Bocca di Magra is a hamlet of the municipality of Ameglia, in the province of La Spezia, right where the Magra river meets the sea. It has a few hundred residents, a pedestrian waterfront, a small marina, two beaches a few minutes’ walk from the centre and the green headland of Montemarcello closing the view towards La Spezia. This is the far eastern end of Liguria, at the start of the Gulf of Poets, about 20 minutes by car from Lerici and Sarzana.
One thing almost nobody explains: the Magra is not the border with Tuscany. Bocca di Magra is still Liguria and belongs to Ameglia, not to Sarzana or Lerici. Tuscany starts further east, beyond Fiumaretta and Marinella: Marina di Carrara is a little over 5 km away, about 15 minutes by car.
You come here for the water and the calm, not for monuments. The village has a curious past: in the early 20th century, and above all after the war, writers and intellectuals such as Eugenio Montale and Elio Vittorini spent their summers at the river mouth, which was quieter than Versilia. Today it is a good alternative to the crowded Cinque Terre: same province, far fewer people, under an hour away.
Know before you go: there is no railway station, no scheduled boat service, and parking fills up in summer. With a little planning it makes an easy day of sea and trails. Read the sections on getting there and on the beaches, where we also explain the status of two access points that many guides get wrong.
By Italian Riviera editorial team·Updated on ·11 min read
Where is Bocca di Magra?
Bocca di Magra is in Liguria (Riviera di Levante, Golfo dei Poeti, province of La Spezia).
You can walk around the village in an hour. The sights are few and close together: the riverbank and harbour, the monastery on the slope, the Roman villa (by reservation only) and the nearby hill village of Montemarcello. The rest is strolling, sitting by the water and looking at the Apuan Alps in the distance.
The river mouth and waterfront
The heart of Bocca di Magra is the right bank of the river, a long pedestrian promenade with moored boats on one side and coloured houses on the other. The Magra is wide and slow here; the sea opens to the right, and on clear days the white Apuan peaks show on the horizon. Fishermen land their catch at the pier and, according to local accounts, you can buy fish directly from them: ask on the spot, as times and availability vary.
The best time is late afternoon, when the light hits the mountains and the river turns gold. In the evening the promenade stays quiet.
Monastery of Santa Croce del Corvo
On the slope above the village, on Via Santa Croce, stands the monastery of Santa Croce del Corvo. According to FAI it was founded in 1189 to commemorate the arrival at the port of Ameglia of a small boat carrying a relic of the Precious Blood; other sources date it a few years earlier, so it is safest to say late 12th century. The church holds a large Romanesque wooden crucifix. Tradition links the place to Dante, who in 1306 was in the area as a peacemaker for the Malaspina family. It lies near the Via Francigena.
Today it is a house of spirituality run by the Discalced Carmelites, with guesthouse space for retreats and groups. It is not a museum and public visiting hours are not confirmed: you can see it well from outside and from the path, but if you want to go in, contact the monastery first through its official website.
The Roman villa
The river mouth was home to Portus Lunae, the system of river and sea ports tied to the Roman city of Luni, a few kilometres towards Sarzana. On the slope of the Caprione above Bocca di Magra lie the remains of a Roman villa with phases from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD. The best-preserved part is the private bath quarter, with the caldarium, in the east wing.
The villa can only be visited by reservation. According to the Ministry of Culture, it opens for schools and groups, with a few cultural evenings in summer. The 2026 visiting calendar is not confirmed: see the Ministry of Culture page or call the municipality of Ameglia on the number given there (+39 0187 609273).
Montemarcello and the Park
Montemarcello is the hill hamlet of Ameglia, listed among “I Borghi più belli d’Italia”: a grid-like layout of Roman origin, the church of San Pietro with a marble triptych from 1529 and viewpoints over the gulf. It houses the visitor centre of the Montemarcello-Magra-Vara Regional Natural Park, which includes Bocca di Magra. The Park protects the Magra river and the Caprione headland; river birds include cormorants, herons and the kingfisher, the Park’s symbol. Opening times of the visitor centre and of the botanical garden on Monte Murlo are not confirmed: check before going up.
Ameglia
Ameglia, the municipal seat, is a hill village about 3 km away. It is mentioned in a diploma of Otto I in 963 and has a castle from 1174. With a car, it is an easy stop for a coffee with a view of the Magra plain.
Sea
Beaches of Bocca di Magra
The beaches are small, a few steps from the centre, and the bottom changes from stretch to stretch: sand, pebbles and rocks. The most reliable sources mention two beaches within a few minutes’ walk of the pedestrian area, one equipped and one free. There are also smaller coves near the harbour among rocks and pines. Names of beach clubs, prices and lengths are not confirmed, so we do not give them: ask on the spot.
A few minutes away is Fiumaretta, another hamlet of Ameglia, with a longer, mostly sandy beach, with free stretches and beach clubs. In 2026 the Blue Flag in the province of La Spezia went to Framura, Bonassola, Levanto and Lerici; Ameglia is not on the list. If you want space and sand, choose Fiumaretta; if you want the village at your feet, Bocca di Magra.
Some of the most talked-about beaches in the area are those below Montemarcello. They are lovely, but access has suffered landslides and closures. Our deep dive covers them in detail, with the status we know and how to check it: beaches of Bocca di Magra and around.
Punta Corvo is a small dark beach below Montemarcello, reached by a path with more than 700 steps. By an order of April 2023 the mayor of Ameglia closed beach and stairway because of falling-rock risk, after a geological survey. The municipality has a safety project awaiting permits. The 2026 status is not confirmed: check the order of the Comune di Ameglia before you go on the municipality’s website. Many tourist sites still describe boat and path access as active: do not rely on them.
Punta Bianca
Punta Bianca is the white cliff of the headland, inside the Park. The path was closed after a landslide in November 2023, when part of the stairway collapsed. According to the outlet Montagna.tv, the municipality carried out extraordinary works, restored the stairway and lifted the order. The 2026 situation is not confirmed by an official order: check the order of the Comune di Ameglia before you go. Do not confuse it with the Punta Bianca in Sicily, which is a military zone.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Bocca di Magra
The village has few places to stay, mostly small: choose it if you want to wake up on the river and walk to the beach, and book early for July and August. Fiumaretta has more sand and space, handy for families. On the hills, between Ameglia and Montemarcello, you get the Park’s greenery and more quiet, but you need a car. For more choice and transport, look at Sarzana (with a station), Lerici (with boats) or La Spezia, convenient for the Cinque Terre. The Monastery of Santa Croce offers accommodation, but it is a religious place, not a hotel.
Leave the A12 at Sarzana and continue towards Marinella and Fiumaretta; the state road SS432 della Bocca di Magra links the Via Aurelia at Romito Magra with Marina di Carrara. From Sarzana it is about 9 km. From La Spezia 20 km (35 minutes), from Lerici 11 km (20 minutes), from Levanto about 55 km.
By train
There is no station. The most convenient is Sarzana, about 9 km (15 minutes) away: from there take a bus or taxi. Other stations are Arcola (11 km) and Vezzano Ligure (15 km). Sarzana to La Spezia Centrale takes 15 to 30 minutes on regional trains.
By bus
ATC Esercizio runs links with La Spezia (about 45 minutes) and with Marinella and Fiumaretta (about 50). Line number, times and Sunday service are not confirmed: check the ATC Esercizio website before leaving, as one source says the service to Bocca di Magra may run on weekdays only.
By plane
The nearest airport is Pisa, about 60–70 km away. Genoa is about 110 km. From both you can reach Sarzana by train.
Parking
For 2026 there is no official source on prices and spaces. The car parks in Piazza Santa Croce and Piazza XX Settembre were involved in an ownership and loan dispute that reached the regional administrative court; their current status and prices are not confirmed. At Fiumaretta, a former shipyard area was reported as free parking for over 100 cars, but the date of the report is unclear. In summer spaces are scarce: arrive early or use the bus. Always check signs and municipal orders.
A12, Sarzana exit, then Marinella and Fiumaretta; La Spezia 20 km
By train
No station: Sarzana is 9 km away (about 15 min), then ATC bus or taxi
By plane
Pisa about 60-70 km; Genoa about 110 km
The guide
Things to do in Bocca di Magra
Walks and trails
From the village you can climb to the monastery and Montemarcello. A hiker’s track describes a loop of about 8 km linking Bocca di Magra, Montemarcello, the Punta Corvo viewpoint and Punta Bianca, but it rests on a single weak source and the sections towards the points may be closed: check trail status with the municipality and the Park before leaving. For an easy outing, the climb to the monastery and Montemarcello is the safest choice. The link to Tellaro and Lerici is much longer: the Lerici–Tellaro stretch is CAI trail 433 (about 2 hours, as in our Tellaro guide), while the full route to the river mouth has no official source.
By boat
From the marina you can see the gulf from the sea: the coast of Tellaro and Lerici, the islands of Portovenere. There is no scheduled boat from Bocca di Magra or Fiumaretta, either to the Cinque Terre or to Portovenere: the nearest scheduled boats leave from Lerici, about 11 km away. Boats and dinghies can be rented at the river mouth. Rental platforms list licence-free dinghies (up to 40 hp, 30 kW, within 6 miles of the coast); prices and operators are not confirmed, and for licence rules ask the Harbour Master’s office in La Spezia. The island of Tino is a reserve and military area and cannot be visited.
Culture and literature
For a literary walk start on the waterfront: after the Second World War and until the late 1950s, Elio Vittorini, Italo Calvino, Giorgio Bassani, Marguerite Duras, Simone de Beauvoir, Indro Montanelli, Franco Fortini and Vittorio Sereni passed through. Montale, who came first, set the story “La casa sul Magra” and the poem “Il ritorno” here. Many stayed at the Sans Façon inn or at Villa degli Ulivi. There are no plaques to follow in sequence today: it is a place to cross with those pages in mind.
What to eat in Bocca di Magra
The cooking is river-mouth and sea: fresh fish, shellfish, anchovies and pasta with seafood. Some restaurants face the river, others the sea. Reviews say riverside tables are full at lunch in summer: book. Names, menus and prices are not verified for 2026, so we do not give a list that may be out of date; check recent reviews or ask in the village. At Fiumaretta there is a restaurant listed by the Michelin Guide, LUV (in the Maison del Magra hotel), in the top price bracket.
Events in Bocca di Magra
The local calendar is small. The Ameglia Carnival, “Omo a’r Bozo”, falls on the last Sunday of Carnival; the 2026 and 2027 dates are not confirmed. On 30 November the village celebrates Sant’Andrea, its patron saint. The Monastery of Santa Croce hosts cultural events, including the Dante Lunigiana Festival, but 2026 dates are not confirmed. The municipality’s events calendar was empty on 14 October 2026.
Day trips from Bocca di Magra
Bocca di Magra is a handy base for the whole Gulf of Poets.
Lerici: 11 km and about 20 minutes by car, scheduled boats, castle and seafront.
Tellaro: the octopus village, via Lerici; CAI trail 433 from Lerici.
Sarzana: 9 km, railway station and the Firmafede fortress.
La Spezia: 20 km, about 35 minutes by car; trains to the Cinque Terre leave from here.
Portovenere: by boat from the river mouth, or by land from La Spezia.
Cinque Terre, from Riomaggiore to Monterosso: Riomaggiore is 35 km, about 55 minutes by car.
Marina di Carrara and the Apuan Alps: a little over 5 km away, in Tuscany.
Weather
Weather and best time to visit Bocca di Magra
June to September for the sea; spring and autumn for trails and visits
☀️
22°CNow · wind 10 km/h
Thu 15⛅22° 17°
Fri 16🌤️22° 13°
Sat 17⛅21° 15°4 mm
Sun 18🌦️20° 16°16 mm
Mon 19🌤️23° 15°1 mm
Tue 20☀️22° 13°
Forecast: MET Norway (Yr), CC BY 4.0 licence. Updated hourly.
La foce del Magra con le Alpi ApuaneUna caletta con stabilimento a Bocca di MagraLa spiaggia tra gli scogli e i pini a Bocca di MagraLa foce del Magra vista dall'altoIl promontorio di Montemarcello sopra la piana del MagraLa foce del Magra al tramontoIl monastero di Santa Croce del Corvo
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Bocca di Magra
Where is Bocca di Magra?
At the mouth of the Magra, in the municipality of Ameglia, province of La Spezia, in Liguria. Marina di Carrara, in Tuscany, is a little over 5 km away.
Is the Magra the border between Liguria and Tuscany?
No. Bocca di Magra is still Liguria. Tuscany starts further east, beyond Fiumaretta and Marinella.
Does Bocca di Magra have a railway station?
No. The nearest is Sarzana, about 9 km away. Then you need a bus or taxi.
Are there boats to the Cinque Terre or Portovenere?
No, no scheduled boats leave from Bocca di Magra or Fiumaretta. The nearest are at Lerici.
Is the beach free?
There are two beaches near the centre, one equipped and one free. Fiumaretta has free stretches and beach clubs.
Is Punta Corvo open?
It has been closed since 2023 because of falling-rock risk. The 2026 status is not confirmed: check the order of the Comune di Ameglia before you go.
Is the Punta Bianca path open?
It was closed in November 2023 and reopened after works, but the 2026 situation is not confirmed. Check the municipality’s order.
Can you visit the Roman villa?
Only by reservation. Contact the municipality of Ameglia or see the Ministry of Culture page.
Can you visit the monastery of Santa Croce?
It is a house of spirituality. Visiting hours are not confirmed: contact the monastery before going up.
How long do you need?
One day is enough for village, sea and monastery. Two or three days if you add a boat trip, Montemarcello and day trips to Lerici and Tellaro.
