Population: 10,200 (2010)
Official site: Santa Margherita Ligure
Wikipedia: Santa Margherita Ligure
Map: Santa Margherita Ligure

Santa Margherita Ligure, is a beautiful town on the Italian Riviera and one of the more famous and elegant seaside resorts in Italy.

Its name is often shortened to Santa Margherita, and even to "Santa", by the local residents. The resort is east of Portofino Promontory, in a picturesque cove in the centre and in the innermost part of Tigullio Bay, halfway between Portofino and Rapallo. 

The town is surrounded by hills covered in splendid Mediterranean vegetation, on which are villas and gardens with breathtaking views over the Costa dei Delfini, which joins Santa Margherita and Portofino. Over the last century the town extended on the hills that rise from the coast; going up, the olive trees are replaced by chestnut trees. Part of Santa Margherita Ligure, in the direction of Camogli, is included in the Portofino Natural Regional Park; the sea off the Promontorio di Portofino is part of the Area Marina Protetta di Portofino (Portofino Marine Natural Reserve).

It's possible to go for beautiful walks on the green Mount of Portofino. The discovery of nature has formed one of the bases of the area's elite tourism and fame as a jet-set destination.

S. Margherita, beacuse of its proximity to Portofino Promontory, is not only surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes but indeed immersed in luxuriant vegetation, with gardens, flower beds, palm and pine trees on the sea front. It has a lovely view of the arch of the bay, traditional cottages right on the sea, interesting Art Deco buildings all around its bay and seafront promenade.

Santa Margherita Ligure has Roman origins; later it became part of Genoa's naval republic. In the Middle Ages Santa Margherita was divided into two villages corrisponding to its two small bays: Pescino and Corte.

In the 17th century many Genoese families started building here their summer residences, some of which grand stately homes. In the centre of town is the magnificent Villa Durazzo Centurione, dating back to the 15th century, which belonged to the families Durazzo-Pallavicino and Prince Centurione and was then owned by the Chierichetto family who sold it to Santa Margherita Ligure's local authority (Comune di S. Margherita). The villa's grounds, the Parco Comunale di Villa Durazzo, extending above the town, are a gorgeous example of Italian garden, with statues, exotic plants, footpaths; they are now public and open to all visitors.

From the same period is the castle by the sea. Worth visiting are some remarkable churches. The Basilica of Santa Margherita di Antiochia is a baroque church containing works by Genoese masters, with a large facade, enclosed by two belltowers, of which the one on the right side was built in 1750 and the other in 1927. Also notable is the Chiesa dei Cappuccini, built in the early 1600s, containing a 1400s Crucifix and the Madonna in Trono, a group of sculptures from the 1100s. Just outside town is the 14th-century San Gerolamo della Cervara Abbey.

Santa Margherita Ligure has a tourist harbour, where many boats and luxury yachts are moored. It is intensely used for sailing, rowing, waterskiing, yachting, and for major sports events including international regattas. The harbour is also the centre around which a lively tourist and social life revolves, with parties, folk shows, and events associated with the competitions hosted.

From Santa Margherita depart motorboat services to well-known destinations, including San Fruttuoso and Cinque Terre.

The coast in and around Santa Margherita offers a great variety of beaches and seabeds. There are cliffs at the San Michele di Pagana headland. On the charming coastal road from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino you get to the splendid Baia di Paraggi, famous for its emerald green water and for being one of the few sandy beaches in the Riviera di Levante. Here at Paraggi Bay, diving rewards you with the sight of a wealth of diverse marine animals and the wreck of a merchant ship sunk in 1917.