Finding a holiday home on the Italian Riviera

Just over a century ago Sanremo attracted royals across Europe as well as the likes of Russian composer Tchaikovsky, who penned his Fourth Symphony here in the late 1870s and the inventor Alfred Nobel, who passed away here in 1896.

A couple of generations later it was to Portofino, some 185km, to which Hollywood icons Sinatra and Bardot came. Nowadays the faces are those of Clooney and Cruise.

The coast of Liguria in northern Italy has down the years exuded the type of star quality that still brings more than five million visitors yearly, making it one of the country's most visited regions and a favourite for property in Italy buyers. And with good reason. For a start, Liguria overlooks a spectacular 175-mile coast also known as the Italian (or Ligurian) Riviera, extending from the French border at its western extremity to five picturesque villages that form the fabled Cinque Terre, now a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Stef Russo, who runs Italian real estate company The Property Organiser, says:  Liguria is pipped only by maybe Tuscany in terms of areas of the country most in demand among our customers. As well as the Cinque Terre coast, its beaches and lovely landscapes, France is just over the border, there are ski resorts in Piedmont, just 40 minutes away, while it is served by two airports in Nice and Genoa."

The most expensive spots on the coast are probably the Cinque Terre, Bordighera and Alassio. Prices are naturally higher if you are set on being on the sea front. The housing market is kept bullish by demand from well-heeled Italians, Swiss and French. As a rule of thumb expect in the region of Euro 425,000 for a two-bedroom apartment within walking distance of the shores and up to two and a half times that for a sea-view villa in a similar position.

As usual, canny buyers can pick up bargains by looking around. In Alassio, 85sq m apartments a short stroll from the sea can be found from Euro 225,000. And in Bordighera, Euro 335,000 can get you a 90sq m apartment also boasting a view over the sea, although you will have to be content with being a bit farther away from the sea.

Yet within easy reach of the coast is the hilly countryside crammed with lovely villages and hamlets. But if you can live without being close to the sea, go just 25 minutes inland, to hamlets such as Perinaldo, which is what legions of American and British bargain-hunters have done in recent years. Here, budget for a 65sq m apartment to cost around Euro 145,000.

Happy with a restoration? Then you may get away with Euro 105,000, possibly with up to 2,000sq m of garden as well. With the region's strong popularity, rental potential remains bullish, especially if you have bought near the coast. Typically, a two-bedroom property can be rented out for as much as Euro 1,250 a week between May and October and a high-end property with swimming pool Euro 2,500-plus.

Some of the most attractive areas on the coast are Alassio, Sanremo and Portofino. Alassio has two miles of sandy beaches and has drawn tourists, especially from England since the 1900s while celebrities such as the novelist Ernest Hemingway started coming here in the 1930s. Sanremo reeks of timeless glamour and is now best known for its pop fete.

Meanwhile among Portofino's most striking features is an array of fishermen’s houses overlooking its marina. In spring and summer its swanky boutiques packed designer items and the yachts littering its waters say it all about the type of well-heeled visitor that frequents the village.

When it comes to natural magnificence nothing comes close to the five clifftop hamlets that make up the Cinque Terre. Some things in life are priceless.

Additional articles about Italy

About the author

The author is an expert in property for sale in Italy at Homes and Villas Abroad. She also focuses on Sicily property and houses in Tuscany for sale.

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