San Lorenzo Al Mare: Sea, History and Paths by the Water

San Lorenzo Al Mare can be discovered through several specific facets: the Baroque parish church of Santa Maria Maddalena, Prima Punta Beach, paths by the sea and a marine protected area. This gives you a clear choice between culture, nature and paths along the water.

History and Culture by the Water

The parish church of Santa Maria Maddalena is a Baroque church dating from 1766. Its churchyard borders the beach directly. San Lorenzo Al Mare developed from two historically rival villages on the banks of the Civezza stream. This combination of architectural history and the development of the town gives your stay a historical dimension without requiring you to give up proximity to the sea.

The Sala teatro Samuel Beckett theatre space was built in the early 2000s and designed as a Greek amphitheatre. A comfortable seafront promenade leads to the small harbour of San Lorenzo al Mare. Here, a clearly designed cultural venue meets a specific path by the water.

Marine Protection and Beach

Prima Punta is an equipped, freely accessible beach in San Lorenzo al Mare. Its marine character includes the site of community importance marine protected area "Fondali di Porto Maurizio, San Lorenzo al mare, Torre dei Marmi". It includes San Lorenzo al Mare and a marine area of 1,202 hectares at depths of 8 to 42 metres. Off San Lorenzo al Mare, a meadow of Posidonia oceanica extends for 6 kilometres and covers approximately 200 hectares at depths of 5 to 30 metres. In the clear water of the same SCI, the photophilous, meaning light-loving, zone can extend to depths of more than 30 metres.

Cycling and Hiking Routes

The cycling and pedestrian route follows the former railway line and connects Ospedaletti with San Lorenzo al Mare along an approximately 24-kilometre-long, almost entirely flat route by the sea. An approximately 900-metre-long section of the Ciclovia del Ponente runs from the former railway station of San Lorenzo al Mare to the start of the cycle path from Imperia. The route from San Lorenzo al Mare to Civezza starts at Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini and reaches the Oratorio di San Salvatore after about one hour of walking. The different route lengths help you distinguish between cycling, walking and hiking options according to your preferred pace.

Orientation and Events

For orientation on site, the Porta di Valle San Lorenzo is the tourist information and reception centre for the municipalities of the San Lorenzo Valley. It can be reached via the Via Aurelia and the cycle path. San Lorenzo al Mare was one of the eight participating villages in the Valle San Lorenzo Expo 2026. The Valle San Lorenzo Expo took place in 2026 in its third edition. The Vini d’amare event reached its 16th edition.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also consider Diano Evigno, Aurigo, Taggia, Moltedo, Ceriana, Borgo D'oneglia, Latte and San Bartolomeo Al Mare.

To the higher-level travel overview: Imperia.