Sestri Levante in the Winter

Sestri Levante is a beautiful little town found approximately halfway between Genova and La Spezia. While Portofino and the Cinque Terre are probably the most well known tourist destinations on the Italian Riviera, Sestri Levante is becoming quite a favorite among Italians. In fact, in the past few years it has become almost impossible to walk in town on the weekends. The narrow streets are packed with people that come for a weekend stroll and stop leisurely check out the trendy shop windows or to get an ice cream or piece of focaccia. This once quiet fishing village is slowly turning into a tourist hotspot.

The original part of Sestri Levante is actually on a peninsula, with the beautiful Baia del Silenzio (also known as "Portobello") on one side and Baia delle Favole on the other. “baia delle favole” or “Bay of Fairy Tales” was named in honor of Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in Sestri for a short time. In fact, there is an annual children's writing contest which has been held for 39 years.