Liguria · Genova
Santa Margherita Ligure
The Tigullio town that kept its fishing port while the world drove past on the way to Portofino two kilometers further.
- Best time
- Apr–Oct
- By car
- 40 min from Genoa
- By train
- Station in the comune
- Population
- 8,515
Known for
TIGULLIO PORT
Working fishing harbor that kept its boats and net sheds alongside the marina, unusual on this stretch of coast.
VILLA DURAZZO
1678 Genoese summer residence with three hectares of terraced park, painted Piano Nobile, picture gallery of the Genoese school.
GAMBERO ROSSO
The deep-water red prawns of Santa Margherita are protected by a fishing consortium and served raw across the Tigullio.
When to visit
Best · Apr–Oct
- J12°
- F14°
- M15°
- A17°
- M21°
- J25°
- J28°
- A29°
- S25°
- O21°
- N16°
- D13°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. The sea is warmest in August at 28° and coldest in February at 14°. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Santa Margherita Ligure sits on the inner curve of the Tigullio gulf, 35 kilometers southeast of Genova, between Camogli and Portofino. The two medieval burghs of Pescino and Corte were unified in 1813 under Napoleonic rule as Porto Napoleone, then renamed when the Kingdom of Sardinia took the coast back in 1815. Genoese architecture survived the merger: trompe-l'oeil facades on the seafront, the 1658 Basilica of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia with its baroque interior of marble and crystal, the 1550 castle built against North African corsair raids by the architect who built Rapallo's.
Villa Durazzo, raised in 1678 as a Genoese summer residence, holds three hectares of terraced gardens above the harbor. The port still works fishing boats alongside the yachts. Most day-trippers continue to Portofino. The ones who stop find a town that uses its seafront rather than performing it.
The Sunday letter
Santa Margherita Ligure is on our list. Its letter is still to come.
We are writing about all 1,000 of these towns, one at a time, in a free letter every Sunday: the photo, the food, the festa. That is our mission. Sign up and you will be there when Santa Margherita Ligure comes up. By Peter & Sophia, from Pietrasanta.
Read on
Santa Margherita Ligure in our articles
The 6 best towns inside a nature park in the province of Genova6 towns, Santa Margherita Ligure among them.
The best towns inside a nature park that have a serious restaurant in Liguria6 towns, Santa Margherita Ligure among them.
The best beach towns in the province of Genova7 towns, Santa Margherita Ligure among them.
The best hidden towns that eat well in the province of Genova7 towns, Santa Margherita Ligure among them.
How to get there
From Genoa (GOA), about 49 minutes by car.
Florence / Pisa (PSA) is about 2 hours away.
By car from the centre of Pisa 1h 52m or Milan 2h 11m.
There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive without a car.
Coming from Genoa, Pisa or Milan?
Coming by train into Genova Piazza Principe? Santa Margherita Ligure is about 46 minutes away by road.
What to see
Basilica di Santa Margherita d'Antiochia
Baroque parish basilica from 1658, crystal chandeliers and gilded statuary, dominating Piazza Caprera in the centro storico.
Villa Durazzo-Centurione
Genoese summer villa from 1678 with frescoed Piano Nobile apartments and a three-hectare terraced park above the Tigullio gulf.
Castello di Santa Margherita Ligure
Coastal fort raised by the Republic of Genoa in 1550 against Saracen and Barbary raids, designed by the architect of Rapallo's castle.
Parco Regionale di Portofino
Regional natural park covering the headland behind the town, walking trails connecting Santa Margherita to Portofino and Camogli.
Abbazia della Cervara
Benedictine abbey from 1361 along the coastal road to Portofino, with cloister and Renaissance gardens facing the sea.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Santa Margherita Ligure 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 and stay
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.
Langosteria ParaggiRistorante
Langosteria Paraggi carries a spot in the Michelin Guide.
ö Magazín In SpiaggiaTrattoria
ö Magazín In Spiaggia has a Gambero Rosso listing to its name.
Osteria PandenusBistrot
Osteria Pandenus holds one Gambero Rosso table.
Taverna ColomboRistorante
Taverna Colombo carries a place on Italy's historic-locali register.
Grand Hotel MiramareHotel
Grand Hotel Miramare has one Michelin Key, a Leading Hotels of the World listing and a place on Italy's historic-locali register.
Villa Gelsomino Exclusive HouseHotel
Villa Gelsomino Exclusive House has a place in the Michelin hotel guide to its name.
Living here
- Population 8,515
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Train station in the comune
- Nearest airport Genoa, 49 min drive
- Regional capital Genova, 40 min drive
Common questions
- What is Santa Margherita Ligure known for?
- Santa Margherita Ligure is the Tigullio town that kept its fishing port while the world drove past on the way to Portofino two kilometers further.
- Where is Santa Margherita Ligure?
- Santa Margherita Ligure is a comune in the province of Genova, in Liguria, at 13 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Santa Margherita Ligure?
- Genoa (GOA), about 49 minutes by car.
- Can you get to Santa Margherita Ligure without a car?
- Yes. There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive by train.
- How long is the drive from Pisa to Santa Margherita Ligure?
- About 1h 52m by car.
- When is the best time to visit Santa Margherita Ligure?
- Best in Apr–Oct. August is the warmest month, averaging 29 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 15 rain days.
- Which other towns are like Santa Margherita Ligure?
- Recco, Andora and Diano.
- How many people live in Santa Margherita Ligure?
- 8,515 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 13 m
- Population: 8,515
- Surface area: 10.04 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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