The showstopping beach town of Sestri Levante on the Italian Riviera takes the meaning of a fairy-tale setting to a new level—the Mediterranean enclave is believed to be the inspiration behind the story and recently reimagined movie “The Little Mermaid.” The Danish fairy-tale author Hans Christian Andersen stayed in Sestri Levante in 1833—four year...

The biggest bay, called “Baia delle Favole” (Fairy-Tale Bay) was named by the TV presenter Enzo Tortora during an episode of Campanile Sera, broadcast in the 1950s from Sestri Levante. The other bay, the smaller one, was called “Baia del Silenzio” (Silent Bay) for the first time in 1919 by the Ligurian poet Giovanni Descalzo who lived in Sestri Lev...

Dramatic coastal settings, richly colored houses perched with stage-set perfection by snug harbors, rustic seaside cuisine and a seductive dolce far niente ambiance are just some of the reasons spots like Portofino and Cinque Terre have long been among the most sought-after destinations in the world. (And sought after they are; pre-Covid some 2.5 m...

Ascoli Piceno, Chioggia (VE), Grosseto, Mesagne (BR), Pesaro, Sestri Levante with the Tigullio (GE), Siracusa, Union of Municipalities Paestum-Alto Cilento (SA), Viareggio (LU), Vicenza. These are the 10 finalist cities for the title of Capital of Culture 2024, announced today by the Ministry of Culture. The selected cities, informed by the Ministe...