Rapallo

Rapallo is another beautiful coastal town on the Riviera of Levante, charming with its small 16th-century fortress that sits with its feet in the water, and close to the important 16th-century Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montallegro.
It has nearly 30,000 inhabitants and, like other neighboring destinations on the riviera, its popularity grew from the end of the 19th century.
It also has a beach, a small harbor and an old town, without the pomp of its neighbor Portofino. This seaside resort is nowadays well suited to family and relaxed stays with many establishments.

Sightseeing and monuments

The town center is made up of pedestrian alleys with the typical tall and colorful houses of the Ligurian Levante, access gates and old towers such as the 15th-century torre del Commune. It has several churches including the baroque Basilica dei santi Gervasio e Protasio rebuilt in the 17th-18th centuries, the Pieve di Santa Stefano (12th-20th), Basilica of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, San Francesco, the Gothic Valle Christi monastery (13th), the monastery of the Clarisses (17th), etc.

The seafront is lined by the pretty Vittorio Veneto promenade, embellished with palm trees, an old early 20th-century bandstand, and passing in front of Art Nouveau palaces. It is also a lively place with its cafés, terraces and restaurants.

The Castle of Rapallo, symbol of the town, is located at the eastern end of the promenade, surrounded by the waters at the edge of the shore.
It was built in the 16th century to protect the town from Saracen raids, and remodeled several times.
During the traditional festivals, in early July, this castle is the protagonist of a show by being artificially set on fire during a fireworks display.

The sanctuary of Montallegro has a church in the Baroque Renaissance style from the 16th century, located in a spot with a superb view at nearly 600 meters of altitude. It can be reached either by cable car, or by beautiful cobbled paths in about an hour’s walk, or by a short route from the road.
It preserves a famous Byzantine icon representing the trinity, the subject of a “miraculous anecdote”. Having been claimed by the citizens of Dubrovnik from where it came, during the journey to return it, it disappeared but was “miraculously” found inside the sanctuary, where it has remained ever since.

The monastery of the Clarisses is close to the castle and overlooks the sea. It was built in the early 17th century, transformed into an auditorium in the 1970s, and houses the Gaffoglio museum.

The Villa Tigulio is surrounded by a beautiful park and houses the Lace Museum, with dresses, clothing and fabric objects.

The “passeggiata dei baci” (walk of kisses) allows you to reach Portofino on foot, via a quiet 8 km walk, passing through Santa Margherita Ligure.

The beaches are fairly small and pebbly, except for the Lido beach which is sandy. The others in the region are those of Zoagli, Pomaro trelo, Bagni Pagana and Paraggi.

Gallery

Map

Information

• Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org
• Tourist portals: www.hellorapallo.it
• Blogs: iltigullio.com