Finding an affordable home on Italy's Riviera coast

In the late 19th and early 20th century Sanremo attracted European nobility and the likes of Russian composer Tchaikovsky, who drafted his Fourth Symphony here in 1878 and Swedish dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel, who passed away in the city in 1896.

In the 1950 and 60s it was to Portofino, a couple of hours along the coast, to which Hollywood icons Frank Sinatra, Brigitte Bardot and Liz Taylor flocked. Today the faces are those of Clooney and Cruise. In other words, the coast of Liguria in Italy has for generations exuded the level of star quality that still brings some 4.5 million people each year, making it one of the country's most popular spots and a favourite for property in Italy buyers.

For good reason. For one, the region features a breathtaking 280km of coast renowned as the Italian (or Ligurian) Riviera, running from the border with France at its western extremity to the picturesque villages that form the fabled Cinque Terre, now a UN World Heritage Site.

Stef Russo, founder of Italy property search experts The Property Organiser, points out: This region is surpassed only by maybe Tuscany when it comes to parts of the country most in demand among our househunters. In addition to the Cinque Terre, its sandy beaches and scenic hilly landscapes, France is only a leisurely drive away, there are ski slopes in Piedmont, just 40 minutes away, and getting here is easy thanks to airports in Nice and Genoa."

The priciest towns and villages are probably the Cinque Terre, Bordighera and Alassio. Bear in mind you pay a premium if you insist on overlooking the sea. The real estate market is kept bullish by rich Germans, French and Italians. On average you will be asked for in the region of Euro 410,000 for two bedrooms within strolling distance of the coast and up to Euro 1,250,000 for a house with sea view in a similar location. As usual, diligent buyers can find bargains by shopping around.

In Alassio, 80sq m properties boasting a view over the Ligurian Sea can be bought from Euro 230,000. And in Bordighera, Euro 335,000 can get you a 90sq m home also with sea view, although you will have to be content with being somewhat farther away from the sea. Yet overlooking the coast is the hilly countryside littered with scenic villages and hamlets. But if you can live without proximity to the coast, look just 20 minutes inland, to areas such as Apricale and Isolabona, which is what legions of American and British bargain-hunters have done in recent years. Here, you will probably pay a 75sq m apartment to cost around Euro 145,000.

Happy with a property requiring a fair bit of renovation? Then you may get away with Euro 95,000, possibly with a half-acre garden thrown in. Given the region's enduring popularity, rental potential is buoyant, in particular if you have bought near a coastal resort. Typically, a two-bedroom apartment can fetch Euro 1,300 a week in peak season and a deluxe residence with swimming pool Euro 2,750. Among the most gorgeous areas on the coast are Alassio, Sanremo and Portofino.

Alassio has more than 3km of sandy beaches and has drawn tourists for over a century while names such as American writer Ernest Hemingway started flocking here in the 1930s. Sanremo is heady with timeless glamour and is today best known for its music festival. While among Portofino's most striking features is pastel-coloured huddles of fishermen’s houses overlooking its marina. In spring and summer its plush fashion outlets bursting designer goods and the yachts cramming its waters say it all about the class of wealthy visitor that vacations here.

However, for rich, natural magnificence not much tops the five clifftop hamlets of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso that form the Cinque Terre. Then again, some things in life money can't buy.

The author works for Homes and Villas Abroad.com, who advertise 5,000 houses for sale in Italy. She also focuses on property in Sicily and real estate Calabria Italy

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