Sights of Rapallo

Source www.italian-riviera.com

Rapallo has been a well-known and popular tourist destination on the eastern Ligurian Riviera since the second half of the nineteenth century.

This popularity is also partly due to its strategic position: it is located right in the center of the Gulf of Tigullio, adjacent to Santa Margherita Ligure and a few kilometers from Portofino , Camogli and the Abbey of San Fruttuoso Capodimonte.

The oldest part of Rapallo is, of course, the most interesting to visit and experience: here you can get lost in the wonderful pedestrian streets of the center overlooked by the typical tall houses with colorful facades.

From all the alleys you can access the Vittorio Veneto promenade, an elegant seaside promenade in the shade of palm trees, with a succession of bars, ice cream parlors, hotels and restaurants with comfortable outdoor areas, a good lounge where you can relax in peace.

Vittorio Veneto waterfront

At the center of the promenade you can admire the famous music kiosk, dating back to the early 1900s when the city was one of the favorite tourist destinations throughout Europe together with Bordighera (where, in the same way, a music kiosk was built in the center of the seafront).

The promenade is also the scene of the most important events in the city, both in winter and, of course, during the summer season.

The Castle on the sea

The castle on the sea of Rapallo is located at the eastern end of the Vittorio Veneto seafront, it is surrounded by water and connected to the mainland by a pier.

This ancient castle is undoubtedly the symbol of the city and is in fact reproduced on postcards, stamps and souvenirs.

It was built in the sixteenth century to defend the city from attacks by Saracen pirates. During its history it was modified several times until it also served as a prison.

Today the castle is a precious exhibition hall.

But the most important event, in which the castle is the protagonist, is in July, on the occasion of the celebrations of the patron saint: the castle is artificially “set on fire” and is the culmination of the fireworks display that attracts thousands of tourists every year.

If you want to attend these traditional celebrations, you must come to Rapallo on July 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montallegro

The sanctuary of Montallegro is a splendid church in the Baroque Renaissance style, a place dear to the Rapalloese and one of the most important Marian places in Liguria.

It was built in 1557 to celebrate the apparition of the Virgin Mary to a citizen of Rapallo right on this hill behind the city.

The sanctuary stands in a magnificent position with a breathtaking view at about 600 m above sea level. To access it you have to go up a majestic staircase.

Inside the sanctuary there is a rather rare Byzantine icon which is famous for a miraculous anecdote. This picture was claimed by the citizens of Dubrovnik. It was thus decided to return it to its place of origin but during the journey to Dalmatia the icon disappeared mysteriously and was found inside the sanctuary.

After this miraculous inexplicable episode it was decided to leave it permanently inside the sanctuary of Rapallo.

To reach the sanctuary you basically have two options, both very scenic: The easiest, least tiring and decidedly more popular way is the cable car, whose departure is right near the Rapallo train station.

The second option is to take a nice walk along the beautiful path that starts from the city center and allows you to reach the church in an hour and a half of walking.

Lace Museum

The lace museum is located in the elegant villa Tigullio, an ancient residence surrounded by a wonderful park overlooking the sea.

The museum, which is easily accessible both on foot and by car, is the only one in all of Liguria dedicated to the tradition of bobbin lace, also known by the name of Bobbin lace.

In this museum you will be able to admire clothes, bobbins, linen and accessories for the home, all artifacts embellished with decorations made with this technique, which is carried over from the sixteenth century, from generation to generation, of Ligurian women.

Walk of kisses

Аллея поцелуев — пешеходная улица, ведущая из Рапалло в Портофино.

Эта прогулка доступна каждому, потому что она свободна от технических сложностей. Маршрут имеет длину 8 км и среднее время в пути около двух с половиной часов.

На этой прогулке вы пройдете по пологим подъемам и спускам, сможете полюбоваться природными стихиями и прекрасными видами и множеством старинных вилл.

Маршрут начинается в Рапалло, недалеко от замка, пересекает всю набережную и продолжается до Санта-Маргерита-Лигуре. Проехав и этот город, вы остановитесь у близлежащей бухты, пересечете лес, защищенный от солнечных лучей, и доберетесь до очаровательной деревни Портофино.

Монастырь Бедных Кларисс

The monastic complex of the Poor Clares overlooks the sea and is located a few tens of meters from the ancient castle.

This structure was built in 1600 and was initially used as a cloistered convent until the early 1900s.

It was then deconsecrated and used during the wars as a barracks, then as a warehouse for boats and finally as an elementary school.

In the 1970s it was transformed into a 265-seat auditorium theater and is still used for this purpose today.

The Gaffoglio museum is also housed within the complex, where the rooms of the convent once stood. This museum houses the works of art donated to the city of Rapallo by Attilio Gaffoglio and his wife.

Beaches of Rapallo

In Rapallo, as in many other places in Liguria, the beaches are small and with a pebble and gravel bottom and crystal clear blue water.

Many bathing establishments in Rapallo have organized themselves with stilts and wooden walkways to take advantage of every available space and on which they have put colored cabins, umbrellas and sunbeds for bathers.