Tigullio, Golfo Paradiso, and Genoese Valleys

<< Liguria

The beautiful coast east of Genoa features several seaside resorts and towns that are very popular among tourists. Here are two gulfs, known as Golfo Paradiso and Tigullio, located respectively west and east of the Portofino promontory. A few more attractions can be found in the valleys and among the mountains that occupy the rest of the Metropolitan City of Genoa.

Camogli

Camogli is a small city located on the coast east of Genoa, on the western side of the Portofino promontory. The town was founded in ancient times and became an important fishing village and port in the Modern age. Due to its position, Camogli is now a popular tourist destination.

✪ San Fruttuoso Abbey

The San Fruttuoso Abbey (Abbazia di San Fruttuoso) is a religious site located on a small bay on the southern coast of the Portofino promontory, part of the municipality of Camogli. The abbey was erected in the Late Middle Ages, and it hosts the tombs of some members of the noble Doria family. In 1954, the bronze statue Christ of the Abyss (Cristo degli Abissi), was placed underwater in the bay near the abbey. The site can only be reached from the sea or on foot.

Dragonara Castle

The Dragonara Castle (Castello della Dragonara) is a medieval fortress erected next to the port of Camogli. Originally built around the 11th century, it was expanded and reinforced in the 15th century. The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, the main church of Camogli, is adjacent to the castle and it features many Baroque decorations.

Punta Chiappa

A beautiful path, called San Rocco Trail, leads from Camogli to Punta Chiappa passing through the hamlet of San Rocco. Punta Chiappa is an outcrop located at the southwestern end of the Portofino peninsula, and it offers a great panoramic view on the sea and the coast. Continuing on the same trail, there are also some abandoned World War II bunkers.

Portofino

Portofino is a tiny town on the coast of Liguria east of Genoa, located on the southeastern side of a promontory. A small port throughout its history, since the 19th century it turned into a major tourist resort, often frequented by the rich and famous.

✪ Portofino Promenade

The Portofino Promenade, centered around Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta, covers the entire coast of the town, running along its tiny and picturesque bay. This area along the coast of Portofino is filled with many restaurants, stores, and hotels, and it also features a small harbor.

Brown Castle

The Brown Castle (Castello Brown) is a fortress and manor located on a rocky peninsula overlooking Portofino. The site was occupied by some fortifications since the Roman age, while the current structure was erected starting in the 15th century, and later expanded. In the 19th century British diplomat Montague Yeats Brown bought the castle and turned into a villa. Now it is museum and it hosts temporary exhibitions. The castle can be reached through a trail that starts from the harbor of Portofino and passes by the Church of San Giorgio. Continuing on the same trail after the castle, the path leads to a lighthouse at the very end of the peninsula.

Santa Margherita Ligure

Santa Margherita Ligure is a town located on the gulf of Tigullio, between Portofino and Rapallo on the Ligurian coast east of Genoa. Inhabited since ancient times, Santa Margherita Ligure was a small village for centuries, but in the 20th century it became an important tourist destination thanks to its position.

Santa Margherita Ligure Castle

The Santa Margherita Ligure Castle is a medieval fortification located along the promenade of Santa Margherita Ligure. The castle was erected in the 16th century to defend the town against pirate incursions, and now it hosts a small museum.

Villa Durazzo

Villa Durazzo is a historic mansion located on a hill in Santa Margherita Ligure. The villa was erected on the site of some ancient fortifications in the 17th century. Over the following centuries the mansion was adorned with rich decorations and lush gardens. Villa Durazzo also hosts various artworks, mostly from the 16th and 17th century.

Basilica of Santa Margherita

Also known as: Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Rosa (Santuario di Nostra Signora della Rosa)

The Basilica of Santa Margherita is the main religious site in Santa Margherita Ligure, erected in the 17th century to replace a previous church. It features an elaborate facade with two bell towers, while its interiors are richly adorned with lavish Baroque decorations and various artworks.

Cervara Abbey

The Cervara Abbey (Abbazia della Cervara) is a historic religious complex located on the coast between Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. The monastery was founded in 1361, and for centuries it was among the most important religious sites in the region. The complex is surrounded by richly decorated monumental gardens with a great view on the sea and the coast.

Rapallo

Rapallo is the second largest center in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, located on the gulf of Tigullio near Santa Margherita Ligure. The city has been one of the most important towns in the area since the Late Middle Ages, and it suffered numerous attacks by pirates and foreign powers. In 1920, the Treaty of Rapallo, which settled the new border between Italy and Yugoslavia after World War I, was signed here. Now Rapallo is a popular tourist destination.

Rapallo Promenade

The Rapallo Promenade runs along the coast of the city and it features various attractions, such as a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus and a decorated music kiosk. The main landmark along the promenade is the Rapallo Castle, erected on the sea in the 16th century.

Basilica of Santi Gervasio e Protasio

The Basilica of Santi Gervasio e Protasio is a large church in the center of Rapallo. It was originally erected in the Middle Ages and later rebuilt between the 17th and 18th century, while its dome dates from the 1920s. The church is adorned with various frescoes, decorations, and artworks.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montallegro

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montallegro (Santuario di Nostra Signora di Montallegro) is a religious complex located on the hills near Rapallo. The complex was built in the 16th century after a Marian apparition, while its current facade was inaugurated in 1896. The church houses numerous artworks and it is adorned with rich decorations. The sanctuary can be reached with a historic cable car from Rapallo, and it offers a great view over the coast of Tigullio.

Chiavari

Chiavari is a city located on the coast of the gulf of Tigullio east of Genoa, near the river Entella and Lavagna. The town has pre-Roman origins and it rose to prominence during the Late Middle Ages as the main center of the region of Tigullio under the Republic of Genoa. During the Napoleonic wars, it was the capital of the short-lived Department of Apennins. Thanks to its central position in Tigullio, Chiavari is now a tourist destination.

Cathedral of Nostra Signora dell’Orto

The Cathedral of Nostra Signora dell’Orto is the main church in Chiavari, built in the 17th century in the center of the city. The church is adorned with rich Baroque decorations, frescoes and artworks, and it features a large Neoclassical facade. The palace adjacent to the cathedral houses the Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano), which hosts a collection of historic religious artworks.

Lavagna

Lavagna is a town located on the Ligurian coast east of Genoa, next to Chiavari in the gulf of Tigullio. Founded during the Roman age, it was an important regional center in the Late Middle Ages, and now it is a tourist destination.

Basilica of Santo Stefano

The Basilica di Santo Stefano is the main religious site in Lavagna, built during the 17th century on a small hill. The church features an elaborate facade with two bell towers and richly decorated interiors. The square in front of the church hosts various historic houses and a 19th-century loggia.

Sestri Levante

Sestri Levante is a city on the Ligurian coast east of Genoa, located on a promontory at the eastern end of the gulf of Tigullio. Originally a small island, Sestri Levante was later connected to the mainland. The town was an important fishing village and it was attacked numerous times over its history. Even though it is not as busy as other cities in the region, Sestri Levante is nevertheless a popular tourist destination.

Baia del Silenzio

Baia del Silenzio (“Bay of Silence”) is a small bay located on the eastern coast of the isthmus connecting the old town of Sestri Levante to the mainland. This area is known for its beautiful beach and it hosts numerous restaurants and hotels. A historic palace facing the beach of Baia del Silenzio houses the Rizzi Gallery (Galleria Rizzi), a collection of artworks dating between the 15th and 18th century. The bay on the other side of the isthmus is called Baia delle Favole (“Bay of Fairy Tales”), and it also hosts some beaches.

Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth

The Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth is a church located in the old town of Sestri Levante. Erected during the 17th century, it was later adorned with numerous decorations and a Neoclassical facade.

Ceranesi

Ceranesi is a small town among the hills north of Genoa, best known for the historic sanctuary located on top of the nearby Monte Figogna.

Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia

The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia is the most important Marian sanctuary in Liguria, located on top of Monte Figogna near Ceranesi. The religious complex was built starting in the 16th century after a Marian apparition, and it was gradually expanded over the following centuries. The sanctuary is adorned with frescoes and various decorations and, thanks to its position, it offers a great view on the surrounding hills and the Ligurian coast.