Liguria · Savona
Noli
The fifth Italian maritime republic from 1192 to 1797, a walled coastal town with the Romanesque basilica of San Paragorio outside its gates.
Known for
FIFTH MARITIME REPUBLIC
Independent from 1192 to 1797, the smallest of the four mainland Italian maritime republics, allied to Genoa.
SAN PARAGORIO
Eleventh-century Romanesque basilica outside the walls, one of Liguria's most important early medieval buildings.
BANDIERA BLU COAST
Sandy litoraneo below the medieval walls, awarded for water quality and beach management.
When to visit
Best · Apr–Oct
- J12°
- F14°
- M15°
- A17°
- M21°
- J25°
- J28°
- A30°
- S26°
- O21°
- N16°
- D12°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. The sea is warmest in August at 27° and coldest in February at 14°. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
The festa: Eugenio di Cartagine, 11 July
Why come
Noli sits at four meters on the Riviera di Ponente, fifty kilometers southwest of Genoa. From 1192 to 1797 it was an independent maritime republic, the fifth alongside Genova, Pisa, Venezia and Amalfi, holding the Capo Noli headland and a stretch of coast under its own flag and protected by alliance with Genoa. The medieval walls still ring the centro storico, and the survivors of an original eight defensive towers still rise above the rooftops, including the Torre dei Quattro Canti and the Torre Papone.
Outside the walls stands the Basilica di San Paragorio, an eleventh-century Romanesque church and one of the most important early medieval buildings in Liguria, with a wooden crucifix from the twelfth century and a bishop's throne carved into a single block of stone. The Capo Noli cliffs end the bay to the south, with footpaths leading to grottos and a hermitage in the rock. The litoraneo carries the Bandiera Blu.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Noli’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
How to get there
From Genoa (GOA), about 53 minutes by car.
Turin (TRN) is about 2h 9m away.
By car from the centre of Milan 2h 17m.
There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive without a car.
Coming from Genoa, Turin or Milan?
Coming by train into Genova Piazza Principe? Noli is about 57 minutes away by road.
What to see
Basilica di San Paragorio
Eleventh-century Romanesque church outside the walls, with a twelfth-century wooden crucifix and a bishop's throne carved from a single block.
Torre dei Quattro Canti
Surviving medieval defensive tower inside the walled centro storico, one of eight that originally ringed the maritime republic.
Torre Papone
Second medieval tower of the original defensive ring, still standing above the rooftops of the centro storico.
Castello di Monte Ursino
Hilltop fortress above the town, joined to the city walls by a fortified curtain that runs up the slope.
Centro storico walled town
Medieval grid inside walls, with stone houses, ground-floor loggias and the cathedral of San Pietro at its centre.
Capo Noli
Limestone headland south of the bay, with coastal paths leading to grottos, the Grotta dei Falsari and the Eremo di Sant'Antonio in the rock.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Noli fits in a slow Italy circuit.
Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.
We recommend
Where to eat
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
VescovadoRistorante
Vescovado holds one Michelin star and a place in L'Espresso's Top 300.
Il VescovadoRistorante
Two Gambero Rosso forks (82/100), at Il Vescovado.
Through the year
What happens here
Feasts and festivals that come back year after year. We give the month rather than the date, because the date moves and the month rarely does. Check with the source before you plan a journey around one.
La Repubblica del Gustofood festival
usually held in June. Deep Experience - Sagre e Fiere Liguria
The Republic of Tastefood festival
usually held in September. sagritaly.com
Living here
- Population 2,444
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Train station in the comune
- Nearest airport Genoa, 53 min drive
- Regional capital Genova, 58 min drive
Common questions
- What is Noli known for?
- Noli is the fifth Italian maritime republic from 1192 to 1797, a walled coastal town with the Romanesque basilica of San Paragorio outside its gates.
- Where is Noli?
- Noli is a comune in the province of Savona, in Liguria, at 4 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Noli?
- Genoa (GOA), about 53 minutes by car.
- Can you get to Noli without a car?
- Yes. There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive by train.
- How long is the drive from Milan to Noli?
- About 2h 17m by car.
- When is the best time to visit Noli?
- Best in Apr–Oct. August is the warmest month, averaging 30 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 14 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Noli?
- Yes. La Repubblica del Gusto and The Republic of Taste. June is when the first of them falls.
- Which other towns are like Noli?
- Moneglia, Borgio Verezzi and Laigueglia.
- How many people live in Noli?
- 2,444 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 4 m
- Population: 2,444
- Surface area: 9.67 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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