Things to do in Finale Ligure

Finale Ligure brings together three centres: Finale Marina, on the sea, with the promenade and the old town; Finalpia, to the east, gathered around the Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria; and Finalborgo, just inland, enclosed by medieval walls.

Once the capital of the Marquisate of Finale, ruled by the Del Carretto family, Finalborgo is enclosed by fifteenth-century walls and gates and is one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia. Inside the walls are the basilica of San Biagio and the Santa Caterina complex, home to the Museo Archeologico del Finale, which tells the prehistory of the area's caves. Finale stone gives the houses their pinkish tones.

Above Finalborgo, on the Rocca di Perti, stand the ruins of Castel Gavone, the Del Carretto fortress. Of its fifteenth-century part, the Torre dei Diamanti remains, faced with diamond-point stonework.

In Val Ponci you walk along a stretch of the Via Julia Augusta, the road Augustus commissioned in 13 BC to link Vada Sabatia, today's Vado Ligure, with Albingaunum, today's Albenga. Five Roman bridges survive along the valley. It is a favourite with hikers and mountain bikers.

The limestone cliffs of the Finalese are known across Europe: the first routes were opened about fifty years ago. Climbers come mainly in autumn, winter and spring, when the Riviera's mild climate allows climbing while it is too cold elsewhere.

The trails run through woods, dry-stone walls, olive groves and small villages. It is not a bike park but a network of natural trails that has made Finale an international destination for mountain biking and enduro. Maps and routes are on the Finale Outdoor Region website.

The Sentiero del Pellegrino crosses the Varigotti headland, with the sea below. Spring and autumn temperatures are ideal for walking; in summer, set off early.

Summer is beach season: read our beach guide. Spring, autumn and even winter, thanks to the mild climate, are outdoor seasons, and the right time for a stay of a month or more.