Italian Riviera

The Italian Riviera means Liguria, which like a vial of essential oil conserves a concentrated dose of Mediterranean sensuality: mountains plunging into the sea, painted fishing ports and fleshpot resorts decked in flowers; at table, the birthplace of pesto offers a fresh, zesty cuisine. Yet just beyond the Riviera's sleekest cliches - Portofino and Portovenere, sassy San Remo, and the fabled Cinque Terre - there awaits a secret world of deep forests, hilltowns teetering on impossible brinks, olive groves and vineyards. In Genoa the scene changes again: piled high over the sea, Italy's great port is also its most under-rated art city, boasting one of the largest medieval centers in Europe, Baroque extravaganzas and the sparkling rebuilt Porto Antico. This guide contains: practical travel advice; 200 hand-picked places to stay; 180 restaurants, bars & cafes; 18 maps & site plans; color touring-map section; stunning color photography; shopping in local markets. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 268 pages, color photos, maps)Facaros, Dana is the author of 'Italian Riviera' with ISBN 9781860118272 and ISBN 1860118275.