Zoagli seafront promenade

What the promenade is like

The promenades are narrow strips of concrete and stone set against the rock, with railings, benches in the wider spots and small stairways down to the rocks. The path follows the coastline, with bends and balconies over the sea. By day you see the whole Gulf of Tigullio, from the Portofino headland to Sestri Levante; in the evening the paths are lit from below.

They were designed in the early 1930s to bring in tourism, with money from local families. The first sections, leading to the coves on either side of the beach, opened in 1939; the route was extended after the war and completed with a final project in 2003.

The eastern promenade

It is called Lungomare Canevaro. It starts from the square, passes close to the Torre di Levante, the 16th-century Saracen tower on a spur above the sea, and reaches the Rotonda Grande, a large round balcony over the water. On the Rotonda a plaque remembers Raffaele Rossetti, who lived at Pozzetto, and the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian battleship Viribus Unitis in 1918. The path carries on to the railway station: if you arrive by train, it is the nicest way into the village.

The western promenade

On the other side of the beach, the western promenade starts by Castello Canevaro, the residence built around the 1547 Torre di Ponente, and follows the cliffs west towards Rapallo. It feels more secluded, and stairways lead down onto the rocks. Ahead of you is the Portofino headland.

The Madonna del Mare

In front of the Rotonda Grande, about 9 metres down, stands a 1.60-metre bronze statue: the Madonna del Mare, by the Zoagli sculptor Marian Hastianatte. A committee of locals placed it there to remember the Zoagli captains who sailed to South America and all the sailors lost at sea. It is a classic scuba dive: ask a diving centre in the Tigullio.

Every year on 5 August the village holds the Madonna del Mare festival: an evening mass on the beach, a torchlit procession of divers who lay a laurel wreath at the foot of the statue, and fireworks. It is the busiest night of the year: if you come by car, arrive early, or take the train.

Swimming along the promenade

The main beach, under the arches of the viaduct, is small and pebbly, partly free and partly run by two beach clubs. Along the promenades many people swim off the rocks, climbing down the stairways: the water gets deep straight away, it is clear and full of fish, so bring a mask. To the west are the Spiaggia del Duca, below the castle, and the Arenella cove, run as a beach club; further on, on the border with Rapallo, the Pozzetto cove has a free section.

There are no lifeguards on the rocks. Only go in when the sea is calm, and watch out for wet steps. If you need sand and shallow water for children, go to Chiavari or Lavagna, a few minutes away by train.

Storms and closures

Zoagli’s cliffs take the full force of south-westerly storms. In October 2018 a storm brought down a long stretch of the eastern promenade. The town rebuilt it in stages with regional funds: the western promenade was restored in 2021, a first stretch of the eastern one, about 350 metres to the tower lookout, reopened in June 2021, and the last, about 250 metres to the station, in April 2022.

Today the promenades are open and free to access. During storm alerts or very rough seas the town may close them: respect the barriers, because the waves break over the railings and can sweep people off the path. Watch the waves from the square or from the terraces higher up. Before you go, check the notices on the Comune di Zoagli website.

Dogs

In 2021 a mayoral order banned dogs from the beaches and the seafront promenades, and the decision was challenged. Rules can change from year to year: if you travel with a dog, check the order in force before you go.

Practical tips

• Best time: early morning in summer, sunset in spring and autumn. On clear winter days you see the whole gulf.
• Getting there: by train to Zoagli, then on foot along the eastern promenade. By car, covered car parks in the centre, with few spaces in summer.
• Combine it with: a walk up to Sant’Ambrogio for the view from above, or a visit by appointment to one of the two workshops weaving Zoagli velvet.

If you enjoy seaside walks, carry on in the Tigullio at Rapallo, with its seafront up to the castle, or at Santa Margherita Ligure, where a road along the cliffs leads to Portofino.