In the late 19th and early 20th century Sanremo drew European royalty and the likes of Russian composer Tchaikovsky, who finished his Fourth Symphony here in 1878 and Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, who died in the resort in 1896.
A couple of generations later it was to Portofino, a couple of hours along the coast, to which movie stars Liz Taylor and Frank Sinatra came. Today the faces are those of Cruise and Clooney.
The coast of Liguria in northern Italy has always glittered with the sort of star allure that to this day entrances more than 4.5 million people yearly, making it among the country's most visited spots and a favourite for investors on the lookout for attractive vacation homes. With good reason. For one, the region features a spectacular 280km coastline also called the Italian (or Ligurian) Riviera, spanning the French border at its western extremity to the picturesque villages that form the famous Cinque Terre, now a UN World Heritage Site.
Stef Russo, founder of Italy property company The Property Organizer, says: "Liguria is pipped only by perhaps Tuscany in terms of areas of the country most asked for by our clients. As well as the Cinque Terre, its beaches and beautiful landscapes, the French Riviera is only over the border, there are ski resorts in Piedmont, and access is made easy by airports in Genoa and Nice."
The priciest towns and villages on the seafront are probably the Cinque Terre, Bordighera and Alassio. Prices also rise if you are set on overlooking the sea. The real estate market is kept high by well-heeled Italians, Swiss and French. As a rule of thumb expect to be asked for some Euro 410,000 for a two-bedroom property within strolling distance of the beach and up to two and a half times that for a sea-view villa in a similar location.
As usual, there are bargains by shopping around. In Alassio, 90sq m properties with sea view can be obtained from Euro 235,000. And in Bordighera, Euro 345,000 can pay for a two-bedroom apartment again boasting a sea vista, although you will have to be content with being slightly farther out from the shore.
Yet a short drive from the coastal resorts is the mountainous countryside crammed with beautiful hamlets. But if you can live without proximity to the coast, head just 25 minutes inland, to hamlets such as Apricale, which is what swathes of American and British bargain-hunters have done in recent years. Here, budget for a 70sq m apartment costs around Euro 145,000. Don't mind getting to grips with a property needing some work? Then you may get away with Euro 110,000, possibly with a large garden thrown in. Given Liguria's strong popularity, rental potential is excellent, especially if you have bought near the sea. Expect a two-bedroom property can go for Euro 1,400 a week in summer and a luxury property with pool twice that.
Among the most stunning towns on the coast are Alassio, Sanremo and Portofino. Alassio has more than 3km of sandy beaches and has drawn tourists, especially from England for over a century while celebrities such as the writer Ernest Hemingway started flocking here from the 1930s. Sanremo is heady with ageless glitz and is today best known for its casino, dating from 1905 and pop fete. While among Portofino's most striking features is an array of fishermen's houses along its marina. In spring and summer its swanky fashion outlets bursting designer names and the yachts littering its marina speak volumes about the level of rich visitor that vacations here.
But in terms of natural magnificence not much matches the five clifftop hamlets of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso that make up the Cinque Terre. Then again, some things in life are priceless.
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