Soggiorna
Varazze lies on the western Riviera, in the province of Savona, where the mountains of the Beigua Park come almost down to the sea. The town's tourist website sums it up in two colours, green and blue, and that is exactly right: in one day you can be on the beach in the morning and walking in the woods in the afternoon. This guide lists what to see, the real distances and links to our guides on beaches, hikes and the Lungomare Europa.
The name and the history: a shipbuilding town
Varazze is the Roman Ad Navalia and appears as Varagine from the 10th century. The name, the town explains, recalls the Latin varare, "to launch": it was a landing place with its own shipyards. Long disputed between Savona and Genoa, it was bought by Genoa in the 13th century; it later passed to Napoleon and then to the Kingdom of Sardinia.
The calling has stayed. Between the late 19th and early 20th century Varazze had the Baglietto shipyards, built seaplanes and saw the first steps linked to the birth of Moto Guzzi. Two wrecks lie beneath its sea: a 16th-century leudo, found in 1990 with its cargo intact, and a Roman ship with its amphorae still sealed.
Jacopo da Varagine, author of the Golden Legend, was born here in the 13th century; his collection of saints' lives was translated and read all over Europe for centuries.
The old town
The centre lies between the Aurelia road and the sea, ten minutes' walk from the station. The sights are close together:
- the collegiate church of Sant'Ambrogio, the main church, with its 14th-century Romanesque-Gothic tower and a Baroque façade;
- the ruins of the old Sant'Ambrogio, the Romanesque church built into the medieval walls;
- the Palazzo del Beato Jacopo da Varagine, dedicated to the author of the Golden Legend;
- the church of San Domenico, with a French cannonball from 1746 still lodged in its façade;
- the oratory of San Bartolomeo, the heart of the fishing quarter of Solaro.
Further out are the sanctuary of Santa Caterina, 1.7 kilometres from the station, the Capuchin and Deserto convents, and towards Cogoleto the church of the Santo Cristo at Piani d'Invrea.
Distances
Measured on foot on the OpenStreetMap street network:
| From the station to | Distance | On foot |
|---|---|---|
| Collegiate church of Sant'Ambrogio | 850 m | 11 minutes |
| Marina di Varazze | 800 m | 10 minutes |
| Sanctuary of Santa Caterina | 1.7 km | 23 minutes |
| Alpicella, by car | 9 km | 11 minutes |
Beaches and surfing
Varazze has held the Blue Flag for more than twenty years. In 2026 three stretches are awarded: Levante Teiro and Ponente Teiro, on either side of the mouth of the stream that crosses the town, and Arrestra, to the east towards Cogoleto. The town beach runs for about 2 kilometres, plus the 4.5 of the Lungomare Europa. Some beach clubs stay open in winter too.
Varazze is also a surf town: in 2015 Surfline named it among the ten best surf destinations in Europe. Everything else is in our guide Beaches of Varazze.
The Lungomare Europa
This is the walk along the old railway: a flat route towards Cogoleto through tunnels, cliffs and coves, on foot or by bike. We cover it in our guide Varazze and the Lungomare Europa.
The marina and the open sea
The Marina di Varazze has 800 berths and has held the Blue Flag for 17 years. Offshore lies the Pelagos Sanctuary, the protected sea where whales, sperm whales and dolphins swim: every year trips with marine biologists leave from Varazze.
The Beigua Park
Behind the town is the largest protected area in Liguria, a UNESCO Geopark with more than 500 kilometres of waymarked trails. The park's headquarters is in Varazze itself, in piazza Beato Jacopo. Two official itineraries climb from the town to the ridge, and from the hamlet of Alpicella there are short, easy ones to the Strada Megalitica and the Fenestrelle rock shelter. Times, climbs and grades are in our guide Hiking from Varazze in the Beigua Park.
Festivals
- Santa Caterina, 30 April. She has been the patron saint since 1625. The feast recalls the saint's stop in Varazze in October 1376, on her way back from Avignon, when she prayed for the town to be freed from the plague. On the evening of the 29th the statue is honoured at the marina, and on the 30th there is the votive procession to the sanctuary, preceded by a historical parade with hundreds of people in costume.
- San Bartolomeo, 24 August. The feast of the Solaro quarter, with the procession of the wooden crucifix attributed to the school of Maragliano.
What to eat
The town highlights the Mandilli de Väze pasta of the Fiorini pasta maker, saffron grown on the hills, stockfish and snails, and in the hamlets stockfish buridda, ravioli and savoury pies. Chocolate is a point of local pride: the Lavoratti company has made it since 1938.
Getting there
Varazze is on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line, with regional and fast regional trains from Genoa, Savona and Milan, and has its own exit on the A10 motorway. Genoa airport is about 30 kilometres away. Savona is 12 kilometres away, Genoa 35. For town parking and the free areas, see our guide Getting to Varazze and where to park.
Useful information
- Tourist office (IAT): piazza Beato Jacopo 2, +39 019 935043.
- Emergencies: 112. Emergencies at sea: 1530. Out-of-hours doctor (guardia medica): 800 556 688.
- Radio taxi: +39 019 931010.
- Hospital: San Paolo in Savona, +39 019 84041.
Frequently asked questions
What can you see in Varazze in one day?
The old town with Sant'Ambrogio and San Domenico, a stretch of the Lungomare Europa towards Piani d'Invrea and, in summer, a few hours on the beach. The full plan is in our guide Varazze in two days.
Do Varazze's beaches have the Blue Flag?
Yes, for more than twenty years. In 2026 three stretches are awarded: Levante Teiro, Ponente Teiro and Arrestra.
Can you visit Varazze without a car?
Yes. The station is in town, the centre and the sea are ten minutes' walk away, and the Lungomare Europa starts from the town.
Can you surf in Varazze?
Yes: in 2015 Surfline included Varazze among the ten best surf destinations in Europe.
How far is Varazze from Genoa?
About 35 kilometres. By train it is on the Genoa–Ventimiglia coastal line; by car there is the Varazze exit on the A10.