The trek from Varigotti to Noli is a classic Ligurian walking, and is much appreciated by those who love wandering among seaside hills. It is a walk which, with a reasonable commitment, takes you to admire panoramas dominated by the blue Ligurian sea and by the ocher limestone of the coast between Finale Ligure and Noli, in the province of Savona. Really exciting images.

Trekking: from Varigotti to Noli (Liguria). Flying between land and sea

In this article, I won't dwell much on the technical description of the itinerary. On the net, there is already ample documentation, if you want to further investigate; even if, to tell the truth, it is an easy path to identify, and quite well signposted.

Rather, I will tell you about how I experienced this journey, that is, about the sensations I experienced during the excursion.

Varigotti is a small village part of Finale Ligure, located at the eastern end of the Municipality. It is a small and suggestive Saracen village, which overlooks a beautiful and long pebble beach. The sea immediately becomes deep and has a turquoise color reminiscent of certain areas of the French Riviera (e.g. Nice). Behind, the calcareous reliefs rise up to the Manie Plateau (crossed by a dense network of paths for trekkers and MTBs), and are dotted with maritime pines and Mediterranean vegetation, in which further small hamlets are immersed with other buildings from the Saracen era.

I have good memories related to Varigotti, but I think I'm not the only one fond of this place. To fully enjoy its charm and quiet, it is best to visit it out of season, and avoid August, and weekends in the heart of summer.

The path that leads from Varigotti to Noli is called "Sentiero del Pellegrino", and is marked by trail number 1. To take it, you have to go to via Strada Vecchia, which you soon leave, to turn onto the "Sentiero Balcone sul Mare" (see our map in the article, and our complete itinerary slidegallery).

Back on the main track of the Sentiero del Pellegrino, the last part of the itinerary gives you ever cleaner and wider glimpses of Noli, and the remains of a hermitage and the church of Santa Margherita, linked to the history and life of Captain Enrico d'Albertis, a local nobleman.

You then pass by a former Lazzaretto, and then, walking and descending in the middle of terraces planted with olive trees, you finally reach Noli, right next to the bus stop that takes you back to Varigotti, after 7.6 about km, and almost two hours of actual walking.

Once this route has been completed, you will only want to take other Ligurian paths suspended between land and sea.

Have a good walk.

Fabio Muriano

Click here, for the full slidegallery of our trekking.