Varazze

This is the main church, on the central square. The building dates from the 16th century, but the Baroque façade you see today was added in 1916, designed by local architect Luigi Guglielmo Camogli. The bell tower is much older: it belonged to the earlier church and is Romanesque-Gothic, with a pointed spire and three tiers of triple windows. It is the town’s landmark and you see it from the whole seafront.

Inside, look for the polyptych by Giovanni Barbagelata showing Saint Ambrose with saints and musician angels, and the panel by Luca Cambiaso of the Madonna with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Francis.

This is Varazze’s best-known sight. The path follows the old Genoa–Ventimiglia railway line, closed around 1970, all the way to Cogoleto. It is about 4.5 km, shared by walkers and cyclists, almost flat, with several tunnels cut into the rock and the sea always on your right.

Along the way, around Piani d’Invrea, you can climb down to small free coves among the rocks. Go early in the morning or at sunset: at midday in summer there is full sun and plenty of people. Short on time? Even the first stretch to the first tunnels is worth it.

In the other direction, heading west, another seafront path follows the old railway to Celle Ligure. It runs between the sea and the cliffs, past small beaches, and is the easiest way to get from one town to the next without a car.

The marina opened in 2006, designed by the architects Gabetti and Isola. It has around 800 berths for boats up to 35 metres, with bars and restaurants around the quays: a good alternative to the old town for an evening stroll.

Next door, in the former Baglietto yards, work on yachts continues, today mostly maintenance and refits. It is the latest chapter of a story that started two thousand years ago with Ad Navalia.

The sanctuary sits on top of Monte Grosso above Varazze, with views along the whole coast. A classic loop starts from town, passes close to Beato Jacopo and the Deserto and climbs to the sanctuary: about 10.5 km and 400 m of ascent, half a day with stops. Best between autumn and spring, when it is not too hot.

Behind Varazze lies the Beigua Regional Nature Park, the largest in Liguria. It is part of the Beigua Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark recognised for its green rocks, ophiolites of oceanic origin. The summit, Monte Beigua, reaches 1,287 metres and is crossed by the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri: on clear days you see the sea on one side and the Alps on the other. The park authority is based in Varazze itself.