Voices from the past

Varazze has always been a synonym for the sea and navigation. Already from Roman times, this town, near Savona, was the seat of important shipyards. Its original name was in fact Ad Navalia, and the town was noted for its many maritime pines used for shipbuilding, and for its wide beach suited to the launching of such ships. The name Varazze derives from the term "vara", which refers to the wooden platforms used for embarkation. For a long time, the town was contended for by Savona and Genoa. It surrendered to the Maloncello family of Genoa during the feudal age, thus becoming capital of the podestà or mayorship which included the territory of Celle and Albisola. Until 1798 its history was tightly linked to that of Genoa, and in 1815, along with other Ligurian towns, it became part of the Kingdom of the Savoys. The town obtained its autonomy only in 1864, when Vittorio Emanuele II granted it the title of città or town. Varazze owes its fame also to Beato Jacopo da Varagine, author of the "Legenda aurea", who was born here.

Don't miss...

Varazze preserves the fascination of its past above all in the historic centre, where there are splendid medieval palaces and old churches. Without doubt the most important is the Collegiata di Sant'Ambrogio, which bears witness to the influence of the Milanese church in the medieval period. It is a complex which dates back to the 16th century, but was reconstructed on the ruins of an old Romanesque church of which remains the splendid Romanesque-Gothic campanile.
Don't miss the churches of Saint Nazario and Saint Celso. The latter has a churchyard "a risseu", realised with brightly-coloured pebbles from polychrome rivers to form various types of figures. The church of San Domenico preserves a cannonball exploded by a French ship in 1746 on its façade. A further important monument is the church of Santa Maria di Latronico, belonging to the Cistercian Order.
Even if it is famous as a maritime town, Varazze and its surrounding area also offers suggestive sights for mountain-lovers such as mountains, 1000 metres above sea level, which run parallel to the coast. The high plain of Beigua guarantees a comfortable stay both in summer and in winter, thanks to the mildness of its climate.

Events

Above all in the summer seasons, there is a succession of cultural events, festivals and other events of every type, some of which take place in the nearby towns such as Cantalupo. Every year there is the drama festival Teatrale Città di Varazze, with various types of theatre companies, including amateur ones. Of particular interest are the performances in the local dialect.