Cervo is a medieval hilltop village about 8 kilometres east of Diano Marina, and it is one of the best-preserved historic villages on the Ligurian coast. The village clusters around a baroque church — San Giovanni Battista, with its distinctive convex facade — and the views down to the sea and along the coast are exceptional.
The village is compact enough to cover in an hour's wandering, though the castle and the church interior are worth taking time with. The narrow lanes run between stone buildings that have changed very little in two centuries. Below Cervo, a small beach at the foot of the cliff is accessible by a steep path. The village has several good restaurants and a handful of shops selling Ligurian specialities — olive oil, dried herbs, and pesto ingredients.