Sestri Levante day trip from Genoa or Cinque Terre or Portofino
A day trip to Sestri Levante from Genoa, the Cinque Terre or Portofino: the carruggi of Via XXV Aprile, the Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth, the Baia del Silenzio and the Romanesque church of San Nicolò on the peninsula in the morning, then the walk to Punta Manara and the end of the day on the Baia delle Favole. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Sestri Levante in 1 day
Day 1
Historic centre of Sestri Levante (Via XXV Aprile)
The old town's pedestrian street of shops, bakeries and slate doorways, running the length of the isthmus between the two bays.
Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth
Seventeenth-century basilica on the town's main square, with a classical portico and a large, light interior.
Baia del Silenzio
Small curved bay of sand and pastel houses on the quiet side of the peninsula, calm water and fishing boats pulled up on the beach.
Church of San Nicolò dell'Isola
Small Romanesque church of grey stone on the wooded peninsula above the town, one of the oldest buildings in Sestri.
Punta Manara walk
Path from the town up the headland through pines and olive groves to an old watchtower, with views along the Tigullio coast.
Baia delle Favole
The long beach on the open side of town, named the Bay of Fables in honour of Hans Christian Andersen, lovely at sunset.
Watch: Sestri Levante
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
Sestri Levante is on the Genoa-La Spezia railway: about 45 minutes to an hour by train from Genoa and 30-45 minutes from the Cinque Terre villages. From Portofino, take the bus to Santa Margherita Ligure and the train on from there. The station is a short walk from the old town.
Staying in Genoa or Cinque Terre or Portofino? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Sestri Levante
May, June and September are the best months: warm sea, sunny days and fewer people than in July and August, when the beaches are full. The Andersen Festival of street theatre and fairy tales is held in early summer. In winter the town is quiet and mild, good for the Punta Manara walk.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Sestri Levante on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Sestri Levante on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Sestri Levante on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
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Tips for Sestri Levante
- The Punta Manara walk climbs through pines and olive groves: take water and proper shoes, and on hot summer days go early or late.
- The Baia del Silenzio gets very crowded on summer weekends; come early or late in the day.
- Much of the Baia delle Favole is taken by beach clubs; free stretches of sand are smaller, so arrive early in summer.
- Come by train rather than car: parking near the old town is scarce in season.
- Try focaccia and farinata in the old town, and stay for the sunset over the Baia delle Favole.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Baia del Silenzio: Jiuguang Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
- Church of San Nicolò dell'Isola: Al*from*Lig, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic centre of Sestri Levante (Via XXV Aprile): Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
- Punta Manara walk: Photo2023, CC BY 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
