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Levanto is situated on the eastern part of the Italian Riviera and makes a great base for a visit to the Cinque Terre nature reserve. The town still retains its medieval silhouette, thanks to the 13th century castle, the old city walls, the bell tower, town hall, and the many churches, which include the Santa Andrea church from 1226 and the San Nicolo and San Siro churches which date back to the 11th century.
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The town has been in existence since Roman times and its name, Levanto, means ’place of the rising sun’. The town was governed by the Malaspina family until 1140. In 1211 the town was annexed to the Republic of Genoa. Under Genoan rule and until 1797 it enjoyed the status of ’free district’ and earned its living from maritime trade between the hinterland and countries overseas.
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Thanks to Levanto’s location and its good beaches, the town has experienced rapid growth since the Second World War, where it started to make its name as a popular holiday resort. The town centre is closed to traffic in high season. If you are on a driving holiday, it’s good idea to rent accommodation outside the town centre. If you are travelling by train, the station is quite close to the town centre. The train service is very reliable in this region and you can take the train to visit Cinque Terre, La Spezia and Genoa. The town is characteristic of eastern Riviera towns and is also a good place to visit for families with young children.
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