A walking route from the Palacrociere: Torretta, towers, cathedral, Sistine Chapel and Priamar, with timings and a safe margin for all-aboard.
If your ship calls at Savona, you have a rare advantage: the cruise terminal is practically in town. From the Palacrociere, in the new harbour, you walk to the Torretta in five to ten minutes, and the whole old town can be seen without taxis, shuttles or paid excursions. This is a self-guided walking route for a 6–8 hour port call, with timings for each stop and a safe margin to get back on board.
Check the all-aboard time set by your cruise line: that is the time that matters, not the departure time. Take ID, a bottle of water and comfortable shoes: the walk up to the Priamar is short but steep. Shops in the centre often close at lunchtime and some museums open only at certain times or at weekends, so check opening days on the official websites the day before.
The old town is compact and easy to follow: the Torretta is your landmark. If you lose your way, head back towards the sea and you will find it.
Leave the terminal and follow the quay to the Torretta, the Leon Pancaldo Tower: it is the last piece of the medieval walls and is named after the Savona navigator who sailed around the world with Magellan. From here walk up via Paleocapa, the arcaded main street: look up at the Art Nouveau buildings, such as the Palazzo dei Pavoni from 1912, and at the church of Sant’Andrea with its onion-domed bell tower.
Head back to the water and stroll along the Vecchia Darsena, among fishing boats and yachts. Behind the quays stand the medieval towers, led by the Brandale Tower, about 50 metres high, which holds the “Campanassa” bell. Then slip into via Pia, the medieval shopping lane: the best place to pick up something local, from candied chinotto to ceramics.
A few minutes later you reach piazza del Duomo. The Cathedral of Nostra Signora Assunta, built between 1589 and 1605, keeps the wooden choir commissioned by Pope Julius II. Next door is Savona’s Sistine Chapel, the mausoleum Sixtus IV built for his parents in 1481–1483 and redecorated in Rococo style in the 18th century. Opening hours are limited: if it is closed, look at it from the cloister.
From the cathedral walk down towards the sea and up into the fortress the Genoese began building in 1542. Even without the museums, a walk on the bastions is worth it, with views over the harbour and, often, your own ship. With more time, visit the Archaeological and City Museum or the Sandro Pertini and Renata Cuneo Museum: hours and tickets are on the museum website. Giuseppe Mazzini was imprisoned here in 1830–1831.
For a fast local lunch, find a farinata bakery or focaccia shop in the centre and order white farinata, made with wheat flour instead of chickpeas: you will hardly find it outside Savona. To drink, a chinotto. If you would rather sit down, the old harbour has plenty of places serving fresh fish.
If you have time and enjoy art, Palazzo Gavotti in piazza Chabrol houses the civic art gallery and, a few steps away on via Aonzo, the Ceramics Museum: two museums with a single ticket office. Check opening times on the museum website: they vary across the week.
Torretta, old harbour, towers, cathedral and the Priamar bastions, without museums. Finish with a slice of farinata and head back.
Add the museums of the Priamar and Palazzo Gavotti, or hop on a regional train: in a few minutes you are in Albisola, the ceramics town, or in Varazze for a seafront walk. Noli and Finale Ligure are further away: only consider them on a long call with convenient return trains. Genoa is about an hour by train: doable, but with little margin. Portofino and the Cinque Terre are too far for a port call from Savona.
Focus on museums: the Ceramics Museum and art gallery at Palazzo Gavotti, the Priamar museums and the cathedral. Via Paleocapa, with its arcades, keeps you dry.
FAQ
Yes. The Palacrociere is in the new harbour, five to ten minutes on foot from the Torretta. All the main sights are within about a kilometre of the terminal.
Three hours are enough for the Torretta, old harbour, towers, cathedral and the Priamar bastions. With museums and lunch, allow five or six hours.
Only on a long call: the train takes about an hour each way and you need to allow for delays and the all-aboard time. With just a few hours, stay in Savona.
No, opening hours are limited and mostly at weekends. Check before you go; if it is closed, the cathedral next door is still worth a stop.
Candied chinotto or chinotto in syrup from the Slow Food Presidium, and ceramics from Savona and Albisola, from the shops of via Pia to the workshops of Albisola.
Where to stay
All places to stay in Savona on Booking: compare prices and availability.
Nearby
Riviera di Ponente › Riviera delle Palme
Priamar Fortress, the Torretta, the Sistine Chapel and the old harbour: a walkable cruise-port city with white farinata and chinotto.
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