Just half an hour from The Mall Sanremo, Cervo is one of those little towns that captivate you at first sight. Perched above the sea, with alleyways that climb to the top of the hill, pastel-coloured houses, and glimpses that suddenly open onto the azure Mediterranean, it retains all the charm of its medieval past, when walls and bastions protected residents from Saracen pirate raids.

We begin the day with a sea-view breakfast at Café Ariel, before wandering through the narrow streets of the old quarter. Strolling, we pass elegant buildings such as the 17th-century Palazzo Morchio, now the Town Hall, until we reach the town’s pride and joy,  the Church of St John the Baptist, which dominates the square with its spectacular baroque façade looking out to sea. Also nearby are the Oratory of Santa Caterina, now a space devoted to exhibitions and concerts, and the Clavesana Castle, which now houses the Ethnographic Museum of Western Liguria.

For lunch, or even just a break with a view, choose Bar Mediterraneo, with its tables overlooking the church square.

In the afternoon, simply take one of the steps leading down to the sea to reach Porteghetto Beach, with its crystal-clear waters. Here, Il Porteghetto Restaurant and beach club is the perfect place for a seafood lunch, an aperitif, or a seaside dinner. On the opposite side of the bay, Bagni L’Angolo offers one of the most beautiful views of Cervo and the Corallini Church.

If you visit the village in the summer, stay until evening. The most picturesque squares and corners become the stage for the International Chamber Music Festival, while between May and July, the Cervo ti Strega literary festival where the finalist writers of the Strega prize talk about their novels. transforms the village into a literary salon overlooking the sea.