Soggiorna
Varazze has something few towns on the Riviera have: the sea and the mountains are both within reach. Two days are enough to see both, and that is how the town presents itself, green and blue. This itinerary uses the first day for the sea and the centre, the second for the Beigua Park, and gives alternatives if the weather turns.
Day 1, morning: the old town
From the station you reach the centre on foot in about ten minutes. The walk:
- the collegiate church of Sant'Ambrogio, with its 14th-century Romanesque-Gothic tower (850 metres from the station);
- the ruins of the old Sant'Ambrogio, the Romanesque church in the medieval walls;
- San Domenico, with the 1746 French cannonball still in its façade;
- the Palazzo del Beato Jacopo da Varagine, named after the author of the Golden Legend, born here in the 13th century.
The tourist office is at piazza Beato Jacopo 2: pick up maps and the events programme there. The lanes have old shops and boutiques; for a gift to take home, the town recommends Lavoratti chocolate, made in Varazze since 1938.
Day 1, lunch
The specialities the town highlights are the Mandilli de Väze pasta from the Fiorini pasta maker, stockfish, buridda and savoury pies. Saffron grown on the hills is the lesser-known local speciality.
Day 1, afternoon: beach or Lungomare Europa
In summer the afternoon is for the beach: in town the Levante and Ponente Teiro beaches hold the 2026 Blue Flag, and the choice is explained in our guide Beaches of Varazze.
Out of season, or if you prefer walking, take the Lungomare Europa, the flat walk along the old railway towards Cogoleto, through tunnels and past coves. You can go as far as Piani d'Invrea, with the church of the Santo Cristo, and turn back, or carry on to Cogoleto and return by train. The route is in our guide Varazze and the Lungomare Europa.
Day 1, evening: the marina
The Marina di Varazze is 800 metres from the station: 800 berths, a Blue Flag for 17 years, and the place for a sunset aperitivo.
Day 2: the Beigua, two ways
On the second day you go up. The Beigua Park, a UNESCO Geopark, has its headquarters in town, and routes for every level start from Varazze. Pick the one that suits you.
Easy version: Alpicella and the Strada Megalitica. Alpicella is 9 kilometres from the station, about eleven minutes by car or taxi (radio taxi +39 019 931010). From here the official Alpicella - Ceresa - Strada Megalitica route is 4 kilometres with 279 metres of ascent, an hour and a half, graded easy. With children or little time there is the shorter one to the Fenestrelle rock shelter: 2 kilometres and forty minutes. At weekends you can add the "Mario Fenoglio" archaeological exhibition, with finds from Alpicella and the Rocca Due Teste rock shelter.
Demanding version: from the sea to Monte Beigua. You set off on foot from town on the Varazze - Beato Giacomo - Faie - Monte Beigua route: 10.5 kilometres and 1,282 metres of ascent, four and a quarter hours just to go up, for experienced hikers. It takes a full day and good fitness.
All the routes, with waymarks and GPX tracks, are in our guide Hiking from Varazze in the Beigua Park.
Day 2, afternoon: Santa Caterina
On the way back, the sanctuary of Santa Caterina is 1.7 kilometres from the station. It recalls Catherine of Siena's stop in Varazze in October 1376, when she prayed for the town to be freed from the plague: she has been the patron saint since 1625, and on 30 April the feast brings the procession to the sanctuary.
If it rains
The town suggests three trips that can also be done by train:
- Cogoleto, with the municipal park of Villa Negrotto Cambiaso, a late-19th-century Art Nouveau garden with centuries-old trees, a historic greenhouse and ponds;
- Savona, 12 kilometres away: the Priamar fortress, the cathedral and the Sistine Chapel, the Ceramics Museum;
- Genoa, 35 kilometres away: the Porto Antico with the Aquarium, Palazzo Ducale, the cathedral of San Lorenzo.
When to go
- Summer: day one at the sea, the Beigua early in the morning. On 24 August there is San Bartolomeo in the Solaro quarter.
- Spring and autumn: the best season for the trails; 30 April is the feast of Santa Caterina.
- Winter: some beach clubs stay open for the sun, and the swells bring the surfers.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Varazze in a weekend?
One day for the old town, the beach or the Lungomare Europa and the marina in the evening; one day for the Beigua Park, from Alpicella on the easy walks or from the sea up to Monte Beigua.
Do you need a car for a weekend in Varazze?
Not for the first day: the centre, beaches, marina and Lungomare Europa are walkable from the station. For Alpicella you need a car or a taxi; Monte Beigua can be reached on foot from town.
What can you do in Varazze when it rains?
A train trip to Cogoleto for the Villa Negrotto Cambiaso park, to Savona for the Priamar and the Ceramics Museum, or to Genoa for the Aquarium.
How long does the Strada Megalitica take?
From Alpicella about an hour and a half, for 4 kilometres and 279 metres of ascent: it is an easy route.