Luxury villas in Liguria

Europe

Liguria Luxury Villas to Rent

117 properties

View all 117 villas

Liguria is Italy's crescent-shaped coastal region, the glamorous Italian Riviera where the Alps and Apennines tumble into the sea. Renting a luxury villa in Liguria places you among pastel harbours, terraced vineyards and Portofino chic, with a private base, concierge support and the freedom to explore at your own pace.

Updated October 2026

  • Pastel fishing villages and the jet-set harbour of Portofino
  • Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage coastline of cliff paths and car-free hamlets
  • Al fresco dining with sea views, fresh seafood and Genoa's original pesto
  • Vermentino whites, Rossese reds and the rare Sciacchetrà dessert wine
  • Concierge-supported luxury villas with private pools and terraces
Known forThe Italian Riviera, Portofino, Cinque Terre, pesto and Vermentino wines
Best time to visitMay to September for warm seas and harbour life; late spring and early autumn for fewer crowds
Nearest airportGenoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA); Nice and Pisa serve the western and eastern reaches
Ideal forCouples, families and groups seeking coastal glamour, hiking and gastronomy

Villas in Liguria

GenovaAndoraSestri Levante
117homes available
1–11bedrooms
up to 24guests
15with a pool

What's on in Liguria

  1. February

    Sanremo Music Festival

    Italy's most famous song contest takes over Sanremo for a week each winter, filling the Riviera dei Fiori with music and glamour. Book well ahead if your stay coincides.

  2. Second Sunday of May

    Sagra del Pesce, Camogli

    Camogli fries fish for the crowds in a giant four-metre pan on the harbourfront, a beloved tradition since the 1950s. One of the Riviera's most photogenic village festivals.

  3. May

    Monterosso Lemon Festival

    The Cinque Terre village of Monterosso celebrates its lemon terraces with stalls, tastings and decorations through the old town. A fragrant excuse for a late-spring visit.

  4. Late September

    Genoa International Boat Show

    The Mediterranean's largest boat show fills Genoa's waterfront with yachts and superyachts each autumn. Fitting for a coastline that lives by the sea.

  5. Spring and autumn weekends

    Rolli Days, Genoa

    Genoa opens its UNESCO-listed Renaissance palaces, the Palazzi dei Rolli, to visitors twice a year. A rare look inside the city's aristocratic past.

Liguria through the seasons

  1. Spring (March – May)

    Flower Riviera and coastal paths

    Mimosa and lemon blossom scent the coast while the Cinque Terre and Portofino trails are cool and uncrowded. The finest walking season on the Riviera.

  2. Summer (June – August)

    The classic Riviera season

    Beach clubs, boat days out of Portofino and Santa Margherita, and long evenings over trofie al pesto. A villa above the coast gives you the glamour with privacy and a pool.

  3. Autumn (September – October)

    Warm seas and the olive harvest

    Swimming holds well into October as the crowds thin and the olive and grape harvests begin in the hills. Liguria at its most liveable.

  4. Winter (November – February)

    Mild microclimate and Sanremo lights

    The sheltered Riviera stays notably mild, with Genoa's palaces and aquarium for culture and Sanremo's festival in February. A civilised winter escape.

All 116 villas in Liguria

Every home in Liguria that can be booked with Smiling House, as a plain list.

Smiling House also offers a concierge for private chefs, transfers, ski instructors, yachts and cars, a VIP Club with first access to new residences and member rates, chalets for sale in the Gstaad region through its real estate division and instantly bookable homes with live availability.

The Area

Liguria curves along the Ligurian Sea in Italy's north, a narrow ribbon where mountains meet the Mediterranean to create one of the country's most theatrical landscapes. Though it ranks among Italy's smallest regions, it holds an outsized share of glamour. Genoa, the capital, is Italy's largest port thanks to its natural harbour and reigned as a great maritime power in medieval times. Eastward lies the Cinque Terre, five postcard fishing villages clinging to terraced cliffs. To the west, Portofino remains the region's most coveted address, its colourful façades and yacht-filled cove drawing the international set. Between them stretch coves, promenades and olive groves that make a luxury villa in Liguria a refined coastal retreat.

Where to Stay

The Riviera divides naturally into east and west. The eastern Riviera di Levante, around Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo and the Cinque Terre, suits those wanting dramatic scenery and harbour glamour within easy reach. The western Riviera di Ponente, near Sanremo and Alassio, offers gentler beaches, milder light and a more relaxed pace. Our curated collection of luxury villas in Liguria spans hillside estates with panoramic terraces, restored coastal residences and private-pool retreats above the sea. Many sit within minutes of a port or beach yet feel wholly secluded. Concierge support arranges everything from private boat charters to in-villa chefs, so each stay is shaped around your party.

Things to Do

Liguria rewards both the active and the unhurried. Genoa offers noble palaces, a labyrinthine old town and one of Europe's great aquariums. The Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, links its five villages by cliff-edge footpaths and a scenic coastal train that threads dramatically between tunnels. Sanremo hosts its famed February music festival, said to have inspired Eurovision. Beyond the coast, the inland hills invite hiking, cycling and vineyard visits. From Portofino, walk to the abbey of San Fruttuoso or charter a boat to swim in hidden coves. A villa base lets you balance lively days and slow, sea-gazing afternoons.

Dining and Nightlife

You eat exceptionally well in Liguria. Al fresco dining with a sea view is the regional ritual, and menus celebrate the catch of the day alongside Genoa's gift to the world, pesto, made from fresh basil, parmesan and pine nuts. The vineyards produce crisp Vermentino whites, Rossese reds and the prized Sciacchetrà dessert wine, while Corochinato vermouth rewards the curious. Evenings are easy rather than frenetic. Rapallo, with its fairy-tale bays and seafront promenade, gathers cocktail bars, DJ sets and live music, while Portofino's piazzetta offers polished people-watching. Quieter villages reward those who prefer a glass of wine on a candlelit terrace under the stars.

When to Visit

Liguria enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate that makes most of the year inviting. June to September brings warm seas, buzzing harbours and long golden evenings, the peak season for swimming and boating. Late spring and early autumn, May and September into October, deliver pleasant warmth, lighter crowds and the best light for hiking the Cinque Terre paths. February draws visitors for the Sanremo Music Festival. Winters stay gentle along the coast, ideal for a quiet villa escape, though some seasonal venues close. For the classic Riviera experience of beaches, boat trips and al fresco dinners, aim for the shoulder months around high summer.

Getting There

Liguria is well connected for an Italian coastal region. Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport sits centrally and serves the heart of the Riviera. For the eastern Cinque Terre and Levante, Pisa airport is a convenient gateway, while Nice in France suits the western Ponente and Sanremo. Frequent trains run the length of the coast, linking Genoa, Santa Margherita, Rapallo and the Cinque Terre villages, many of which are car-free. A car offers freedom for inland hills and quieter coves, though the coastal road is winding. Our concierge can arrange private airport transfers and chauffeur service so your arrival at the villa is effortless.

Related destinations

tuscanysardiniasicilypugliaumbria