I was skeptical about the palm tree on the Genoa travel poster and whether it could actually grow in a city that far north.
What I hadn’t realized is that Genoa is on the shores of Mediterranean — specifically, the Italian Riviera. This coastal region in Liguria also includes towns like Portofino and the Cinque Terre, and it has a climate warm enough to support palm trees, agaves, and sun-seeking tourists.
In fact, the Italian Riviera was already a tourist destination in 1884, when Claude Monet visited and painted scenes like the Palm Trees at Bordighera.
Now if the word “riviera” initially made you picture a river (same here), you weren’t completely wrong. The Italian word rivièra can actually refer to the shores of a river, lake, or, in this case, a sea.
Because there’s an Italian Riviera, English speakers called the Mediterranean coast on France’s side of the border the “French Riviera,” borrowing the Italian word again. Apparently, there’s also a (much) lesser-known English Riviera, which seems like a tourism-bureau invention.
And, yes, in Italy, you can just call the Italian Riviera the “Riviera.”
Photos via:
- Art Auction House Günther
- AudreyH. CCL. (Waterfront in Riva Ligure)
- trialsanderrors. CCL. (1920s poster: La Riviera Italienne)
- Regan Vercruysse. CCL. (Monet’s Palm Trees at Bordighera at the Met)
- Our Italy trip (map in the Vatican)
- Martina Pathogens. CCL. (Beach in Alassio)
- Regan Vercruysse. CCL. (Detail of Palm Trees at Bordighera)
I’ll be linking up with Thursday Tree Love at Happiness and Food.
What a beautiful part of the world. I have never been off the North American continent – a fear of flying doesn’t help. But there is so much beauty in the world that I am missing out on.
Wow! I love those pictures and the painting. I have never been to that part of the world. So your pictures was the first I saw. Beautiful. I am so glad you joined Stephanie. Thank you!
I was glad to join in! In case you hadn’t seen Mali’s reply, she has some gorgeous photos of the same region here: https://lemonslimoncello.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/relaxing-on-the-riviera/
(She mentions “Genova,” which is another spelling of “Genoa.”)
Wow! Fabulous paintings! Could these be coconut palms?? Thanks for sharing!
I assumed they were date palms (since that’s what I’m more familiar with), but I’m not sure how to tell the difference.
so beautiful, thanks for sharing:)
Thanks for stopping by!
I adore this area of the world. I’ve been three times, have hiked in the hills behind Portofino, and on the Cinque Terre, swum at Santa Margherita Ligure, and have not spent nearly enough time in Genoa. I love love love these photos!
(It’s Travel month on my TakeTwo365 at wordpress dot com blog this month. You’ve reminded me to think about writing about this region.)
Please do write about it! I’ve never been and would love to hear (and see) more about what it’s like!
I’ve written about it here – https://lemonslimoncello.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/relaxing-on-the-riviera/
and here – https://atozoftravel.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/p-is-for-portofino/
Super! Thanks for sharing those links!
So gorgeous! I wonder about palm trees when I see them where I don’t expect to… I forget how far south France and Italy are on the Mediterranean. Your post is making me have wanderlust!
Haha! I made myself have wanderlust too!
I think it’s the Mediterranean that keeps the climate warmer there than it might be otherwise.