{"id":53760,"date":"2026-09-30T16:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/darkseagreen-rook-345411.hostingersite.com\/liguria\/arma-di-taggia\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T18:09:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T18:09:31","slug":"arma-di-taggia","status":"publish","type":"localita","link":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/en\/riviera-di-ponente\/arma-di-taggia\/","title":{"rendered":"Arma di Taggia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arma di Taggia is the seaside part of the municipality of Taggia, on the Riviera dei Fiori, a few kilometres east of Sanremo. It has a long beach of pale sand, something rare on this stretch of Liguria, a seafront promenade running from the cave of the Madonna dell’Arma to the small marina, and a cycle and pedestrian path built on the old railway line. In 2026 it was awarded the Blue Flag for the first time.<\/p>\n

Behind it, a few kilometres up the Argentina valley, lies Taggia: a medieval old town enclosed by 16th-century walls, with arcades paved in black slate, the long arched bridge over the river and the convent of San Domenico, which holds paintings by Ludovico Brea and an Adoration of the Magi by Parmigianino. Between the two is Lev\u00e0, the modern district where the town hall offices are. The whole municipality has about fourteen thousand inhabitants.<\/p>\n

The name Arma comes from the Ligurian word for a cave, the one of the Madonna dell’Arma at the western end of the promenade. Taggia, on the other hand, comes from “Tabia”, the hilltop village where people from the coast took refuge in the early Middle Ages. It also gives its name to the taggiasca olive, the most famous variety in Liguria. Arma is a convenient base for a beach holiday with children, for exploring the Riviera by bike or train and for heading up to the villages of the Argentina valley.<\/p>\n

What to see in Arma di Taggia<\/h2>\n

In Arma you stroll along the promenade and go to the beach; for the monuments you head up to Taggia by car, bus or bike. One day is enough to see both at an easy pace.<\/p>\n

Grotta della Madonna dell’Arma<\/h3>\n
\"Inside<\/figure>\n

At the western end of the promenade, on the border with Sanremo, is the cave that gave Arma its name. Excavations here uncovered important prehistoric remains, now on display at the Museo Civico in Sanremo. In the Middle Ages it was home to monks: a document from 1192 mentions the convent of nuns of Santa Maria delle Armi.<\/p>\n

Inside the cave is the church of the Annunziata, which according to tradition was built after the Virgin appeared to a young shepherdess. It is still a place of deep devotion: go in quietly, especially during services.<\/p>\n

La Fortezza di Arma<\/h3>\n

Next to the cave stands the Fortezza, built in 1565 when the Republic of Genoa strengthened its coastal defences against Barbary pirates. It is the emblem of the promenade and gives its name to the beach in front of it. You admire it from the outside, while walking or from the beach.<\/p>\n

The promenade and piazza Chierotti<\/h3>\n
\"Rocky<\/figure>\n

The seafront promenade links the cave and the Fortezza to the small marina, past beach clubs, bars and restaurants. Halfway along is piazza Tiziano Chierotti, opened in 2013, which joins the old fishing village to the newer part of town and hosts summer concerts and shows. In the evening it is Arma’s meeting point.<\/p>\n

Villa Boselli<\/h3>\n
\"Villa<\/figure>\n

The villa among the palm trees was commissioned in 1888 by the politician Paolo Boselli for his son Silvio. Today it is Arma’s cultural centre: it houses the public library and the tourist office, where you can ask for maps, the events programme and opening times for the museums in Taggia.<\/p>\n

The churches of San Giuseppe and Sant’Antonio<\/h3>\n

The church of San Giuseppe, built from 1817 onwards, holds the statue of Sant’Erasmo, patron saint of seafarers, which is carried in procession on the last Sunday of July. The large church of Sant’Antonio was begun in 1903 for a growing community and became a parish in 1917.<\/p>\n

The cycle and pedestrian path<\/h3>\n

Arma is crossed by the Riviera dei Fiori cycle and pedestrian path, laid out on the seaside route of the Genoa\u2013Ventimiglia railway, which closed in 2001. Since June 2026 you can ride it without interruption for almost 48 kilometres between Ospedaletti and Andora. Heading west you reach Bussana and the beaches of Sanremo; heading east, Riva Ligure, Santo Stefano al Mare and San Lorenzo al Mare<\/a>. It is flat, with one lane for bikes and one for pedestrians, and you can hire bikes along the way.<\/p>\n

The old town of Taggia<\/h3>\n
\"Taggia's<\/figure>\n

The village stands on the right bank of the Argentina, protected by 16th-century walls with their old gates. Inside you will find noble palazzi from the 17th and 18th centuries, steep carruggi and the dark stone of slate, which is why Taggia is known as the city of slate. It is one of the old towns richest in art in western Liguria: the full walking route is in the guide to the old town of Taggia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Via Soleri, il Pantan<\/h3>\n
\"Alley<\/figure>\n

The main street of the old town is called via Soleri, but everyone knows it as the Pantan. It is lined with arcades paved with slabs of black slate and with historic palazzi. Walk its full length, then slip into the side alleys that climb towards the castle.<\/p>\n

Medieval bridge of Taggia<\/h3>\n
\"Medieval<\/figure>\n

The bridge over the Argentina is the symbol of Taggia. About 260\u2013270 metres long, it has around fifteen arches: the first two, Romanesque, date from the 13th century, while the others were added and rebuilt in later centuries. For centuries it was the only way between the coast and the valley. Cross it on foot: the best view of the village is from the opposite bank.<\/p>\n

Convent of San Domenico<\/h3>\n
\"Stone<\/figure>\n

Founded in 1460 by the Blessed Cristoforo da Milano and completed in 1490, the convent was for decades the centre of painting in western Liguria. It has a 15th-century cloister with black stone columns and a Gothic church holding polyptychs and frescoes by Ludovico Brea, the greatest of the “Nice primitives”, and works by Giovanni Canavesio. Its most precious piece is the Adoration of the Magi by Parmigianino, painted in 1528\u201329, stolen in 1994 and recovered in 2003.<\/p>\n

Visits are often led by volunteers: check opening times at the tourist office before heading up.<\/p>\n

Basilica dei Santi Giacomo e Filippo<\/h3>\n

Taggia’s main church, built between 1675 and 1681, is also the sanctuary of the Madonna Miracolosa: it holds a statue of the Immaculate Conception carved by Salvatore Revelli which in 1855, according to many witnesses, moved its eyes, an event the Church recognised as miraculous. Here you will also find the relics of San Benedetto Revelli, the town’s patron saint, and works by Luca Cambiaso and Francesco Brea.<\/p>\n

Castello di Taggia<\/h3>\n
\"Taggia<\/figure>\n

At the top of the old town stand the ruins of the castle, built in the first centuries after the year 1000 and almost entirely rebuilt in the 16th century to defend the village from pirates. From up here you can see the rooftops of Taggia, the valley and the sea.<\/p>\n

Nostra Signora del Canneto<\/h3>\n

Just outside the centre, the church of the Canneto is the oldest site in Taggia: it was founded in the 7th century by Columbanian monks, destroyed by the Saracens in 891 and rebuilt by the Benedictines around the year 1000. Inside are frescoes from 1547. Next to it is the historic olive grove planted by the Benedictine monks.<\/p>\n

Beaches in Arma di Taggia<\/h2>\n
\"Sandy<\/figure>\n

Arma has one of the longest sandy beaches on this part of the Riviera: over a kilometre of pale sand between the Fortezza and the marina, with beach clubs and a few free stretches. In 2026 the Arma di Taggia shoreline received the Blue Flag for the first time, one of two new Ligurian entries that year along with Andora.<\/p>\n

Spiaggia della Fortezza<\/h3>\n

The stretch in front of the Fortezza has a shallow, sandy seabed that slopes gently: it is the best choice for small children. It is also the closest to the cave and to the start of the cycle path.<\/p>\n

The central shoreline<\/h3>\n

Between piazza Chierotti and the harbour, one beach club follows another, with umbrellas, showers and bars. It is the most convenient stretch if you are staying in central Arma and want to mix the sea, the promenade and bars.<\/p>\n

Towards Bussana and Sanremo<\/h3>\n

Beyond the cave, Sanremo’s territory begins, with the beach of Bussana, also a Blue Flag in 2026. You get there in a few minutes along the cycle path; here the beach is gravel and pebbles. For the other beaches in the area, read the guide to the beaches of Sanremo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arma di Taggia in one day: an itinerary<\/h2>\n