Last week I wrote about the antique postcards of Genoa that my dear friend Annalisa showed to me (check out her blog at Viaggio Vagando). She also showed me these stunning postcards of small towns on the Ligurian coast, like Portofino, Rapallo, etc.

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Ligurian coast and it’s where the northern Italians go in summer to tan themselves (to an extremely enviable shade of bronze) and to generally just walk around looking elegant and beautiful, as only the Italians know how.

It can be quite costly to stay in a hotel actually in these seaside towns, so I’ve always stayed with friends in Genoa and taken the convenient and cheap train to each of these towns, meaning I can visit a different beach every day.

If it’s romance of luxury you’re after, head to Portofino, where all the millionaires’ yachts cluster in this former fishing village.

Santa Margherita is also lovely. All Italian beaches have public and private areas. If you go on a busy day then you’ll struggle to find a free patch of sand for your towel, so splash out on a sun lounger and umbrella in one of the private parts of the beach (between €10-20 per day). It’s worth the expense as they have decent toilets and showers nearby and normally a restaurant and bar with service to sun lounger. In peak season you need to book sun loungers in advance over the phone so put some forward thought into it.

Other than that, just sit back, relax and enjoy the view over the Mediterranean sea…