with a literary competition for unpublished fairy tales. During the competition, theater companies and street performers provide entertainment telling their stories in the numerous public spaces around the town.
Sestri Levante is a great destination for those looking to relax on the beach, explore the historic center with its narrow streets and charming shops, or take a boat tour along the coast. One of the most unique things about this town is its preponderance of design restaurants, with uniquely designed interiors and exteriors set amongst stunning natural scenery.
5. Fifth Stop Chiavari, Cute Boutiques and And A Renowned Monthly Antiques Market
Chiavari is a charming town on the Ligurian Coast that offers a timeless appeal and a perfect blend of natural beauty and history. This hidden gem is known for arcaded portici with beautiful Italian shops and historical signage within.
Yes it has beautiful beaches; however, an added bonus is the once a month antiques market (usually on the 2nd weekend of the month). During that weekend, the town has a festive air as stalls line the streets of the historic city center.
What to Do in Each Italian Riviera Town
In each Italian Riviera town, there are plenty of activities and great restaurants to enjoy. In Portovenere, explore the historic Doria Castle and take a boat tour to nearby islands. In Camogli, relax on the rocky beach and enjoy delicious seafood. Santa Margherita Ligure offers boat tours and a wide range of hotels, many with beautiful beach clubs.
Sestri Levante is known for its two stunning bays, perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Finale Chiavari is a paradise for antique enthusiasts and boutique shoppers alike with its beautiful historical portici. Each town has its own unique charm and attractions, ensuring a memorable visit to the Italian Riviera.
1. Discovering the Doria Castle in Portovenere
One of the must-visit attractions in Portovenere is the historic Doria Castle. Perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, the castle offers panoramic views of Portovenere and the surrounding coastline. The castle dates back to the 12th century and was originally built to defend the town against pirate attacks.
You can explore the castle’s towers, ancient walls, and courtyards, and learn about the history of Portovenere and its importance as a trade and military outpost. The castle also offers a museum that showcases artifacts and exhibits related to the history of the town and the Ligurian Coast.
En route to the castle, stop off at St. Peter’s Church and Lord Byron’s Grotto for some amazing views.
2. Camogli’s Annual Fish Fry Festival
One of the highlights of visiting Camogli is the annual Fish Fry Festival, known as La Sagra del Pesce. This popular event takes place on the second Sunday of May and celebrates the patron saint of fishermen, San Fortunato. The festival has its roots in a local tradition that dates back to 1952 when residents used small pans to fry fish for a communal meal.
Over the years, the festival has grown in size and now features a massive fish fry using a giant skillet. The stainless steel pan weighs 2.6 tons and measures 4 meters in diameter. The pan can hold up to 1000 liters, so their is plenty of seafood to enjoy during the weekend festivities.
3. Boat Tours from Santa Margherita Ligure
Santa Margherita Ligure is known for its boat tours, offering visitors a unique way to explore the stunning Riviera di Levante. These tours provide an opportunity to cruise along the coast, taking in the breathtaking views of the Ligurian Sea and the charming towns that dot the coastline. Visitors can relax on board a luxurious yacht, a sailboat or even the public ferry enjoying the warm sun and sea breeze.
Private tours often include stops at secluded coves and beaches, where guests can swim in the crystal-clear waters or go snorkeling to explore the underwater world. While the public ferry is a great way to arrive in Portofino, avoiding the bus that is usually jam-packed and overcrowded in peak summer periods.
4. The Bay of Silence and Bay of Fables in Sestri Levante
Sestri Levante is known for its two stunning bays, the Bay of Silence and the Bay of Fables. These two picturesque sandy beaches are the perfect spots to relax and soak up the sun while enjoying the beautiful views of the Ligurian Sea. Both bays offer crystal-clear waters, making them ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
Visitors can also take a leisurely stroll along the promenade that connects the two bays, enjoying the charming atmosphere and the colorful buildings that line the waterfront. Another great area for walking is along the Via XXV Aprile, which is packed with boutiques, street food shops and restaurants.
If you’re in the mood for a museum, 2 great ones to visit are MuSel, The Archaeological and Town Museum of Sestri Levante and the Galleria Museo Rizzo for artwork ranging from ceramics and furniture to paintings and sculptures.
5. Chiavari
Strolling around the historic city center is a delight, offering an opportunity to admire vintage Italian signs and beautiful storefront displays of the many boutiques that line Via Martiri della Liberazione & Via Giuseppe Raggio streets. While you’re wondering around, pop into the magnificent Cathedral di N.S. dell ‘Orto or the Santuario di Nostra Signora delle Grazie.
For plant lovers the Botanical Park at Villa Rocco offers a wonderful respite from the heat as you explore the gardens. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love the multiple displays of candy on offer at Bocchia; this is hands down the widest selection of Italian candies on offer in the Italian Riviera with everything from licorices to hard candies.
A reminder for antiques lovers, if you can schedule your visit on the 2nd weekend of the month, you’ll be able to enjoy one of the largest antiques markets on the Riviera. Stalls line the main streets of the historic center, making for a fun exploration of the town and the wares on offer.
How to Travel The Italian Riviera By Train
1. Getting to the Italian Riviera
I recommend picking one town to use as your base in the Riviera and then taking day trips from it. Once you’ve picked your base, it’s a good idea to pre-book your train to arrive and depart as the faster trains can sell out in peak times.
There is also a tiered pricing system for the high speed trains on Train Italia, where the earlier you book you can save with special fares (more frequently available for weekday travel Monday through Thursday) and economy tickets – available every day of the week. Visit Train Italia here, to search times, check prices and book tickets.
2. Sample times from Italian Cities with Airports
Below shows sample times, using the fastest trains and connections from the city center to Santa Margherita Ligure, to give you an idea of travel times. For detailed travel times on your dates and at the time you want to travel, please look at Train Italia’s website directly.
- Florence Santa Maria Novella: 3 hours 16 minutes, Intercity Train + Regional Train
- Genoa: 27 minutes, Intercity Direct Train
- Milan: 2 hours 4 minutes, Intercity Direct Train
- Rome: 4 hours 48 minutes, Intercity Train + Regional Train
- Venice-Santa Lucia: 5 hours 38 minutes, Frecciarossa + Regional Trains. I would NOT recommend this route as there are generally 3 changes which is a lot of connections to make and can be quite stressful if any of your trains are delayed. Better to stop somewhere along the train route (i.e. Milan) for an evening to sight see and break up the trip.
3. Getting Around The Italian Riviera: The Local Train, Savona To Sestri Levante
The local train (Regionale / R) generally runs once an hour to all the small towns on the Italian Riviera from Savona to Sestri Levante. Larger towns also have a Regional Veloce (RV / express) train that comes through in additional to the local train. As the train faces delays, I highly recommend downloading the Train Italia App. What’s great about the app, is that you can:
- Purchase your tickets to avoid cues at the train station
- Manage your tickets in the app, to change times easily if you need more or less time in a town
- See all the train times available and how long each train takes
- Review the train status – so you know if it’s on time or by how many minutes it will be delayed. I check frequently as sometimes a 2 minute delay can grow to 20 minutes or more.
- PROCESS: If you do buy your tickets in the app, just remember that before you board the train to go into the app, click on the ticket, click manage and click check-in. This is the way to validate your online ticket. Even though you’ve bought a ticket for a time stamped train – as the app lets you change to other trains (no cost for same day change of time within regional trains ticket, usually the difference in fare when changing times between fast trains), you need to pre-validate it, to avoid a potential fine from the train conductor.
Sample times from Santa Margherita Ligure-Portofino Station to:
- Camogli -San Fruttuoso: 4 minutes
- Chiavari: 11 minutes
- La Spezia Centrale (change here for Ferry or Bus to PortoVenere): 1 hour 5 minutes.
- Sestri Levante: 19 minutes
Getting to Portovenere requires a ferry or bus. I’ve found the easiest spot to arrive from is La Spezia Central train station, from which it’s a 10 to 15 minute walk to the ferry. I took the ferry one way (it drops you at the perfect spot to start your Portovenere exploration, just at the edge of the historic old town). I took the bus back (the bus leaves from the piazza near the Portovenere Grand hotel), as it saves a few euro vs the ferry. For ferry schedules click here. For more details on the bus, visit the Portovenere tourist office link .
