I've read all the comments about Portovenere vs Santa Margherita, and I have to say I like the first one more. I have been in SML for a week on business and I wasn't impressed that much by the town itself, too similar to other coastal towns, full of vacation homes and time-share, too close to Portofino with its mundane hotshots and those who try to look alike. For the sake of truth I have to say getting to Portovenere is almost as hard as parking there, but the town is a gem and the shipyards of La Spezia are shielded by the cape.

So, after all it's just a matter of opinions but please remember there's nothing like the perfect town in Liguria for everything. Swimming, boating, hiking or sightseeing can be enjoyed everywhere, but the morphology of the ground, with the beach, the towns, the railway and the highway all tightly cropped inside the short stretch of semi-flat land at the foot of the Appennini is forcing the tourist to make some choices. There are wonderful hotels with the main railway just out of their yard, some beautiful towns like Monterosso are at the end of long mountain roads, others like Sestri or Recco are crossed by towering highway bridges...it's just the way it is.

Bye

Paolo Trieste, Italy