San Bartolomeo al Mare: All destinations, advice & information for your holidays!

San Bartolomeo al Mare is a picturesque coastal town in the Italian region of Liguria. It offers beautiful beaches, charming streets, and a small harbor. The town is known for its pleasant climate, lively Mediterranean atmosphere, and as a bathing destination on the Italian Riviera popular with locals.

Table of contents

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Must-see attractions
San Bartolomeo al Mare - Secret spots
San Bartolomeo al Mare - In 3 days

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Must-see attractions

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Holiday homes & apartments

Beach of San Bartolomeo al Mare

The beach of San Bartolomeo al Mare is located in the charming town of San Bartolomeo al Mare on the Riviera di Ponente in Liguria. The narrow town stretches along the main road Via Aurelia and attracts tourists all year round. The gently sloping beach, made of fine gravel, is family-friendly, and you will also find showers, toilets, bars, and cafes there. The newly designed promenade between the small sports boat and yacht harbor and the Bassamara beach is ideal for strolling.

Port of San Bartolomeo al Mare

If you want to discover the Côte d'Azur with all its beauty, you can start a cruise from the port of San Bartolomeo al Mare or simply enjoy the idyllic views of the turquoise water from the shore. Around the harbor basin, you will find a whole range of maritime-themed bars and restaurants with typical Italian cuisine. Families are often drawn to the nearby beaches like the Spiaggia libera near the Morandi pier.

Santa Maria Tower

The Torre or Torrione di Santa Maria in San Bartolomeo al Mare was built in 1564 as a defensive tower. It was meant to protect the inhabitants of the coastal town from the plundering Saracens who had been raiding the Ligurian coast since 889. Today, the Torre is a circular base that once supported a second floor, providing a wide panoramic view to spot enemy peoples at sea. You can find the former defensive tower at the square of the same name, which is part of the worth-visiting promenade.

Turtle Pier

The beach promenade transitions into the Molo delle tartarughe, the Pier of the Turtles. It extends far into the sea and offers magnificent panoramas over the bay. When you turn from the beach promenade to the pier, you encounter the dolphin fountain. The Molo delle tartarughe is always lively. In the summer, concerts and other events take place here. At the very tip of the pier, there is a park with a sculpture of the navigator Christopher Columbus.

Olive Museum

Whoever visits the Olive Museum, Italian Museo dell’Olivo, in Imperia can look forward to an in-depth insight into the production of this delicacy. The olives for oil extraction come from the museum's garden, where massive millstones cold press them. The museum provides information about the cultivation of the plant, the history of the oil, and the necessary tools for its production. You will also see historical oil cans and lamps. At the end, you can look forward to a tasting of the oil.

Trip to Cervo

The historic core of Cervo is majestically situated on a mountain spur. Steep alleys lead up to the castle, which can be partially visited. In the castle palace, the city museum tells of the town's eventful past. Thematic special exhibitions are held here. The former church of Santa Caterina in the old town is now popular for musical performances due to its excellent acoustics. Also visit the International Chamber Music Festival in July and August. Jazz and blues greats also captivate here.

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Secret spots

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Holiday homes & apartments

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Oak

Beautiful stucco decorations characterize the exterior facade of the white church Santuario Nostra Signora della Rovera in the southern Italian seaside resort of San Bartolomeo-al-Mare. Located on the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente, the 16th-century chapel is known as the site of numerous miraculous healings. The splendid interior impresses with columns, sculptures, and a wooden oil painting.

Parish of Saint Bartholomew

The Parrocchia di San Bartolomeo Apostolo is a significant church located in Italy. It is known for its architectural beauty and its historical importance in the local community. The church serves not only as a place of worship but also as a cultural center that regularly organizes various community events and activities.

Excursion to the cave system Grotte di Toirano

In the mountainous landscape of the northern Italian region of Liguria lies the Grotte di Toirano, situated within a limestone massif. It took thousands of years for nature, not far from the Riviera Ponente, to create three dripstone caves with bizarre stalactites and stalagmites. Human footprints, wall paintings, and bear bones tell of a life more than 20,000 years ago.

The Caves of Borgio Verezzi

Stalactites, defying gravity in a variety of forms from delicate to imposing, characterize the caves of Borgio Verezzi. Minerals make the underground labyrinth of caves the most colorful in Italy. The 800-meter-long visitor route northwest of San Bartolomeo al Mare leads through a fairy-tale world with turquoise lakes and millennia-old columns.

San Bartolomeo al Mare - In 3 days

San Bartolomeo al Mare - Holiday homes & apartments

Day 1

You dedicate the morning to your holiday destination, which consists of the communities of San Bartolomeo, Pairola, and Chiappa. In the main town, you visit the Santuario Nostra Signora della Rovere, whose whitewashed walls rise on a square surrounded by old trees. The interior is adorned with wonderful wall and ceiling paintings. The promenade, lined with cafes and restaurants, invites you to stroll. In the small Chiappa, you wander through shady alleys to the parish church SS. Mauro e Giacomo Maggiore, whose bell tower dominates the place. Inside, frescoes, paintings, and Renaissance architectural elements unfold their splendor. Back in San Bartolomeo al Mare, you enjoy freshly caught fish in one of the harbor restaurants. From here, you already have a view of the fine-pebbled Spiaggia di San Bartolomeo, where you can end the day swimming in the calm bay. The water is clear and clean, and there are showers on the beach.

Day 2

Start the day with a trip to the car-free Cervo, just 1 kilometer away, one of the most beautiful places in Italy. The historic houses of the old town cling to a hill crowned by the baroque church of San Giovanni Battista. The climb is doubly rewarding: in addition to the remarkable paintings and the peaceful atmosphere of the church, you can enjoy a magnificent view from here. Afterwards, visit the Castello di Cervo, which once secured access to the cultivated mountain spur. Parts of the castle can be visited, and in the palace, you will discover the city museum. The Oratorio di Santa Caterina church has been repurposed and hosts changing art exhibitions and concerts. The walls of the medieval building are made of unplastered stones. Afterwards, walk along the cliff on the Passeggiata degli aforismi and enjoy the view of the sea and the houses of Cervo, which a sunset bathes in bright colors.

Day 3

By car or bicycle, head to Imperia, located about 8 kilometers west. The old town of the provincial capital on the ancient Via Aurelia rises in the Porto Maurizio district on the Parasio hill. At the old harbor, you can have an interactive experience at the Maritime Museum with an attached planetarium and learn a lot about seafaring. In the Oneglia district, located east of the Impero River, the child-friendly Museo dell’Olivo Carlo Carli is dedicated to the ancient cultivated plant, the olive. Not far from there, amidst a beautiful park with watercourses, fountains, and bridges, stands the Art Nouveau villa Grock with a clown museum. In the surrounding area of San Bartolomeo, visit one of the numerous agricultural enterprises called Oleificio, such as L'Antico Frantoio Di Stefano Saguato or Ardoino Giacinto, in the afternoon. With a bit of luck, you might get a tour of the oil mill's lands. Afterwards, you can purchase other delicious products like homemade pesto in addition to olive oil.