Savona packs more into its compact centre than most cruise passengers expect. The Priamar Fortress dominates the waterfront, the city’s own Sistine Chapel sits tucked behind the cathedral, and medieval towers mark the entrance to a warren of caruggi (narrow lanes) filled with focaccerie and family-run trattorias. Beyond the centre, a Renaissance sanctuary complex perches on a hillside 6km away, and the beaches of the Riviera di Ponente stretch west toward the French border. Here are the best things to do in Savona, each with its own H3 heading. For more detail, see our Savona weather by month guide.
Things to Do in Savona: Historic Landmarks and Museums
Priamar Fortress (Fortezza del Priamar)
This massive 16th-century Genoese fortress rises directly above the cruise port on the rocky Priamar hill. Built by the Republic of Genoa between 1542 and 1544 after conquering Savona, it replaced the entire medieval city that once stood here. Entry to the fortress grounds is free. Inside you’ll find the Civic Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico di Savona, entry EUR 5, open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-13:30, also Saturday and Sunday 15:00-18:30 in summer), housed in the Palazzo della Loggia, with finds from the Roman through medieval periods. The Sandro Pertini Museum upstairs displays works by modern Italian artists including Fontana and Manzu, donated by the former Italian president who was born nearby. Climb the ramparts for panoramic views across the port, the old town rooftops, and the Ligurian Sea. Allow 1-2 hours. The fortress also hosts summer concerts and open-air cinema in July and August. For more detail, see our best time to visit Savona guide.
Savona Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina di Savona)
Savona has its own Sistine Chapel, built between 1481 and 1483 by order of Pope Sixtus IV (the same pope who built the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel in Rome). It’s tucked behind the Baroque Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption on Via Ambrogio Aonzo. The chapel houses an ornate wooden choir from the 16th century and a marble altarpiece. The cathedral itself features a striking neo-Classical facade added in the 19th century. The Treasury Museum (Museo del Tesoro) adjacent displays religious artefacts, including a 15th-century reliquary cross and silver liturgical objects. The combined cathedral complex, Sistine Chapel, and museum are open Monday to Saturday 10:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00, Sundays only in the afternoon. Entry to the cathedral is free; the museum and chapel ask for a small donation (EUR 3 suggested). The cloister garden is a peaceful spot most visitors miss. Allow 45-60 minutes. For more detail, see our Savona events and festivals guide.
Torre Leon Pancaldo (La Torretta)
The most photographed landmark in Savona is this 14th-century stone tower standing at the entrance to Via Paleocapa, facing the port. Named after Leon Pancaldo, a Savona-born navigator who sailed with Magellan on the first circumnavigation of the globe, the tower is all that remains of the medieval city walls. You can’t go inside, but it’s the natural starting point for any walking tour. From here, walk up Via Paleocapa, the main shopping street, toward the heart of the old town. The tower is lit up at night. A bronze statue of Pancaldo stands nearby, hand raised as if pointing toward the sea. For more detail, see our best neighborhoods in Savona guide.
Torre del Brandale and the Medieval Old Town
A few minutes’ walk inland from La Torretta, the Torre del Brandale complex includes a 50-metre-high tower resting on Gothic arch vaults that form the entrance to the old town centre. The tower houses the Campanassa, a bell that rings on special civic occasions. The surrounding caruggi (alleyways) between Via Pia and Piazza della Maddalena are pure Ligurian atmosphere: tall narrow buildings painted in ochre and faded rose, laundry strung between windows, and the smell of fresh focaccia drifting from doorways. Get lost here for an hour. Key stops: the 17th-century Oratorio del Cristo Risorto on Via Pia with its elaborate carved wooden processional cases, and the Church of San Giovanni Battista on Via Untoria. For more detail, see our where to stay in Savona guide.
Things to Do in Savona: Outdoor and Coastal Activities
Savona’s Beaches
Savona’s city beaches are functional rather than postcard-perfect: sandy stretches along the Lungomare between the port and the Torretta area, with stabilimenti (beach clubs) renting sun loungers and umbrellas for EUR 15-25 per day in high season. The water quality is monitored and generally clean. For a better beach experience, head 3km west to Zinola Beach, a free public sandy beach with calmer water, or continue to the beaches at Vado Ligure (5km) and Bergeggi (8km), where the water is clearer and the coves are backed by Mediterranean maquis. The Bergeggi Marine Protected Area offers excellent snorkelling around the island. All are reachable by local bus from Piazza del Popolo (TPL Linea 6 or 7, EUR 1.50 single ticket). For more detail, see our Savona travel tips guide.
Lungomare degli Artisti
This seaside promenade runs from the ferry terminal west toward the Torretta district, lined with palm trees, benches, and a series of modern sculptures installed over the years by the city. It’s a flat, easy 2km walk with sea views and several gelaterie along the way. The promenade is busiest at sunset when locals take their passeggiata (evening stroll). Parallel to it runs Corso Italia, where most of the beach clubs and seafront restaurants are located. For more detail, see our Savona travel guide guide.
Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Misericordia
Perched on a hillside 6km from central Savona (a 15-minute drive or 45-minute walk uphill), this Renaissance basilica and sanctuary complex marks the site where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared to a local shepherd in 1536. The basilica was designed by the same architect who worked on Genoa’s grand palaces, and it contains altars by Bernini and paintings by Domenichino and Borgianni. The attached museum displays ex-voto offerings and religious art. The piazza facing the basilica is framed by symmetrical arcaded buildings, creating a dramatic architectural ensemble against the wooded hillside. Bus line 6 runs from Savona station to the sanctuary (EUR 1.50, roughly every 30 minutes). Admission to the basilica is free; the museum costs EUR 3. Even if Baroque churches aren’t your thing, the view back toward the coast from the piazza is worth the trip.
Things to Do in Savona: Day Trips Along the Riviera
Noli and Varigotti (two of Italy’s most beautiful villages)
Noli is a pocket-sized medieval maritime republic (it was independent from the 12th to 18th centuries) with a castle on the hill, a Romanesque church of San Paragorio, and a perfect crescent of sandy beach. Varigotti, a few kilometres further, is a former Saracen fishing village with pastel-coloured houses built directly on the sand, backed by steep green hills. Both are on the train line to Finale Ligure (15-20 minutes from Savona station, EUR 2.50), then a short bus or taxi. Noli’s caruggi are car-free and wonderfully preserved. Varigotti’s beach is one of the best sandy stretches on the western Riviera. Allow a full day to see both. Eat at a beachfront restaurant in Varigotti for lunch; the seafood spaghetti with local pigato white wine is the move.
Finalborgo
Finalborgo is the medieval walled inland quarter of Finale Ligure, one train stop beyond Noli (25 minutes from Savona, EUR 3). The 15th-century town walls are intact, the streets are cobbled, and the atmosphere is one of the most atmospheric medieval centres in Liguria. Visit the Castel Gavone ruins above town and the cloister of Santa Caterina. There are excellent cycling and climbing routes in the hills above Finalborgo if that’s your thing. Several osterie serve hearty Ligurian mountain food: pansoti (herb-filled pasta) in walnut sauce, coniglio alla ligure (braised rabbit with olives and pine nuts).
Genoa (35 Minutes by Train)
Genoa, the capital of Liguria and once one of Europe’s wealthiest maritime republics, is only a 35-45 minute regional train ride from Savona station (EUR 5.10 one way, trains roughly every 30 minutes). It’s an easy and rewarding day trip. Walk the caruggi of the UNESCO-listed old town, visit the Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Rosso museums on Via Garibaldi, eat farinata (chickpea flatbread) at a sciamadda in the old port, and take the lift up to the Spianata Castelletto viewpoint. The Aquarium of Genoa, the largest in Italy, is at the Porto Antico. Trains run until about 22:30, so you can have dinner in Genoa and still get back to Savona the same evening.
