Views of Gallinara island

Views of Gallinara island

Some things are unmissable on any visit to Alassio, such as the wonderful viewpoints our town offers over Gallinara island.

We can start at the Santa Croce church, built in the 11th century by Benedictine monks who lived on the island just off the coast. In the 1970s, after years of neglect, it was restored and reopened for worship. The terraces of the park next to the church offer an incredible view over the Baia del Sole and on a good day you can even see the mountains of Tuscany and Corsica. This is also the starting point of the Via Iulia Augusta, a section of Roman road which runs from Alassio to Albenga.

Let’s continue onwards to the Madonna della Guardia sanctuary, constructed in 1200 on the ruins of a Roman fort by local seafarers. The Sanctuary is dedicated to Stella Maris, the protector of those at sea. It lies 586 m above sea level, on the highest point of Monte Tirasso, in an extraordinarily beautiful position with great views. 

This is a perfect place for some quiet meditation in a location that has attracted many pilgrims over the centuries, so much so that they had to extend the sanctuary to accommodate them all!

La Cappelletta is a symbol of the town and a memorial to those lost at sea. You can find it perched atop a rock just above the waves, watching over the Luca Ferrari marina. It was built on top of an defensive tower, traces of which remain hidden away in the chapel’s basement.

A little further along the bay is the Bestoso quay where anyone arriving by sea can come ashore in the heart of the town. From here, they get a completely different view of the sea!

The hike to Madonna delle Grazie takes you to Vegliasco and the tower which bears the name of Princess Adelasia, after whom the town is named.