Baia del Silenzio (Bay of Silence) is a wonderful public beach located right in the historical center of Sestri Levante. Enclosed by old colorful buildings, Baia del Silenzio is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy. The beach is small, about 300 meters long and about 20 meters wide, and there you will not find showers, toilets, or where to rent sun beds and umbrellas. Furthermore, the beach does not offer the possibility of doing water sports, you can not rent pedal boats or kayaks, and it doesn’t have lifeguards. However, with its crystal clear waters and soft golden sand, the Bay of Silence is one of the most evocative beaches of the entire Ligurian Riviera. Early in the morning, at sunrise, but especially in the evening, when the sun sets, the beach acquires magical connotations. After all the people have gone, the lanscape becomes mystical in the orange light of the evening. Ripples form on the water’s surface, the boats swing slowly offshore, and the peace sets over the bay. HOW TO GET THERE Baia del Silenzio is located about 1.2 kilometers away from the Sestri Levante train station. The closest bus station is in Piazza Read more [...]
All SEE in Sestri Levante
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 – which houses the Town Hall, and the imposing Palazzo Fascie Rossi, located on Corso Colombo.
Church of the Immaculate Conception
The Church of the Immaculate Conception (Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione) is a beautiful church in Sestri Levante, located on an elevated position to the east of Baia del Silenzio. SHORT HISTORY The first Capuchin friars arrived in the village in 1609, and settled right in the center of Sestri Levante. In 1640, they built a church with a conventual structure attached, the today’s complex of the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli. The urbanization of the town in the following years, which no longer allowed the friars proper isolation from the population, led them to choose a more isolated location on the hill located east of the Bay of Silence. The construction of the new complex began in 1683 and ended in 1688, the year of the transfer of the order to the new convent. The former complex was sold in 1686 to the Secular Priests of San Pietro in Vincoli. In the agreement signed with the Seculars, it was agreed that any work of art and furnishings should remain the property of the Capuchins. The property of the convent was managed directly by the friars until 1866 when, for unknown reasons, the church and the convent were sold to Read more [...]
Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth
The Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth is a beautiful church in Sestri Levante, located in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, near the wonderful Baia del Silenzio. SHORT HISTORY The presence of a small chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of Nazareth is attested on this place as early as 1368. In 1604, the building of a new church began, supervised by the architect Gio Batta Carbone, who will finish the work almost 12 years later, in 1616. The church inherited the title of co-cathedral of the diocese of Brugnato from the pre-existing Church of San Nicolò, and was the residence of the bishops of the diocese from the 16th to the 18th century. In the first half of the 19th century, Giambattista Prato restructured the facade of the church, also adding a neoclassical pronaos. ART AND ARCHITECTURE The interior has a structure with three naves divided by square pillars with pilasters on which rounded arches rest. The decorations are dated between the 18th and 19th centuries. The central nave has a barrel vault with lunettes, a raised presbytery and a semicircular apse. In the side aisles there are several side chapels with small cross vaults. The high altar with polychrome Read more [...]
