{"id":53730,"date":"2026-09-30T16:31:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/darkseagreen-rook-345411.hostingersite.com\/liguria\/varazze\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T07:05:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T07:05:04","slug":"varazze","status":"publish","type":"localita","link":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/en\/riviera-di-ponente\/varazze\/","title":{"rendered":"Varazze"},"content":{"rendered":"

Varazze is a seaside town on the western Italian Riviera, in the province of Savona, about 30 km west of Genoa. It has a compact old town inside medieval walls, a long Blue Flag beach, a modern marina and, right behind it, the mountains of the Beigua park, rising above 1,000 metres just a few kilometres from the coast.<\/p>\n

Its name tells its story. In Roman times there was a station here called Ad Navalia, linked to shipbuilding, and in the Middle Ages Varagine was fought over by Savona and Genoa for its shipyards. The tradition carries on with the Baglietto yard, founded in 1854, and the Marina di Varazze. The town also produced Jacopo da Varagine, the archbishop of Genoa who wrote the Golden Legend, and the navigator Lanzerotto Malocello, who gave his name to the island of Lanzarote.<\/p>\n

Today Varazze has around 13,000 residents and lives on yachting and tourism. Logistics are easy: the station is in the centre, the motorway has its own exit and Genoa is under an hour away by train. It works as a beach day, a weekend of walking or cycling on the Passeggiata Europa or, in winter, a surf trip: Varazze is considered one of the best surf spots in Italy. If you are touring the Riviera, it makes a quieter, cheaper base on the west side of Genoa than Portofino or the Cinque Terre.<\/p>\n

What to see in Varazze<\/h2>\n
\"Historic<\/figure>\n

You can walk the old town in an hour or two. Everything else lies along the sea or on the hills just above: allow an extra half day for the Deserto hermitage and the Beigua.<\/p>\n

Collegiate Church of Sant’Ambrogio<\/h3>\n
\"Church<\/figure>\n

This is the main church, on the central square. The building dates from the 16th century, but the Baroque fa\u00e7ade 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The walls and the old Sant’Ambrogio fa\u00e7ade<\/h3>\n

Just above the square, built into the town walls, are the remains of the first church of Sant’Ambrogio, a Romanesque building from the 11th\u201312th century: a stone fa\u00e7ade that became part of the fortifications. It is the most curious detail in the old town, and many visitors walk past without noticing it.<\/p>\n

The walls were built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Several stretches survive along with five gates: Ponte Vecchio, Busci, Torrione, Loggia and Borghetto. Use them to find your way through the carruggi, the narrow lanes of the old town.<\/p>\n

Church of San Domenico<\/h3>\n

West of the centre, the 15th-century church of San Domenico has Sienese-school frescoes and a cloister. Look up at the fa\u00e7ade: a cannonball fired from a French ship in December 1746 is still lodged in it.<\/p>\n

Santi Nazario e Celso and the Oratory of San Bartolomeo<\/h3>\n

Also west of the centre, the church of Santi Nazario e Celso has a black-and-white pebble forecourt, the “risseu” typical of Liguria, laid in 1902. On the other side, across the Teiro stream, the Oratory of San Bartolomeo holds a polyptych by Teramo Piaggio dated 1535.<\/p>\n

Passeggiata Europa<\/h3>\n
\"Lungomare<\/figure>\n

This is Varazze’s best-known sight. The path follows the old Genoa\u2013Ventimiglia 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.<\/p>\n

\"Tunnel<\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Seafront towards Celle Ligure<\/h3>\n
\"Seaside<\/figure>\n

In the other direction, heading west, another seafront path follows the old railway to Celle Ligure<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n

Marina di Varazze and the shipyards<\/h3>\n
\"Varazze<\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Eremo del Deserto<\/h3>\n

In the hills above town, in the hamlet of Deserto, the Discalced Carmelites built a hermitage between 1616 and 1618, deep in the woods and enclosed by a long wall. The community still lives here. The church, the friars’ shop and a botanical trail are open all year with no booking needed; retreats must be booked.<\/p>\n

On foot, start from the chapel of Beato Jacopo: about 4 km and 400\u2013450 m of climbing, around two hours up. By car, the last stretch is a narrow road to take slowly. This is a place of silence: respect the convent’s rules.<\/p>\n

Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia<\/h3>\n
\"Sanctuary<\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Beigua Park<\/h3>\n
\"Hikers<\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Beaches in Varazze<\/h2>\n
\"Colourful<\/figure>\n

Varazze has a long town beach split between about forty beach clubs and a few free stretches. In 2026 three beaches hold the Blue Flag: Levante Teiro, Ponente Teiro and Arrestra. To the west it is mostly sand with shallow water, good for small children; to the east it is sand and pebbles, and the water gets deep sooner.<\/p>\n

The free beaches in the centre are small and fill up early in summer. For something quieter, look for the coves along the Passeggiata Europa towards Cogoleto, or the area around Punta dell’Aspera. All the details, beach by beach, are in our guide to the beaches of Varazze<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Things to do in Varazze<\/h2>\n

Surfing<\/h3>\n

Varazze is one of the best-known names in Italian surfing. The main wave, La Secca, breaks over a rocky reef near the pier: a longer right and a shorter, faster left. It works with southerly swells, so mostly from late summer to winter; in summer the sea is often flat. It is not a wave for beginners, and the line-up is crowded and very local: watch from the shore first and respect priority.<\/p>\n

What makes it special is night surfing: powerful floodlights on the pier light up the peak after sunset. To surf in the evening you need a membership card from the UISP sports association; ask locally before you go.<\/p>\n

Cycling and walking<\/h3>\n

The Passeggiata Europa is perfect by bike, even with children. If you like climbing, roads and trails lead up to Monte Grosso, the Deserto and the Beigua; the park’s paths range from short walks to stages of the Alta Via.<\/p>\n

On the water<\/h3>\n

Varazze is a boating town: besides the marina, in season you will find rentals and boat trips along the coast. On windy days the bay also fills with sails and windsurf boards.<\/p>\n

Events in Varazze<\/h2>\n