Camogli

Camogli, 25km east of Genoa, is most famous for its sheer number of trompe l'œil villas, its photogenic terraced streets winding down to a perfect cove of pebble beach amid a backdrop of umbrella pines and olive groves. While tourists flock to Portofino, this is where many of northern Italy's intellectuals and creatives have their summer apartments. Still, as pretty as the town is, it remains a working fishing hub – the town's name means 'house of wives', hailing from the days when the womenfolk ran the show while the husbands were away at sea. Come the second weekend in May, the town celebrates its maritime heritage with the Sagra del Pesce and a huge fish fry – hundreds are cooked in 3m-wide pans along the waterfront.