The Golfo del Tigullio is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Italian Riviera — a wide arc of coastline east of Genoa where fishing villages and resort towns crowd the hillsides above a calm, brilliantly blue sea. The name comes from the ancient Ligurian Tigullii tribe, but today it is best known as a summer playground for northern Italians and an increasingly popular destination for visitors from further afield.
The three main towns each have a distinct character. Rapallo is the largest and most urbane, with a seafront castle and the funicular railway up to the sanctuary of Montallegro. Chiavari is the gulf's commercial centre — a handsome town of arcaded streets and good shops. Lavagna sits just across the Entella river from Chiavari and is quieter, with a fine Baroque church and a marina.
The coast between the towns is full of appeal: small bays, rocky coves, and the pale sandy beach at Paraggi tucked into a protected inlet. Inland, the hills behind the gulf are laced with walking trails through olive groves and chestnut woods, with views that on clear days reach to Corsica.
