HISTORY: Like many other Ligurian villages, Sestri Levante dates back to the last centuries BC, when the ancient peoples called Ligures, and more specifically Tigulli, inhabited this area. In Roman times, the city was named Segesta Tigulliorum and became an important commercial center. The city decayed during the period of the barbarian invasions, but it recovered later, during the Middle Ages, and expanded on the mainland.
In the following centuries, Sestri Levante was besieged numerous times – in 1327, by the army of Lucca, led by the Lord of Lucca, Castruccio Castracani, who coudn't conquer the town; in 1365, by the Viscontis, Dukes of Milan, who succeeded in conquering the city; in 1432, by the fleet of Venice, without success; in 1542, by the Turkish pirates; in 1607, by the Saracen pirates.
Sestri Levante was annexed to the First French Empire, between 1805 and 1814. In 1815, it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sardinia, according to the decisions of the Congress of Vienna, and subsequently into the Kingdom of Italy, starting with 1861.
GEOGRAPHY: Sestri Levante is now a municipality of about 18,000 inhabitants included in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, part of the Italian region Liguria. Due to its geographic position, located between two bays, Baia delle Favole and Baia del Silenzio, Sestri Levante is also known as the city of the two seas.
Sestri Levante is located 25 kilometers away from Rapallo, 33 kilometers from Portofino, 43 kilometers from Monterosso al Mare - the northern limit of Cinque Terre, 47 kilometers from Genoa and about 56 kilometers from La Spezia.
TRANSPORT: The closest airport is Cristoforo Colombo Airport, in Genoa, located about 61 kilometers away. You can get to Sestri Levante by train, from La Spezia, in the south. The trip takes about 40 minutes and the ticket costs 4.90€. From Genoa, a train ticket is 4.20€, and the trip takes about the same time.
LANDMARKS: The most important tourist attraction in Sestri Levante is, without doubt, the enchanting Baia del Silenzio, one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, surrounded by old colorful buildings. Another top attraction is the Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth, a Renaissance church with a neoclassical pronaos. Worth mentioning are also the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the adjacent Convent of the Capuchin Friars, the Church of Santo Stefano del Ponte, Palazzo Durazzo-Pallavicini - where the Town Hall is located, and the imposing Palazzo Fascie Rossi from Corso Colombo.
MORE INFO: Touristic Portal | Genoa Airport | Car Hire | Train Timetables & Fares | Hotels in Sestri Levante
