From the Cinque Terre to the Riviera of Flowers, departing from Genoa and La Spezia
Campervan hire in Liguria takes you along a narrow crescent of coast squeezed between the Apennines and the sea: the colourful houses of the Cinque Terre, the harbour of Portofino, the beaches of the Riviera di Ponente and the hilltop villages of the hinterland. Our rental partner Anywhere Campers hands over your vehicle in Genoa and La Spezia, at either end of the Riviera di Levante.
The two cities are only 78 km apart as the crow flies, and the region can be explored without long driving days: a few days are enough for the Gulf of Poets, a week to string both Rivieras together. Roads are often narrow and parking scarce in summer, so the size of the vehicle and the season matter as much as the route.
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
South of La Spezia, Portovenere guards the entrance to the gulf opposite the island of Palmaria, while Lerici and the hamlet of Tellaro close off the far shore. Further north, the five villages of the Cinque Terre cling to the cliffs among terraced vineyards, linked by spectacular coastal footpaths.
Before heading up to Levanto, a detour via Sarzana and its fortress adds a medieval touch to this short loop.
East of Genoa, the coast strings together the seafront promenade of Nervi, the painted façades of Camogli, then the Portofino headland, best reached by boat or bus from Santa Margherita Ligure. After Rapallo, Sestri Levante stretches out between its two bays, the Bay of Fables and the Bay of Silence.
Between Sestri Levante and Moneglia, a former railway line turned road runs through single-lane tunnels with alternating traffic: check the permitted vehicle sizes before setting off.
West of Genoa, the coast softens into long beaches: Savona and its fortress, Noli and its medieval towers, Finale Ligure, a renowned base for climbing and mountain biking, then Albenga and the seafront of Alassio. Beyond Imperia begins the Riviera of Flowers, around Sanremo, all the way to Ventimiglia and the French border.
Keep a day for the hinterland: Dolceacqua and its humpbacked stone bridge, or Apricale, perched above its valley.
From Savona, the Turin motorway crosses the Apennines and leads to the wine-growing hills of the Langhe: Alba and its white truffles in autumn, the villages of Barolo and La Morra surrounded by vineyards. The return via Acqui Terme and its hot springs closes the loop back to Genoa.
Cuneo, where our rental companies also offer pick-ups, is 111 km from Genoa as the crow flies: an option for combining Piedmont and the Riviera.
The most balanced months: the sea warms from 16 °C in April to 23 or 24 °C in June, the Cinque Terre trails can be walked without the summer heat and campsites still have space. May can be rainy, with more than 110 mm in both Genoa and La Spezia, and September extends the summer with the sea still at 24 °C.
The height of summer: the sea reaches 26 to 27 °C, the sun shines 12 to 14 hours a day and rain becomes rare. It is also when the coast fills up with Italian holidaymakers, especially around 15 August, Ferragosto: campsites fully booked, parking areas packed and traffic jams on the Via Aurelia.
Autumn is the rainy season in Liguria: October brings 254 mm in Genoa and 210 mm in La Spezia, often in violent thunderstorms. Between showers, a sea still at 19 to 21 °C and the grape harvest in the hinterland make an off-season trip worthwhile.
Winter stays mild on the coast, sheltered from northerly winds by the mountains, and Sanremo comes alive in February with its song festival. Many campsites close, but Genoa and the villages can be visited without the crowds. On the Apennine passes, winter tyres or snow chains may be required: check the vehicle's equipment.
Genoa for the Riviera di Ponente, Portofino and the Piedmont hinterland, La Spezia for the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets. Think about how you will arrive too: Genoa has an airport and a large ferry port.
Included mileage, kitchen and bedding equipment, insurance and excess, permission to cross into France or board a ferry: compare these conditions as closely as the price shown for your dates.
In July and August, first book the campsites near the Cinque Terre and Portofino, which are the most sought after, then fill in with parking areas in the hinterland, where a space is easier to find.
Identity document, licence and bank card of the main driver: check the documents required, the depot address and the handover time, especially if you are arriving at Genoa airport or station.
The roads down to Riomaggiore, Manarola or Vernazza are narrow and steep, and the few car parks in the villages quickly fill up or are reserved for residents. Leave the vehicle at a campsite or parking area in La Spezia or Levanto, then reach the villages by the regional train, which stops at all five.
Off the motorway, Liguria is explored on winding roads, wedged between cliff and sea or climbing to hilltop villages, where two large vehicles struggle to pass each other. A van or campervan slips through far more easily than a large motorhome and finds a space more readily in the small towns.
During heavy rain, the regional civil protection agency issues colour-coded alerts, from yellow to red, which can lead to the closure of roads, schools or footpaths. Check the day's bulletin before setting off in October and November, and never park near mountain streams or in a riverbed.
Along much of the coast, the beaches are taken up by paying beach establishments, the stabilimenti, with sunloungers and parasols. Free beaches do exist, often smaller or rocky: find them in advance and arrive early in summer, as nearby parking fills up from the morning.
Our rental partner Anywhere Campers has depots in Genoa and La Spezia. Just outside the region, other departure cities widen the choice: Pisa and Lucca on the Tuscan side, 62 km from La Spezia as the crow flies, Pallerone in Lunigiana, or Milan and Turin, about 120 km from Genoa.
It is possible, since the same rental company operates in both cities, but one-way hire depends on its conditions and availability. Enter a different return city in the search engine: the offers shown take it into account, including any fees. This route lets you follow the Riviera di Levante without retracing your steps.
Yes, Liguria links the two: Ventimiglia borders France and Menton, while La Spezia opens onto Versilia, Lucca and Pisa. Crossing into France requires the rental company's consent, to be checked in the offer's conditions, and insurance that properly covers the countries you pass through.
The port of Genoa serves Sardinia and Sicily among other destinations, and crossings to Corsica leave from Genoa or Savona depending on the season. Before booking a crossing, check that your rental company allows the vehicle on board. Timetables, frequencies and fares vary through the year: consult the ferry companies and book early for summer.
A week is enough for the Riviera di Levante and the Cinque Terre, with time for the footpaths. With ten days to two weeks, you can add the Riviera di Ponente as far as Ventimiglia or an escape to the Langhe. Stages are short in kilometres but slow: on the coast, allow plenty of time for every drive.
Good and quick communication, easy to book and easy to follow all the instructions.
Cooldrive was very attentive and very responsive in all situations. We received valuable assistance in the steps to be taken. I highly recommend it.
The person answered my questions before I confirmed the booking. The van matched my order well with extras. During my trip, I had a little issue that had nothing to do with Cooldrive. I appreciated that the person took the time to call me back. No bad surprises, only good ones. Highly recommended.
A category B licence is enough for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, the category of most rental vans and motorhomes. With a licence issued outside the European Union, find out which documents are required in Italy, such as an International Driving Permit or a translation, and check the minimum age and years of driving required with the rental company.
Campsites and motorhome parking areas, the aree di sosta, are the safest options, some with water and waste disposal. Overnight parking elsewhere depends on the municipality, and many ban it along the coast, especially in summer. Ask locally and follow the signs, as the rules change from one town to the next.
Yes, like the vast majority of Italian motorways: the A10 towards France, the A12 towards La Spezia and the routes to Milan and Turin are all tolled. You take a ticket on entry and pay on exit, in cash or by card, avoiding the lanes reserved for electronic tags. Tunnels and viaducts follow one after another.
A limited traffic zone, found in the historic centre of Genoa as in many Italian cities. Access is monitored by cameras: entering without authorisation results in a fine, sometimes received months later via the rental company, which adds its own fees. Park outside the zone and continue on foot or by public transport.
Yes: in Italy, a load that sticks out at the back of a vehicle, such as a loaded bike rack, must carry a red and white striped sign. Check that the rental company supplies it with the bike rack, which is handy in Liguria for the trails of Finale Ligure or the Ponente cycle path, built on a former railway line.
From winter onwards for July and August, plus the long spring weekends such as Easter, 25 April or 1 May, when northern Italians head for the sea. Out of season, a few weeks is usually enough, but check that the campsites you have in mind are actually open on your dates.
Few regions of Italy offer so much variety over such short distances: in a single day you go from a lively Genoese port to the vineyard terraces of the Cinque Terre, then to stone villages clinging to the hills. A campervan lets you live at the pace of the coast, stop facing the sea at sunrise and head for the hinterland when the beaches fill up.
With two departure cities, Genoa and La Spezia, Liguria suits short breaks as well as longer journeys: the Gulf of Poets in a few days, both Rivieras in a week, or a longer trip on towards the French Riviera, Tuscany or the hills of Piedmont. Genoa itself deserves time, between its Rolli palaces, its medieval alleys and its old harbour.
