Codice fiscale Italian tax code
Apply at the Italian consulate or at any Agenzia delle Entrate office.
UK → Genoa / Liguria Removals to Liguria —
Removals to Liguria —
and the Italian Riviera
We move UK households to Liguria, often by the coast road. We deliver to Genoa, Portofino, the Cinque Terre, Sanremo, La Spezia and Imperia. Steep lanes and car-free villages are planned for.
Between sea and hills
How do you move house on Liguria's steep coast?
Liguria is a narrow strip of coast backed by steep hills, and that shapes every move into the region. The questions below cover Genoa's gradients and caruggi, the route from the UK, the Cinque Terre and Portofino, and the western Riviera.
Why is Genoa one of the steeper Italian cities to move into?
Genoa is built like an amphitheatre, rising sharply from the port to the hills behind. Many residential streets climb in hairpins or turn into stepped lanes. Buildings are tall, with many floors. Some districts are linked to the centre by public lifts and funiculars. A Genoa move often means steep carries and careful vehicle choice.
Districts such as Castelletto, Righi and Oregina sit high above the centre. A lorry may have to approach from a road above or below the building. Some addresses are on a crêuza, a narrow stepped lane between walls that no vehicle can enter. In those cases the crew carries from the nearest road.
Albaro, Carignano and the eastern districts towards Quinto and Nervi mix palazzi with villas set into the hillside. Gradients, gateways and private stairs are the main checks there. Tall Genoese palazzi often have small lifts. We confirm sizes and agree any external hoist with the condominio and the comune.
How do crews work in Genoa's caruggi?
On foot. The caruggi, the narrow alleys of Genoa's medieval centre, are too tight for any vehicle. The lorry stops on a surrounding street, and goods are carried or trolleyed to the door. Buildings are tall, stairs are steep, and lifts are often small or missing, so dismantling and careful packing matter.
The historic centre is one of the largest in Europe. It stretches from the old port up to Via Garibaldi, whose Palazzi dei Rolli are UNESCO-listed. Its alleys are busy with shops and residents. We plan the carry route and keep it clear for neighbours.
We usually stage on the waterfront road or a street that skirts the centre, such as Via Balbi or Via XX Settembre. A smaller van covers any stretch it can reach. Windows onto the caruggi are rarely wide enough for a hoist. We check the stairwell, landings and doors at survey and set the crew size to match.
Which route suits a move to the Italian Riviera?
For the western Riviera the coastal approach usually makes sense. The lorry crosses France, follows the motorway along the French Riviera and enters Italy at Ventimiglia. It then continues along the Ligurian coast. For Genoa and the eastern Riviera, the Mont Blanc tunnel and a descent to the coast through Piedmont is often just as practical.
The Ligurian coast motorway is a chain of tunnels and viaducts. Its exits drop steeply into the coastal towns. Many towns have narrow centres and little parking, so we plan the drop around the exit nearest your address and the space available to stop.
East of Genoa, the motorway continues to La Spezia, the usual base for the Cinque Terre. Whichever route we choose, it appears on your written quote. We check closures and roadworks on both the alpine and coastal roads before the lorry leaves.
Can a removal reach a house in the Cinque Terre or Portofino?
Yes, but rarely by lorry to the door. The five villages of the Cinque Terre have very limited road access. Goods transfer at La Spezia or the nearest car park to small vehicles, then go by hand along steep lanes and steps. Portofino's centre is closed to traffic, with a narrow approach road.
In Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, vehicles stop above the villages. The houses below are reached by stairways. Some sea-facing homes need small hoists or extra crew. We survey every Cinque Terre address before quoting and set out the extra handling clearly.
Portofino is reached from Santa Margherita Ligure along a narrow coast road that is busy in season. Villas above the harbour sit on private drives and stepped gardens. Santa Margherita, Rapallo and Camogli are easier. Their apartment buildings can be reached from the road, with condominio rules to follow.
What is the western Riviera like for a move?
The western Riviera, from Sanremo and Bordighera to Imperia and Alassio, has a long history of British residents. Housing mixes seafront flats, belle-époque villas and hillside houses among olive terraces. Seafront addresses are usually straightforward. Hillside homes are reached by steep, narrow roads that call for a smaller vehicle.
Bordighera and Sanremo grew as winter resorts for British visitors in the nineteenth century. The legacy shows in their villas, gardens and Anglican churches. Many villas are now divided into flats, with shared drives and condominio rules.
Behind the coast, terraced hillsides called fasce carry olive groves and gardens. Houses are reached by lanes with sharp bends and little room to pass. We confirm the drive gradient, turning space and gate width at survey. Registration goes through your comune and, where needed, the Questura in Imperia or Savona.
Cities & towns we serve From the caruggi —
From the caruggi —
to Sanremo and La Spezia
- Genoa Centro Storico
Among Europe's largest medieval centres; pedestrian-only caruggi; small-van shuttle from outside.
- Genoa Albaro / Quinto (hill-side)
Steep gradient access; sometimes hoist work; standard condominio protocols.
- Portofino / Santa Margherita Ligure
High-end coastal; concierge buildings; gated developments; narrow approach roads.
- Cinque Terre (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore)
Severe access constraints; small-vehicle transfer or hand-trolley; sometimes hoist for sea-cliff properties.
- La Spezia
Modern industrial-port city; standard apartment access; gateway to the Cinque Terre.
- Sanremo / Imperia / Bordighera (western Riviera)
Established UK retirement community; standard coastal-resort access.
Local terms & paperwork Ligurian terms —
Ligurian terms —
for a move on the coast
Permesso di soggiorno Italian residence permit
Apply at the Questura for your province (Genova, Savona, Imperia or La Spezia) soon after arrival; the Polizia di Stato sets the deadline, so book early.
Caruggio Narrow Genoese alley
Genoa's historic centre is built around caruggi — extremely narrow alleys, vehicle-impossible. Move-day pedestrian access only.
Riviera di Ponente / Levante Western / Eastern Riviera
The two halves of coastal Liguria, divided at Genoa.
Questure & comuni
Where you'll apply
Where you'll apply
for your permesso di soggiorno
- Questura di Genova: for permesso di soggiorno in Genoa and Genoa province (Riviera di Levante).
- Questura di La Spezia: for La Spezia and the Cinque Terre.
- Questura di Imperia: for the western Riviera (Sanremo, Bordighera, Imperia).
- Questura di Savona: for Savona and the central Riviera di Ponente.
UK collection cities Starting from the UK,
Starting from the UK,
ending on the Riviera
Collections from London
Our London collection page
Collections from Manchester
Our Manchester collection page
Collections from Birmingham
Our Birmingham collection page
Collections from Edinburgh
Our Edinburgh collection page
Collections from Glasgow
Our Glasgow collection page
Collections from Bristol
Our Bristol collection page
Collections from Leeds
Our Leeds collection page
Collections from Liverpool
Our Liverpool collection page
FAQs Crêuze, ports and the Riviera:
Crêuze, ports and the Riviera:
Liguria questions
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Usually yes, because La Spezia has the road access and space a lorry needs. The Cinque Terre villages sit on steep cliffs with very limited road access, and their centres are largely closed to traffic. Goods transfer at La Spezia to small vehicles, which go as far as the roads allow. The final stretch is carried by hand along lanes and steps, and some cliff properties need a hoist.
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Yes, we deliver to Genoa addresses reached only by a crêuza, one of the paved, stepped lanes that climb the hills above the city. The lorry stops at the nearest road and the crew carries everything along the lane and up the steps. We measure the carry at survey, including landings and turns, so the crew size is right. Heavy items may be dismantled first to make the climb safe.
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No, Genoa's public lifts and funiculars do not carry furniture, because they are passenger services. Your goods travel by road to the nearest point and then by hand along lanes and steps. The lifts and funiculars are useful for you and your family while the crew works, especially if your new home sits high above the port in districts such as Castelletto or Righi.
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Yes, Sanremo and the western Riviera remain a popular choice for British households. Sanremo and Bordighera have had British residents since the nineteenth century, and the coast still draws people looking for a mild climate. Most addresses there have standard coastal-resort access, although hillside villas above the towns can have steep drives. Permesso matters on this stretch go to the Questura di Imperia.
Official sources
Rules and procedures change, so check these official sites for the current position before you rely on any detail above.
- Polizia di Stato: Questura di Genova: Contacts and immigration-office information for permesso di soggiorno applications in Genoa and its province.
- Comune di Genova: Residence registration and city services in Genoa.
- Regione Liguria: Regional services in Liguria, including registration with the regional health service.
- Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre: The national park authority covering the Cinque Terre villages and their surroundings.
- GOV.UK: Living in Italy: UK government guidance for British nationals on residency, healthcare and driving in Italy.