Chiavari: what to see? Full Tutorial

What to do and see in Chiavari

Italian Version 🇮🇹

✅ Before starting reading, we give you some interesting links to read, as well as the City Map.

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Chiavari, after Rapallo, is the city with the most inhabitants in Tigullio, and the most important city of the Riviera di Levante, after Genova.

In fact, for many years, it has been talked about the establishing a “Fifth Province” in Liguria, called the “Province of Tigullio” , with Chiavari as the capital city.

Are you ready? Let’s go with the 5 things to see absolutely in Chiavari!

✔ Remember: Chiavari is a real gem in the Riviera, with many things to see and do.

Under each attraction to visit, you will find the map of the city.

1️⃣ Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Garden (Nostra Signora dell’Orto)

The sanctuary of Nostra Signora dell’Orto, right in the center of the city, was built in 1613, after the apparition of Mary to Sebastiano Descalzo, an inhabitant of Chiavari, which took place on 2 July 1613.

The structure is characterized by an imposing marble pronao, designed by the famous architect Luigi Poletti in 1836, completed in 1907.

2️⃣ San Giovanni Battista Church

The Church of San Giovanni Battista, founded in 1181, is also known as the Sanctuary of the Black Christ.

This particular name, because inside the Church, there’s a wooden crucifix, in very dark tones.

The Legend said that, when the church of the Disciplinati was destroyed by fire in 1600, only the crucifix was saved from the fire.

According to tradition, it remained black because it was impossible to clean it. 

The Church is located in the heart of the historic center of Chiavari, in the homonym square, the same where the local market is held.

3️⃣ Rocca Palace -Palazzo Rocca

Palazzo Rocca is located in the adjacent Giacomo Matteotti’s square.

The building is entirely surrounded by the Rocca municipal park. The palace was built in 1629/30, at the behest of the local Marquis Costaguta.

It was enlarged in the eighteenth century by the successive owners, the Grimaldi family. Since 1912, it’s owned by the Municipality of Chiavari.

Recently, the Municipality has subjected the entire area of ​​the park, to a careful restoration of the flora and architectural elements. 

In the old stables, there is also the archaeological museum and the civic gallery.

4️⃣ The Chiavari Castle

The Chiavari Castle, is located on a hill and can be reached by a stepped climb, which borders the ancient northern stretch of the city walls.

It was largely covered in the sixteenth century. At present, only the tower, remains clearly visible of the building.

5️⃣ Sanctuary of Grace

Along the Via Aurelia, that connects the municipalities of Chiavari and Rapallo, there’s a very important Sanctuary, overlooking the sea.

It is the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora delle Grazie.

It’s a place of Catholic worship, located in the locality of Le Grazie, in the municipality of Chiavari, along the Via Aurelia, in the highest place.

The Sanctuary, is located sheer above the sea, at about 200 meters high, at the highest point of the Aurelia road, near the homonyms tunnel.

It was built in the early ‘400s. The interior, features a cycle of frescoes that narrate some moments in the life of Jesus.

These are dated 1539. One of them is the work of Teramo Piaggio, while among others, the most important one, is represented by the Last Judgment, by the famous Ligurian artist Luca Cambiaso (around 1550).