The Liguria Coast, promoted to tourists as the Italian Riviera or Ligurian Riviera, is the narrow coastal strip on Italy's western seaboard. It lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinally it extends from the border with France and the French Riviera (or Côte d'Azur) near Ventimiglia and is close to the regional border between Liguria and Tuscany. Historically the "Riviera" extended further to the west, through what is now French territory as far as Marseille.

As a tourist centre, the Italian Riviera benefits from over 300 days of sunshine per year, and is known for its beaches, colourfully painted towns, natural environment, food, and luxury villas and hotels, as well as for its popular resort facilities, major yachting and cruising areas with several marinas, festivals, golf courses, sailing, rock climbing and scenic views of centuries old farmhouses and cottages.

Cinque Terre, which literally translates into English as "Five Lands", refers to five towns on this mountainous coast, which can be found between Genoa and La Spezia The five towns, of medieval origin, remained self-sufficient, isolated, and conserved their characteristics up until the first half of the 20th century when new access roads were opened up. Today, visitors flock here from around the world and are fascinated by the way human activities have been sculpted into the dramatic natural landscape.