...Set in the heart of the Riviera delle Palme between Savona and Alassio, Finale Ligure is one of the capitals of Ligurian coastal tourism. An easy reach by car (enjoy the astounding beauty of the Aurelia), train or bus, it features an efficient tourist information office.
The sea is everywhere, a murmur among cliffs and bays, a song of joy along beaches of golden sand dotted by stabilimenti balneari. This is the Outdoor Riviera, the ideal destination of 360° active holidays – a must for families with children, and the right choice for sports&nature enthusiasts – not to forget sailing aficionados.
The long-established tourist vocation is evident in the rich system of accommodation facilities, composed by quality hotels (several hotels provide private beach services, accessible also by the disabled), restaurants and agriturismi.
Finale is made up by four separate centres: Finalmarina and Finalpia on the coast and Finalborgo (a delightful Ali Baba’s cave plenty in art and culture surrounded by proud city walls) in the first entroterra. Further east along the seashore the Comune also includes the amazing borgo of Varigotti, a Saracen jewel peopled by fishermen and bon vivants.
Museums and fortifications resound with the echo of the Prehistoric and Feudal eras. In the late Middle Ages the independent Marchesi del Carretto, lords of the area, were defeated by the powerful Republic of Genoa, which in the 15th century destroyed Finalborgo in order to punish the rebel household, too close to the political sphere of Piedmont and Lombardy.
Let curiosity be your guide during your stay in Finale: the carruggi of the historical centre of Finalmarina thrive in show rooms and old-fashioned botteghe, the sea glimpsing amidst colourful palazzi. The cloister of Santa Caterina in Finalborgo, a haven of shade and silence, livens up on a multitude of cultural exhibitions, events and concerts. Beaches are at the same time the paradise of relaxation and the temple of water activities (from windsurfing to whale watching). The entroterra, anticipated by a sequence of fortresses (do not miss the eccentric five bell towers church), climbs up towards the beech forests of the Colle del Melogno: enjoy a visit to Calice Ligure, for more than forty years a hideout of artists, and a hike in the Mànie Plateau, the excursionist’s preference.
Last but not least, the area abounds in products and delicatessen: a cornucopia offering the pleasure of fresh fish, olive oil, vegetables, wines (Lumassina and Barbarossa), mushrooms and chestnuts (both from the woods of Calizzano and Bardineto). Spring is the season of an important yearly food and wine expo celebrating the best of Liguria in the cloister of Santa Caterina in Finalborgo.