Looking for an alternative to Cinque Terre?? More towns beyond these 5 villages?? Here is a list of 5 beautiful towns in Liguria (beyond Cinque Terre) that will give you ideas for your upcoming travels!
5 Towns beyond the Cinque Terre
1. Cervo:
Cervo is a fantastic alternative to Cinque Terre. It is a quaint and colorful village overlooking the sea and is popular destination among the Italians. Surrounded by pretty pastel colored homes, Cervo has several tiny mysterious alleys. The highlight of this town is Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista that overlooks the sea!
My friend Adriana aptly said, “I can’t imagine how it must be going to Sunday Mass and seeing that view every time.”
Fun Fact: Cervo is part of “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy” list. Closest train station: Diano
2. Dolceacqua:
Only a few kilometers from the sea is the ancient village of Dolceacqua -another great alternative to the Cinque Terre. Dolceacqua has a humpback bridge, an alley filled with umbrellas, a medieval castle and a grape that is unique to the area!
What I most loved about it was that it was literally devoid of tourists! Dolceacqua produces a unique grape that produces Rossese di Dolceacqua wine or quite simply Dolceacqua. Highly recommend you to taste it!
Fun Fact: Dolceacqua’s bridge and castle (pic below) is from the 12th century and was painted by Monet in 1884. Closest train station: Ventimiglia
3. Finalborgo:
Another Ligurian town beyond the Cinque Terre is Finalborgo. It is also part of the “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy” list and rightly so. Finalborgo is an elegant town with well maintained piazze that speak of the class of its residents. Additionally, it has a castle and an Archeological museum. The town has many Bars and boutiques selling cycling and hiking gear.
Fun Fact: Finalborgo has hiking trails and is a popular town among hikers from Europe. There are a lot of expensive stores selling mountain gear! Closest train station: Finale Ligure Marina
4. Laigueglia:
A hard name to pronounce (Laee-guay-lia), Laigueglia is another village that falls under “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy” category too. Laigueglia faces the sea and is perfect for a beach vacation. It is close to Alassio which is a popular beach spot in Liguria.
Fun Fact: Laigueglia happens to be the shooting location of the movie Inkheart. Closest train station: Laigueglia
5. Varigotti:
Another classic beach location beyond the Cinque Terre is the tiny village of Varigotti. Invite me over if you splurge and rent one of these homes, okay?? 😉
Fun Fact: Varigotti is an expensive summer destination and sometimes it’s impossible to find a place to rent for months! Closest train station: Finale Ligure Marina
Conclusion
I hope you can visit these alternatives beyond the Cinque Terre. If you need happen to visit any of these, don’t forget to share your pictures and tag me on my Instagram page! I unintentionally went to a lot of places listed under the “I Borghi più belli d’Italia” or “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy”.
Read More:
- Amalfi Must Do: Pasticceria Sal De Riso
- How to visit the Amalfi Coast from Salerno
- Arrivederci Montalbano- thoughts on Riccardino
- Basilica di Superga with the moon- una meraviglia
- The view from Vomero Hill, Naples
5 Gorgeous Small Towns in Italy
Pin This Post:
Head to my Instagram page to virtually explore more small towns in Italy. Check out some tours below:
85 Comments
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Pretty
May 8, 2020 at 6:10 pmOMG 😍 They all look like such amazing towns!
Definitely added to my bucket list!!
Thanks for sharing
Italophilia
May 8, 2020 at 7:22 pmThank you dear 🙂 Hope you can visit soon!
Ilene
May 5, 2020 at 8:31 pmSu h a wonderful post! Will have to save this for when we head back that way to explore more. Thank you!
ouritalianjourney.com
Italophilia
May 7, 2020 at 12:38 pmYay glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for reading.
Belinda
February 11, 2020 at 1:28 amHello
This article is great thanks
I’m
A solo traveller and have been to Italy many times often revisiting where I live and then adding a new place or two each time.
Have a short trip planned in September landing in Nice France for 4/5 days and would like to spend 4/5 nights in Monterosso. Yes I’ve been to Monterosso already and lived the vibe early morning and evenings as well as would like to see the villages better as was a whirlwind first trip.
So… I fly home from Milan and have booked airport hotel for last night as need to be 6am at airport to fly back to Australia .
My question is … I have about 5 more nights and I’m
Keen to fin somewhere to stay either in coast or inland for those days …
Sanremo? Portofino? Turin( which looks appealing I think)? I would love to hear what u think Please
Regards Belinda
Italophilia
February 15, 2020 at 8:19 amBuongiorno Belinda! Thank you for reading. I think your travels sound very exciting!! 🙂 Since you have 5 more nights why don’t you explore Turin?? You can even club a day trip to Alba from there and enjoy the wine making region 🍷 keep me posted
Logan
July 20, 2018 at 9:53 amOh my goodness, these photos gave me serious wanderlust! It’s so strange to see how the painted homes and buildings in Liguria are so similar to the painted homes in Calgari. Also, can we talk about how delicious that pasta looks!
xo Logan
https://peculiarporter.com
Italophilia
July 20, 2018 at 11:28 amHaha right?? Totally get you on the pasta. Haven’t been to Calgari but I saw google images and it’s true!! Liguria is a dream xx
Stacy di Anna Pollard
June 8, 2018 at 11:02 amThis trip was my first visit to Liguria and I thought it was fantastic! I really enjoyed exploring a new region, although I didn’t see any of the towns mentioned here. Also, my first visit to Cinque Terre, but I was very disappointed. I agree with you, very touristy and so crowded it was impossible to enjoy Vernazza. We did have an amazing lunch, however, with a stunning view of the sea!
Ishita
June 8, 2018 at 12:03 pmIt’s such a beautiful place run down by mass tourism. Sigh!! More places to add to your list. x
bravenora1993
May 28, 2018 at 12:56 amNice pictures☺
Ishita
May 28, 2018 at 10:06 amThanks:) have a great day!
ecamin
April 30, 2018 at 1:43 ami love these photos! these towns are all so beautiful and i love the shots of all of the covered up boats waiting out the winter!
Ishita
April 30, 2018 at 12:55 pmThank you! I hope you can visit them soon
Eva
April 30, 2018 at 1:03 amMy favourite is Camogli!! And as a kid I’ve been to Andora a few times 🙂
Ishita
April 30, 2018 at 12:56 pmI haven’t been to either get
Eva
May 1, 2018 at 9:48 pmLook up Camogli, it’s gorgeous. Portofino-kind gorgeous!!
Ishita
May 1, 2018 at 10:26 pmI’ve seen both online of course 😉 just not been yet.
Eva
May 2, 2018 at 12:28 amMaybe on your next trip? 🙂
Ishita
April 30, 2018 at 12:56 pmYet
rêveuse
April 29, 2018 at 9:49 pmHey great post
Pls see this
https://reveuse014.wordpress.com/2018/04/29/beautiful-in-your-own-way%e2%9d%a4%ef%b8%8f/
IngridMadisonAve
April 27, 2018 at 10:58 amHello, I tagged you for the 3 day quote challenge: https://ingridmadisonave.com/2018/04/26/3-day-quote-challenge-day-2-2/ Looking forward to reading your quotes if you choose to participate. xx
Ishita
April 29, 2018 at 10:34 pmThanks so much for the mention! I wonder why I didn’t get notified on tagging. The same happened to me last year too ;( anyway thank you again!
Over By There
April 26, 2018 at 1:41 amI am absolutely guilty of going straight to the Cinque Terre (and would do it again in a heartbeat!).
Thank you for illustrating the other options out there: the architecture and pastel washes of those towns brings back many happy memories.
Ishita
April 26, 2018 at 3:08 pmThanks so much for reading, there’s always a second time 🙂 They are gorgeous!
Italian Kiwi
April 25, 2018 at 9:04 pmI loved Cervo when I visited it a couple of weeks ago! I must make an effort to go see some of these other villages too! They’re right on my doorstep, and that’s the problem: we always say we’ll go sometime but never quite get there as the routine of life gets in the way. 😀
Ishita
April 26, 2018 at 3:09 pmThanks so much Lisa. I know what you mean, we take the places nearest to us for granted often.
docwillblog
April 24, 2018 at 11:04 pmThanks for this intro to these towns. Next Italian visit I promise to go beyond the Cinque Terre.
Ishita
April 26, 2018 at 3:09 pmThanks for reading 🙂 happy you enjoyed them!
Tanja
April 23, 2018 at 10:22 pmcolorful little towns,
Ishita
April 24, 2018 at 2:05 pmThanks 🙂 Hope you are enjoying Udine
Kelly
April 23, 2018 at 8:10 pmLiguria is my soul region in Italy! I’m going out on a limb saying this because I haven’t been to every region in Italy, but I feel Liguria in my soul 😉 So much still to explore, thanks for the inspiration!
Ishita
April 24, 2018 at 2:08 pm🙂 Happy to help!! Keep dreaming. x
a mindful traveler
April 23, 2018 at 1:14 pmI totally agree with you Ishita. Liguria is so much more than Cinque Terre. I absolutely fell in love with Dolceaqua on our last visit. It’s such a hidden gem of a town, and these other 4 look just as delightful. Thanks for sharing them. P.S, love your pinterest pin 😉
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 1:42 pmVery few people have been there, it really is the end of Italy and onwards towards France but I am happy we both did ….. Haha thank you, learning with each passing day 😉
a mindful traveler
April 23, 2018 at 4:13 pmYes true. We were en route from France to Italy then. Great memories ❤️
Coral Waight
April 23, 2018 at 12:09 pmGorgeous!
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 2:50 pmThank you Coral. I love your blog, you are such an inspiring lady! A very close friend has shifted to Melbourne from India and I’ve passed your blog to her. xx
Coral Waight
April 24, 2018 at 4:03 amThanks so much for that, Ishita. Can’t travel far at the moment because I’ve got an elderly parent but one of these days I’ll get to Italy.
Ishita
April 24, 2018 at 2:05 pmI understand, would love to see your stories and posts from there.
karenincalabria
April 23, 2018 at 11:51 amMammamia! La lista delle bellezze non finisce mai – grazie!
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 1:09 pmHaha vero!! 😉 Grazie per leggere.
aesha thakur
April 23, 2018 at 11:23 amSuch pretty quaint towns
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 1:08 pmI love them too 🙂 Especially Cervo
Manja Mexi Movie
April 23, 2018 at 3:02 amOoooh, so lovely, everything, but especially the door in the pink wall. 🙂 I also “collect” the nearby towns from this list of the most beautiful little towns to visit one day. I have not seen any of the towns you mention neither the Cinque Terre. I’m a bit to the south but I can see that the colour scheme continues over here. 🙂 I’m convinced Italy is just beautiful all over and lucky us who get to enjoy it.
Manja Mexi Movie
April 23, 2018 at 3:05 amOoooh!! You locked the best gelato places in Rome! Cattiva!! 😀 What do we need to do you see it?
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 1:41 pmHaha I made a page for my Newsletter subscribers 😉 You would have to be subscribed to access it.
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 1:35 pmIsn’t it?? Thank you. Varigotti was so pretty, I can imagine how it must be in the summer. I hope you can visit them soon, the list never ends. xx
Darlene
April 23, 2018 at 1:53 amI love these smaller towns! I especially love the suspended umbrellas in Dolceacqua.
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 2:01 amIt has the prettiest streets, super quaint. No wonder Monet was inspired x
pamelaallegretto
April 23, 2018 at 1:46 amWonderful post. Complimenti!
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 2:01 amAw Grazie!! ✨✨
Debra Kolkka
April 23, 2018 at 1:34 amSome new places for us to visit…thank you.
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 2:00 amHappy to help 😉 keep me posted where you end up going.
The Wayfarer
April 22, 2018 at 11:25 pmI think I should start a mission to visit every village in Italy. They are all so pretty!
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 11:58 pmI hear you! 😉 totally in for it!
bookwormmuse
April 22, 2018 at 9:42 pmHow is it possible that everything in Italy looks so pretty? Is there a secret to that? It only makes me want to visit it more every time I look at the photos!
Oh! I had a question for you! If you got the chance to live in Italy for good, would you take it?
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:45 pmI know right?? That’s why the whole pull towards Italy. It is such an intriguing place!! And your question makes me think.. Probably for a short duration of time 🙂 But not forever. x
Debbie's Travel Wows
April 22, 2018 at 9:23 pmI didn’t know these towns even existed in Italy. Beautiful places – beautiful photos. More destinations for me to visit and that’s exciting! Thank you for sharing.
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:36 pmHappy to help 😉 Happy travels!! x
lifeinkarolingston
April 22, 2018 at 9:18 pmAll those places definitely look like great place to visit! I’ve enjoyed reading it! 🙂
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:19 pmThank you so much 🙂 Have a great evening.
france55
April 22, 2018 at 9:12 pmwonderful shots. Visiting those places must be so interesting. Time is necessary to see it all. Maybe I should move to Italy .. ciao !
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:14 pmHaha I know what you mean. I saw all of them in a span of 3 days, they are so close to each other 🙂 Happy travels! and thanks a ton.
france55
April 22, 2018 at 9:16 pmWe spent 5 nights in Vernazza. For me it is the best of the 5 villages. But we saw them all ..and I shall keep in mind the other less known villages you are talking about here. The planet is so big..my bucket list is so long…:-)) have a great week ahead. If you have time you can read my last post on Hong Kong. Have you been there ?
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:17 pmI agree 🙂 The planet is HUGE and Italy, even though it is a small part of it, has so much 😉 I have never been there. I will check your post now x You too!
france55
April 23, 2018 at 8:29 amthanks. I post every Friday ! ;-))
timelessitaly
April 22, 2018 at 9:07 pmNice selection of villages. Love your photos…I feel like I could just step into one
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 9:10 pmThanks Susan 🙂 a dream….Have you been to any of these??
timelessitaly
April 23, 2018 at 7:05 amCan’t say that I have…I need to get out there more:)
Ishita
April 23, 2018 at 2:51 pmI know what you mean. If only money and time weren’t a constraint 😉
Tony
April 22, 2018 at 7:57 pmWhat an amazing list! These towns look so beautiful, it never ceases to amaze me just how many exist in the bel paese….each more incredible than the last! It would take a lifetime to explore them all, a lifetime I would love to live. In the meantime, I will take note for future trips! Thanks for sharing this wonderful list!
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 7:58 pmRight?? I knew you would love this list, Tony. Our list keeps getting longer and longer and that’s what we love about Italy!! This never ending love to explore…. A lifetime indeed. <3 Happy to help 😉
marilyneb
April 22, 2018 at 7:49 pmI love the colours in some of those little towns – they look gorgeous!
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 7:50 pmme too! They really bring the beauty of these small towns. I remember while driving to one of them, I felt as if I was stuck in time.
lfpessemier
April 22, 2018 at 7:41 pmI love Cervo. My artist husband and I painted there for 6 weeks and made a book of it: https://issuu.com/paintfox/docs/cervo_book We have been there many times.
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 7:44 pmHow wonderful is that! Do you have a special place where you stay there??
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 7:46 pmBtw I LOVE your book! The paintings are so so gorgeous, they really capture the town very well. Thanks for sharing. Wish you a great day!
Bake-cook
April 22, 2018 at 7:39 pmReblogged this on Cooking and Baking.
Ishita
April 22, 2018 at 7:40 pmMany thanks dear
Anonymous
January 19, 2020 at 1:15 amThere is another beautifull place in Liguria, which is officially in the list of Il piu belli borghi d’Italia – 14th century village of Perinaldo, just above Dolceaqua. It is less touristic but way more beautifull and genuine. It is a place where the famous astronomer Cassini was born and local observatory bears his name. The village is also famous for its unique carcioffi di Perinaldo. When you are in Liguria next time, try to visit it, its worth the effort…
Italophilia
January 19, 2020 at 11:45 amThank you for sharing. I haven’t been there but I’ll keep it on my list for next time 🙌 have a great dat!