Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy – 4K HDR Walking Tour 🇮🇹

Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy – 4K HDR Walking Tour 🇮🇹

Welcome to Santa Margherita Ligure, located on the beautiful Italian Riviera. Our walk begins on the breakwater pier, known locally as Molo Foraneo, which protects the harbor from the open sea. Santa Margherita Ligure stretches around the Gulf of Tigullio, between Rapallo and Portofino. A natural harbor turned resort, much of it lies inside the Portofino Regional Natural Park. TIP: Clear mornings = best views across the bay; evenings bring pastel reflections on the water. This breakwater protects the marina from Ligurian swells. It’s a great spot to frame the colorful seafront and hills. The town’s economy relies on both fishing and tourism, supported by the busy port. The area around Santa Margherita was originally known as Pescino before adopting its current name. We are now on the Calata del Porto, the lively promenade that follows the curve of the harbor. The port is a mix of commercial and tourist activities, with ferries connecting to nearby Portofino and the Cinque Terre. Historically, the town was devastated by invaders, including King Rothari of the Lombards in 641, and later the Saracens in the 10th century. Santa Margherita was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815 and became part of unified Italy in 1861. After the WWII, new rail and road connections helped transform Santa Margherita into a Riviera resort. The town’s name honors Saint Margaret of Antioch, its patron saint. ‘Ligure’ simply means ‘of Liguria,’ marking its place on the Italian Riviera. She is often depicted with a dragon, symbolizing her triumph over evil. An old legend says this area was once called the ‘Riva delle Donzelle’ (Maidens’ Shore), recalling a tale of captured girls freed from pirates. The legend tells of a Venetian Doge who freed young women taken by pirates near this coast. I filmed this walk the same day as my bike ride from Rapallo to Portofino and back. I rented a bike in Rapallo, cycled to Portofino, and stopped here on the return to film this walk. After filming the walk, I continued the bike ride back to Rapallo. There are a lot of green shutters here, but they aren’t all what they appear to be. More on that later. Santa Margherita’s train station is close to the beach, making the town easy to reach for visitors. This morning, I took the train from Genoa—only about 20 minutes away. We are walking along the Banchina Sant’Erasmo, named for Saint Erasmus of Formia, the patron saint of sailors. Here on the Banchina Sant’Erasmo, is a 19th-century manual winch, a tribute to local shipyards and the muscle-powered work of sailors. We’ll get a closer look later in the walk. The Cinque Terre villages are close by—Monterosso al Mare is only 35 minutes by train. Up ahead is the Castello di Santa Margherita Ligure, a 16th-century fortress which is now open to the public. This open area is Piazza Martiri della Libertà, the heart of the town’s waterfront and a great spot for coffee. We are now heading out onto the tourist pier, the Molo Maloncello, named after 14th-century Genoese navigator Lanzarotto Malocello. At the end of the pier stands a marble statue of Saint Margaret of Antioch, the city’s patron saint. The statue was made by the Arrighini company in Pietrasanta. St. Margaret’s feast day is celebrated on July 20th with a traditional procession and a blessing of the sea. Here is a monument dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of unified Italy. He ruled Sardinia from 1849–1861, then Italy from 1861–1878—a reign of 29 years. Next, we have a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus, the great Italian explorer who was born in nearby Genoa in 1451. It’s nice to see a statue of Christopher Columbus that is still standing or not covered in graffiti. The beach is a perfect example of the Italian Riviera’s blend of natural beauty and organized seaside life. The beach is called Ghiaia, which means ‘stone beach’ in Italian. Like many Italian beaches, it has a free public area alongside private beach clubs. Today’s walk coincides with the Santa Cross 2025 event, a local triathlon. The Santa Cross race is a unique triathlon, mixing open-water swimming, off-road running, and kayaking. 77 participants took part in this year’s event, which showcases the Gulf of Tigullio. The winner of the men’s race was Alessio Bertetta with a time of 1 hour and 9 minutes. The women’s race winner was local athlete Erica Baruffi with an impressive time of 1 hour and 19 minutes, placing 5th overall. To our left is Viale Andrea Doria, named after the famous Genoese admiral. An ocean liner bearing his name tragically sank in 1956 after colliding with a Swedish ship. Of all Italy’s ships at the time, Andrea Doria was the largest, fastest and supposedly safest. Before writing these captions, everything I knew about the Andrea Doria came from Seinfeld. 🙂 And yes—George definitely deserved the apartment. 🙂 The train station is just behind these buildings to our left. The brightly colored buildings are a hallmark of Ligurian architecture, with their painted facades and trompe-l’œil details. Trompe-l’œil (French for “deceive the eye”) is a painting technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional architecture, windows, sculptures, or decorations on otherwise flat building façades. It was a Ligurian tradition to make buildings look grand without costly stonework. The Lungomare is the main seaside promenade, perfect for a classic Italian passeggiata (stroll). This looks like a Coleus plant, prized more for its colorful leaves than its flowers. This is the Chiesa di Santa Margherita d’Antiochia, the 17th-century parish church dedicated to the town’s patron saint. Its Baroque interior honors Saint Margaret, protector of Santa Margherita Ligure. “Construction of the Baroque church began in 1658, built over the remains of a 13th-century chapel. We are now exploring Via Palestro, known for its charming shops and popular outdoor dining areas. The many restaurants in this area offer typical Ligurian cuisine, famous for pesto, focaccia, fresh seafood, and pasta like trofie or pansoti. This area at the end of the street is called Largo Giovanni Amendola, named after Giovanni Amendola, an Italian journalist and politician who opposed Mussolini. The dominant color for window shutters in Santa Margherita and the surrounding Liguria region is a shade of green, typically a deep forest green or olive green. The color has become a defining aesthetic feature of the Ligurian coast. It contrasts beautifully with pastel façades—ochres, yellows, pinks, and reds—while tying them to the deep blue sea. Not all of the green window shutters are real, however. In the 18th century, the Republic of Genoa reportedly implemented a tax based on the number of street-facing windows in each building. To avoid higher taxes, owners would brick up extra windows, then commission artists to paint fake ones—shutters and all—onto the blank walls. This preserved the pleasing symmetry of the facade while minimizing their tax bill. Here is an example of a painted window shutter. At first glance, they look convincingly real! The technique was also used to create perfect visual symmetry where internal room layouts or building regulations prevented a real window from being placed. They could simply paint a matching window and closed shutters to balance the facade. I didn’t check, but the church didn’t appear to be open. The town sits within the Regional Natural Park of Portofino, protecting the unique coastal environment. ortofino is only a few miles away, but Santa Margherita feels less crowded and more relaxed. I was in Portofino just a few minutes before I started filming this tour. It was absolutely packed with tourists! Since it was so crowded, I didn’t stay long—just filmed a short walk for the bike tour video. We will now walk through these outdoor dining areas on our way up to the Villa Durazzo. These steps, called Salita San Giacomo, lead up to the Villa, though we’ll take a different path. The fortress up ahead was built in 1550 to defend the town from pirates. After pirate attacks ceased in the 18th century, the fort lost its military importance and only some repair and maintenance works were undertaken. This path takes us up toward Villa Durazzo. We’ve arrived at the Villa Durazzo complex, which includes the villa itself, the 16th-century castle, and its surrounding 17th-century gardens. The patrician villa was originally built in 1678 for the Durazzo family, one of Genoa’s most prominent. It later passed to the Centurione and Chierichetti families before being acquired by the Municipality in 1973. Inside the villa are elaborate frescoes, Murano chandeliers, and a grand Salone degli Stucchi (Stucco Hall). Today, the villa hosts weddings, receptions, and even corporate meetings. Maybe I’ll have the next Prowalk Tours board meeting here. It would just be me…but that’s okay. 🙂 The villa’s gardens span multiple terraces, decorated with citrus groves, box hedges, and sea views over the Gulf of Tigullio. Villa Durazzo is one of the most elegant historical residences in the Ligurian Riviera, blending architecture, gardens, and views. This is the Chiesa di San Giacomo di Corte (Church of St. James of the Court). The church, in the Baroque style, dates back to the 17th century, though some sources place a building here as early as the year 1000. Its main facade features a marble statue of St. James above the entrance. This path here is part of the Salita San Giacomo that we saw earlier. We are heading down toward the coast and the old fishermen’s chapel. The Oratorio di Sant’Erasmo was first built as a chapel in 1347 by local fishermen and sailors. It was originally built on a rock called Sant’Elmo, at the foot of the hill, and was once lapped by the sea. The Confraternity of St. Erasmus continues its activities here today. I love the nautical theme of this church!! Saint Erasmus is also known as Saint Elmo, protector of sailors. The phrase ‘Saint Elmo’s Fire’ comes from the glowing lights sailors once saw on ship masts during electrical storms. The Confraternity of Sant’Erasmo was made up of sailors, fishermen, and shipbuilders. Its mission was to protect members and their families from the dangers of life at sea, including long coral-fishing voyages. This courtyard, made of small stones, was recently restored in 2016. This is the Argano Storico—an 1800s winch once powered by hand, used by sailors to haul boats and nets ashore. In 2012 the old port winch was donated to the city. It’s a potent symbol of Santa Margherita’s bond with the sea. The Argano may look simple, but back in the day it was essential: every pull meant heavy labor by port workers and sailors. I would have liked this walk to be longer, but I needed to get back on my bike and finish filming the ride. If you have enjoyed this tour of Santa Margherita Ligure, please leave a LIKE on the video. This really helps me out. Thanks! Thanks for watching! Ciao! Ciao!

Experience Santa Margherita Ligure in stunning 4K HDR.
This colorful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, between Rapallo and Portofino, is known for its vibrant harbor, palm-lined promenade, and pastel villas overlooking the Ligurian Sea.

📅 *Filmed on* Sunday, September 7th, 2025
🌞 *Weather* 28°C | 83°F 🌡
🗺️ *Map of the Walk* https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Gq298dJdAntybQjlBa6ymbcyDnsPf-I&usp=sharing 🗺️

⏱️ *Video Timeline*
0:00 Intro and Map
0:53 Breakwater Pier
6:32 Port Promenade
13:55 Banchina Sant’Erasmo
17:40 Piazza Martiri della Libertà
22:56 Santa Margherita Beach
37:37 Via Antonio Gramsci
39:03 Piazza Vittorio Veneto
40:07 Piazza Caprera
40:28 Via Palestro
45:12 Via Cavour
55:10 Salita al Castello
58:17 Villa Durazzo
1:08:12 Church of San Giacomo di Corte
1:14:11 Oratorio di Sant’Erasmo
1:17:58 Port of Santa Margherita Ligure

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