Savona is a seaport and comune of the province of Savona in the northern Italian region of Liguria in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona has a long and fairly brutal past, in part due to its proximity to Genoa which has ensured a continual rivalry between the two cities. It also suffered heavy bombing in World War II and today’s Savona is the result of significant rebuilding. However despite all of this, the city is now one of Italy’s largest ports and exports many products to both the UK and the US, including amongst other things, Italian cars. If you move away from the port you will find much of the medieval centre still remains. The main focus is on the impressive Priamàr fortress. This vast stronghold overlooks the sea and was built in the 16th century by the Genoese. Today you will find that it is also home to a number of museums, an art gallery and even a hostel.
Transportation in Savona
By Car: The A6 Motorway runs all the way from Turin to Savona.The A10 (Ventimiglia) goes from Genoa to Savona .
By Train: There are hourly services from Savona station to Milan, Turin, Venice, Rome and Genoa.
By Ferry: The ferry port acts as a gateway between Italy and the Island of Corsica with regular sailings between Savona ferry port, Bastia, Ile Rousse and Calvi.
Above the old town is the huge Priamàr fortress, built in 1528 by the Genoese as a sign of their superiority over the defeated Savonese. These days it houses four major museums. La Torretta is a tower built in the 14th century, it is strategically placed at the entrance of the harbour and is nowadays considered the real symbol of the town. Rintocchi e Memorie is a monument to those who died in War World I. It is the main feature of Piazza Mameli. A tradition, unique in Italy, is renewed every day at 6 pm hen the bell chimes 21 times and everybody is expected to stop and remember all those died in the war. The Chatedral of Our Lady of the Assumption was built under the direction of B. Sormano between 1589 and 1605 to replace the old church of St. Francis of 1259. The Piazza del Brandale is the heart of the old town. The palace from which the Aldermen ruled the town is located in the square. Inside there are sculptures, paintings and frescoes.
