Liguria is one of those regions that looks deceptively small on a map. In reality, travelling through it by motorhome quickly becomes an unforgettable experience. The narrow strip of land squeezed between the Ligurian Sea and the Apennines creates one of Europe’s most spectacular coastlines, but also one of its most demanding for drivers. Villages cling to cliffs, motorways disappear into endless tunnels, and almost every kilometre seems to alternate between viaducts, mountain slopes and the Mediterranean.
What surprised us most was how different each part of the region felt. The Riviera di Ponente, with places such as Celle Ligure, offered wide promenades, colourful seaside towns and a more relaxed atmosphere. Moving east towards Genoa, the landscape became increasingly urban and dramatic, before changing again beyond the regional capital into the rugged scenery of the Riviera di Levante, where Levanto, Bonassola and the Cinque Terre seem almost suspended between mountains and sea.
Driving through Liguria requires patience. The motorway is an extraordinary feat of engineering, but it is also one of the most unusual roads we have travelled. Long tunnels follow one another almost without interruption, broken only by high viaducts crossing deep valleys. At times it feels as though you spend more time underground than outside. Beautiful as it is, this geography also explains why moving even short distances often takes much longer than expected.
The villages themselves each have a distinct personality. Some are lively seaside resorts, others remain authentic fishing communities, while medieval hilltop settlements overlook the coast from the surrounding mountains. Almost everywhere we found narrow streets, pastel-coloured houses, small harbours and the characteristic caruggi, the maze-like alleyways that have defined Ligurian towns for centuries.
For motorhome travellers, Liguria is both rewarding and challenging. We quickly learnt that choosing the right place to stay makes an enormous difference. Some official motorhome areas offered excellent access to the towns but were located beside busy roads or railway lines, making them less attractive for an overnight stop. Others, although slightly further away, provided a much quieter atmosphere and allowed us to enjoy the surroundings at a far more relaxed pace. In several places we deliberately chose to walk or cycle into the centres rather than trying to drive closer, a decision that almost always proved worthwhile.
One of the greatest pleasures of travelling through Liguria was discovering how closely the region remains connected with the sea. Fishing boats still leave the harbours each morning, local restaurants continue to serve the catch of the day, and even in the busiest towns the maritime tradition is impossible to overlook. Equally memorable were the countless panoramic viewpoints where the mountains fall almost vertically into the Mediterranean, creating scenery unlike anywhere else in Italy.
Another aspect we particularly appreciated was the network of former railway lines converted into walking and cycling routes. Paths such as the Maremonti between Levanto, Bonassola and Framura transform abandoned tunnels into peaceful coastal routes, allowing visitors to experience the landscape from an entirely different perspective while avoiding the traffic on the roads above.
Of course, Liguria also presents challenges. Parking a larger motorhome is rarely straightforward, especially in the smaller villages where space is extremely limited. We often found ourselves deciding against apparently attractive parking areas simply because they were too small or unsuitable for vehicles of our size. In the end, we discovered that leaving the motorhome slightly further away and exploring on foot was usually the best solution.
Looking back, what impressed us most was not a single village or viewpoint but the extraordinary variety packed into such a narrow region. Medieval towns, dramatic cliffs, elegant promenades, hidden beaches, historic ports and mountain landscapes all exist within only a few miles of one another. Liguria demands a little more planning than many other regions of Italy, but it rewards that effort with scenery, history and character that remain with you long after the journey ends.
Rather than rushing from one famous destination to the next, we found that Liguria is best experienced slowly. Taking time to wander through the caruggi, enjoy an evening by the harbour, cycle an old railway or simply watch the waves breaking beneath the cliffs revealed a side of the region that many visitors miss. For us, it became one of the most memorable stretches of our entire journey through southern Europe.