Liguria

Liguria is located in the north-western area of ​​Italy. Administratively it is divided into a metropolitan city, Genoa, and the provinces of Imperia, La Spezia and Savona. Region in which the Alps and the Apennines join, it is made up of various ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine, and can boast many natural parks, such as the Cinque Terre National Park, the regional parks of the Ligurian Alps, Antola, Aveto, Beigua, Bric Tana, Montemarcello-Magra, Piana Crixia, Porto Venere. There are also the regional nature reserve of Bergeggi, that of the island of Gallinara, the regional nature reserve of Rio Torsero and that of Agoraie and Moggetto, the Cinque Terre marine protected area and the marine protected natural area and reserve of Portofino. The highest peak is that of Monte Saccarello, in the Maritime Alps, which reaches a height of 2,201 meters.

The Ligurian Riviera has a high and indented coast, in particular in the Riviera di Levante, especially in the Cinque Terre and in the area of ​​the Portofino Promontory. The Riviera di Ponente, despite being more open, still has many ridges overlooking the sea.

The climate is purely Mediterranean, very similar to that of the regions of southern Italy, also thanks to the Apennines that shelter from the winds of the northern quadrant. Much of the region, even 69%, is wooded, with forests of beech and fir, Scots pine, larch, while on the coast we find the typical Mediterranean scrub and the cultivation of vines, olive trees, fruit. The floriculture sector is highly developed: half of the national flower production comes from Liguria. Coniferous forests abound both in the hills and in the mountains.

The sites of Liguria named UNESCO World Heritage Site are the historic center of Genoa, with its sestieri (the districts of the ancient Maritime Republic of Genoa, namely Prè, Portoria, Molo, Maddalena, San Vincenzo, San Teodoro); the Cinque Terre, the spectacular five villages (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore) located between Punta Mesco and Punta di Montenero; the islands of the La Spezia archipelago of Tino, Tinetto and Palmaria and the territory that constitutes the extremity of the peninsula that borders the gulf of La Spezia, Porto Venere.

Among the most visited places we can include, on the Riviera di Ponente, Varazze, Loano, Alassio, Sanremo; on that of Levante the Cinque Terre, Portofino, Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure; also on the Riviera dei Fiori, near the French border, there are several places of interest. In short, along the entire coast, which overlooks the Ligurian Sea, there are very popular resorts and tourist facilities. The sandy stretches of coast are not very many but on the other hand they are unique; the most interesting beaches are the following: the beach of Sanremo, those of Alassio and Cavi di Lavagna, the Baia dei Saraceni and Punta Crena in Varigotti, the Pescatori beach in Noli, the Baia delle Favole in Sestri Levante, the Calandre in Ventimiglia, the beach of Paraggi in Portofino and that of Monterosso in the Cinque Terre, Diano Marina, Andora, Laigueglia, the beach of San Terenzo in Lerici.

Ligurian gastronomy has among the typical products the anchovies of Monterosso, the sausage called Mostardella, the salami of Sant'Olcese, the dried chestnuts, the extra virgin olive oil, the basil, the cicciarelli (a kind of blue fish) of Noli.

Among the most important Ligurian companies for the regional economy, we find industrial ports, such as the port of Genoa, the port of La Spezia, the port of Savona-Vado and that of Imperia Oneglia; and the tourist ports, namely the Marina di Genova, Marina di Lavagna, the ports of Rapallo, Lotti, Mirbello, Finale, La Spezia Cruise Terminal, Marina di Loano, Marina di Varazze, Marina di Alassio, Portosole Sanremo, Go Imperia, Marina degli Aregai, the port of Ventimiglia and that of San Lorenzo.

The railway network, due to the territorial morphology, connects only the coastal strip and to the neighboring regions. The main airport is the "Cristoforo Colombo" of Sestri Ponente (municipality of Genoa).