Liguria

You might want to look at the Take Me Home Italy blog by Marilyn. She moved to Chiavari from the US in 2017 and has an online travel planning business now.

Here's where we stayed for several nights in October 2022 and liked both the apartment and Chiavari a lot: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/38118507?source_impression_id=p3_1735949392_P3Esbq9jzYAaNfwA
The host lives in Chiavari and this seems to be the only apartment she rents out. We had a car on this trip, but on a previous trip we easily took the train to and from Chiavari. No terrace, but there are balconies.

Here's my review:

If you enjoy cooking actual meals while traveling, this is a great apartment for that --- so many places say that their kitchens are fully equipped, but it's often not the case. And there are many other practical features of this apartment that we really appreciated during the 5 nights we stayed here: it's very quiet, everything works, there is nearby parking in Piazza Roma, the beds are comfy and the bedrooms darken very well, the shower is nice, it's steps from a lively pedestrian-only street, and the couch is big enough for two people. The two balconies and their views are fun. Do not be put off by the apartment's being on the 3rd floor because the steps are not steep and are in good shape (unlike some stairs in older buildings). Chiavari is a lively and interesting town that made an excellent base for day trips. Rachele is easy to communicate with and has clearly put thought and work into making her apartment such a good place for guests to stay.

Wonderful! Thank you so much for the info, your insight & review, I truly appreciate it!

kristin :)

Salve Janet!

I found Marilyn of Take Me Home Italy through research. I got a hold of her once but my recent attempts on her travel site haven't been successful. Have you used her as a planner for trips? If so, perhaps you would have an "in." I have seen her Facebook posts, but they don't allude to travel planning. I wonder if she is taking a break. Whether yes or no I've still gleaned insight and some guidance. I'm traveling in 2026 so my fingers are crossed I'm able to connect with her! To have my Chiavari plea answered so quickly is wonderful. Grazie!

Chiavari is a wonderful little city. I wouldn't worry about displacing locals as the very popular oceanfront area with its marina is already the 2nd home choice of a huge number non-local Italians. Vacationing is what Liguria does - after all, that's why you'll have good dining, transport and other service options.
The town of Lavagna is contiguous with Chiavari and well worth visiting - or staying - it's within walking distance of Chiavari's center.
https://www.apathtolunch.com/2019/05/a-lunch-visit-to-chiavari-our-favorite.html
http://thisitalianlife.blogspot.com/2013/04/life-life-in-chiavari.html

I have not been to Chiavari but I know locals who believe it is the perfect "Ligurian town" and is nowhere near as famous as some of its neighbors.

The coastal towns are well connected by train so exploring the surrounding area should be easy. The further north you go towards Portofino the more chic and expensive things become.

With the much time I would also suggest you explore the southern side of the Bay of La Spezia. Either take the ferry from Porto Venere to Lerici or a bus from the train station to San Terenzo. San Terenzo and Lerici are connected by a coastal walking path and Tellaro - looking like an undiscovered CT village - is a bus ride from Lerici. I found them to be very Italian in contrast to the touristy nature of PV and CT. Lerici with the marina is touristy but they are Italian tourists camped at the beach for the summer and I really enjoyed these three towns.

Sounds like a great adventure,
=Tod

No, I haven't been in contact with Marilyn recently, but I'm glad you found her blog. I've been to the towns that Tod suggested and definitely agree with him.

See if this woodcarver still has a shop in Chiavari:

https://thisitalianlife.blogspot.com/2014/07/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_13.html

https://www.saveur.com/pasta-stamp-workshop-italy/

We tracked down his shop in 2018, failed to try to find it again in 2022, but he made us a wooden pasta stamp with our dog and dog's name carved on it from a photo on my phone.

Hi all from the gal going to Chiavari, Italy in 2026. I just connected with Marilyn Ricci of TakeMeHomeItaly and really felt she could set me up with great guides and great experiences in areas I wouldn’t otherwise take away. I need to know if travel planners such as Marilyn, First, Exist and Second, are worth their Cost. Even more, what do I need to make sure the travel planner can do? What boxes do I need to check before I choose one and hand over my money. How much money is reasonable to hand over? OR, do I leave it to AAA or to an online service? When I proposed the idea and amount to the person traveling with me she questioned the legitimacy of the job and cost, as in is it a "swindle". Please comment if you can, I feel as if a rug has been pulled out from under my feet. Grazie mille in advance!!

Ciao! My husband and I stayed in Chiavari last May but unfortunately only for 4 nights. We fell in love with it; enjoyed its authentic vibe -- like a real town where Italians live and visit for their own vacations. We were not interested in the beach as it was a bit early in the season and we are not big beach people anyway. Location-wise it is ideal in terms of being right on the train line and hopping from one town to the next along the coast is easy-breezy. Should you tire of Italian food (I know it seems highly unlikely!) there is an excellent Indian place called "Taj Mahal". The owner was lovely and the food was as good as anything I've had in the NY/NJ metro area.

I have no knowledge of the person you are considering for travel guidance or exactly what she is offering. All I can add is that we are hiring a personal tour guide in Naples who will be providing us with an Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend Tour and it costs 350 Euros for 5 hours. (But she is a personal guide NOT a travel planner, so it is probably an apples to oranges comparison).

As far as visiting Chiavari and Liguria area in general I am not so sure you need much in the way of a travel planner. I think if you do your research/homework in advance you will be fine. If you do decide to work with a planner I think someone like this woman would be far superior to using AAA. You really need someone who is on the ground with first hand information. To get you started with you own research, here is a link to a podcast called "Untold Italy" - episode #106. In this particular episode, the host has a Ligurian guest who is super knowledgeable about the area. This is what inspired me to visit the area in the first place -- ultimately zeroing in on Chiavari. Also, if I could get it together (don't count on it) I could post our itinerary but then again we were there for only 4 days so probably not that comparable.

https://untolditaly.com/episode-106-beyond-the-cinque-terre-exploring-liguria/

Here is one more, also from the "Untold Italy" Podcast - it is a travel guide to the area:

https://untolditaly.com/liguria-travel-guide/

I have been to Chiavari...first time for 9 days then went back a couple of years ago and stayed a month out of my 5 month visit. It is a great "base" since there are so many lovely towns on the sea that are close and fabulous and easy to day trip from Chiavari. the beach wasn't appealing to me...the public part was rocks/gravel but there was a private part that looked nicer. I was happy to sit on the promenade and enjoy the view! I enjoyed the area not far from the train station where the outdoor market is set up daily...lots of good shops and restaurants....I wouldn't say it has much in the way of tourist attractions but that is why I liked it...more local vibes.

Grazie!

My thanks to the individual who just posted a reply to my information request! Questions: Where did you stay? Do you have the address? Did you visit Liguria to the west, closer to France? Last one, did you ever use a guide while there or get set up with a local for a day in the hills?

Ciao! Grazie mille for all the replies. The Internet opens my eyes, these provide footing. I'm now curious how to get up into the hills, and back down, without a rental car. Can taxi's, Ubers, and even busses step in without a steep cost? Especially in this small city area.

I’ve not been to Chiavari, yet, but regarding your question about travel planner/travel agent, the answer is that many Italians still use travel agents to plan their vacations. Until my wife moved here in 2004 she always used a travel agent for her vacations, but especially locals who can help plan it. It’s up to you though in the end. Good luck.

I thought Italian who use travel agents are likely to use them for a package to another country, that would include flights, hotels, guides, etc. More as a money saving tool.

Why would anyone need a travel planner for Liguria or for anyplace in Italy with so much info online these days?

I've been only to Camogli and Santa Margherita; it was so easy to book our hotels (directly with the hotels) and rent a car (in Rapallo, for onward travel to Lake Como).....thinking of returning next year and renting a flat in Chiavari, to take advantage of using the kitchen to prepare the great local produce.

BUT, since restaurants are also very important to us, I did some reading and could not find Chiavari restaurants to sound too enticing.....would those be geared only to tourists? (This seemed to be true in Camogli but I was hoping for a really good restaurant scene in Chiavari.....)

I recommend that you acquire the Bradt guide to Liguria. It's a great book that goes into detail about places and activities - and even restaurants - in the region.