Santa Margherita, Italy

Santa Margherita Ligure is a delightful little sea-side city located in the heart of the Italian Riviera, in the Italian region of Liguria. It has a port, used for both tourist and fishing activities and there are wide ranges of hotels and restaurants. Bars, cafes, gelaterie and restaurants are spread along the seafront and there are also a few along the main quay.

The small hill dominating the waterfront is an interesting place to explore. Behind the small Castello are interesting overgrown passageways and further up the slope is the fancier church of San Giacomo in Corte. Next door, the grand Villa Durazzo is a monument to the faded glory of the Riviera. The garden terraces are a public park; a pleasant place to sit. There is also a 'Coffee House' and although the Villa is used as a study centre, you can catch glimpses of frescoed interiors.

Things to See & Do

* Abbazia della Cervara
* Villa Durazzo complex
* Basilica of St. Margaret of Antiochia
* The Castle

General information

Cruise Season - Feb to Dec
Currency - Euro (€)
Language - Italian
Land Area - 9.8 km²
Population - 10,250 approx
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC + one hour
International Country Telephone Code - 39

Port Location - The port of Santa Margherita is located approximately 1 km from the town Centre.

Travel Links - The handiest airports for this stretch of the Italian Riviera are Genoa and Pisa - both towns are connected by rail to the coast, and both are on budget airline routes from the UK.

Santa Margherita Ligure's train station is fairly central, and provides good connections with the rest of Italy. On the main railway line between Pisa and Genoa, access is easy from Rome and other big cities. Local buses run from outside the station; the seafront and several hotels are just a short walk away.

Passenger ferries connect the town with other resorts up and down the coast, and are a good way to see the area.