Italy’s best-known seaside resorts, like Cinque Terre and Portofino, were once obscure fishing villages; today millions come to visit these rustic coastal havens, which now face the challenges of overtourism during warm-weather months. The attractions that have long drawn outsiders—striking scenery; intense blue and green seas; pastel-toned houses perched on mountainous outcroppings; a maritime culture and cuisine—can be found elsewhere along the Ligurian Coast, without a lot of the crowds.

Granted, many lesser-known Riviera resorts are popular with Italians and Europeans in summer, but these alternative spots on the portion of the coast reaching from Genoa to the French border are worth considering for a timeless summer holiday.