Cristallo Park Hotel, Porto Venere, Liguria

• Views for days: Overlooking Porto Venere’s spectacular gulf and majestic mountains, Cristallo Park Hotel certainly lives up to its name, rising like a shard of glass in the verdant landscape and boasting panoramic views at every turn. Each room features a balcony and vast floor-to-ceiling windows, while airy interiors combine sleek lines and minimalist décor for refined, futuristic digs where the sea always steals the show. And with lush olive trees all around, an outdoor pool and a sprinkling of beaches at your fingertips, you’re set for a Ligurian seaside stay to remember.

• Breakfast, beach and beyond: After lazy breakfasts gazing into the distance at the panoramic restaurant, saunter down to Sporting Beach, a pebbly parasol-lined Lido framed by the colourful buildings, dreamy mountains and rich vegetation for which Liguria is known. You’ll find crystal-clear waters to splash about in as boats drift in and out of view on the sparkling horizon, and a laid-back restaurant and bar right on the water. 

• Porto Venere pleasures: A scenic 15-minute walk will take you to the heart of Porto Venere, one of Liguria’s most beautiful coastal towns, and is also, alongside its neighbouring islands and the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A stroll through the town centre makes it easy to see why, from the pretty pastel-hued houses lining the seafront to ancient fortifications and centuries-old churches. Pass through the stone arch of the Porta del Borgo straight into the old town’s main thoroughfare, and don't miss the 12th-century Church of San Lorenzo and Church of St Peter lying on the rocks. Head to the more tranquil area of Le Grazie for postcard-worthy sunsets as fishing boats come ashore, before returning to your stylish digs.
  
  

Entry requirements

The passport, visa and health requirements at the time of booking can be viewed on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for UK citizens, and on the Department of Foreign Affairs website for IE citizens. It is your responsibility to ensure that you and all members of your party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents, and in compliance with any other immigration/entry requirements before you travel, including whether your passport must be machine readable or which visas/waivers may be required for entry, such as ESTA for USA travel and/or ETIAS for EU travel. Please also be sure to check the validity of your passport and allow up to 10 weeks for passport renewals.