Sestri Levante emerges as family-friendly Riviera alternative

Sestri Levante, a town on the Ligurian coast between Portofino and Cinque Terre, is experiencing a quiet surge in family tourism, according to Forbes. The publication noted that while Portofino and Capri retain their jet-setter cachet and the international renown that has endured since the dolce vita years, Sestri Levante offers sandy beaches, vibrant dining, historic hotels and what Forbes characterised as "accessible prices." The shift reflects a broader pattern across the Riviera: as overtourism strains the most famous destinations, European families are seeking alternatives that offer coastal charm at a more sustainable scale.

For Liguria's tourism economy, the trend points toward a potential rebalancing. Genoa's Riviera stretches 160 kilometres, but only a handful of towns—Portofino, Cinque Terre, Camogli—dominate international travel media and absorb the majority of seasonal visitors. Sestri Levante, which lies directly on this coast, has historically been overshadowed by its more celebrated neighbours. Forbes's feature suggests that European travel planners are now discovering the town's appeal: a peninsula setting with two bays, a temperate Mediterranean climate, and infrastructure designed for families rather than luxury tourism. The article's framing—positioning Sestri Levante as a destination that delivers the Riviera experience without the frenzy—suggests a market opportunity for secondary coastal towns across the region.

The economic implications for Liguria are significant. Overtourism has strained resources in Cinque Terre and Portofino, leading to visitor caps, infrastructure pressure and resident complaints about seasonal saturation. If tourism distributes more evenly across the coast, towns like Sestri Levante can capture visitor spending without triggering the same infrastructure crisis. Local hotels, restaurants and services can operate more sustainably. Forbes's international reach means the feature will likely drive bookings; European families seeking the Italian Riviera experience at reasonable prices now have a published alternative to the exhausted marquee destinations. For a region whose economy relies heavily on summer tourism, this diversification could ease pressure on both the most famous towns and the natural environment they depend on.