Portofino
Everyone should visit Portofino at least once in their lifetime. This small, traditional Ligurian fishing village, in which no new houses have been built since 1935, retains an unspoiled, old-world charm. Wiggly roads, pretty pink and yellow houses, a bustling harbour, all offset by scenery of staggering natural beauty, make it an irresistible retreat, and one that over the years has attracted writers such as Guy de Maupassant and Truman Capote, and the most glamorous Hollywood stars, including Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable.

The charming Piazzetta is lined with cafés and restaurants, while the main street, Via Roma, glitters with designer boutiques and jewellers’ and artists’ workshops. Sit with a cappuccino admiring the boats coming in and going out, or take off on a walk into the beautiful, pine-clad hills. Diving is excellent from here, and you may encounter the exotic red coral, Corallium Rubrum. There are also charming cultural sites to visit, including the Church of St George and Castello Brown.

The Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is one of Italy’s most precious treasures. Its five lands, or villages—Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore—are linked by a rugged, 18km coastal path that winds past steeply terraced olive groves and vineyards, white-sand beaches, colourful, higgledy-piggledy houses seemingly stacked on top of each other, and the most spectacular rocky seascapes imaginable.

The area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and cars are restricted, making it a peaceful, traffic-free haven—apart from the electric buses that climb the steep streets. The villages are also linked by trains, which mostly cut through the mountains. As well as olive oils, pestos and wines, deep-fried anchovies and mouthwatering gelatos are specialities of the region and well worth sampling at every stop along the coastal trail.