Agriturismo in Liguria with Barbecue, Riding

Farm stays in Liguria occupy one of the steepest agricultural landscapes in Europe. The region is a narrow arc of coast backed immediately by mountains, and its farms sit on dry-stone terraces cut into slopes that fall to the sea — olives, vines, basil and lemons on ledges a few metres wide.

The two rivieras

East of Genoa, the Riviera di Levante holds the Cinque Terre, Portofino and the Gulf of Poets. Farms above the coast here look down on the villages and are reached by hairpin roads or, in places, on foot. West of Genoa, the Riviera di Ponente around Imperia and Albenga is sunnier, drier and more agricultural, with the region's main olive belt and its flower nurseries. Inland, the Valle Arroscia and the hills behind Genoa are cooler and much less visited.

What the farms produce

• Taggiasca olives and the mild oil pressed from them
• Genoese basil for pesto, grown under low glass on the coast
• Vermentino, Pigato and the Cinque Terre whites, including the sweet Sciacchetrà
• Lemons, chestnuts and the herbs used in Ligurian vegetable pies
• Walking access to the coastal paths, including stretches of the Cinque Terre trails

Timing and access

May, June and September are ideal: warm, in flower and without August's coastal crowds. The olive harvest runs from October to December. Winters are mild by Italian standards, and the western Riviera stays workable year round.

Genoa has an airport; Nice is close to the western end and Pisa to the eastern. The coastal railway is excellent and reaches almost every village, which matters because the roads up to the farms are narrow, steep and slow. Check parking with the host before booking — on this coast it is rarely a given.

In Liguria we have 127 farmhouses, including 47 with swimming pool, 42 with restaurant and 68 pet friendly.