Albissola Marina: Art by the Sea and Ceramic Culture

Albissola Marina is a destination for you if you want to combine the beach with art history in a meaningful way. The town has wide sandy beaches; at the same time, the almost one-kilometre-long Artists' Promenade, with its mosaic paving, shapes the waterfront. The promenade was inaugurated on 10 August 1963 as a walkable work of art in a public space and was created by twenty national and international artists. Your exploration of Albissola Marina therefore begins not only in the museum, but already along the seafront.

Artworks in the Open Air

Three bronze sculptures by Fontana stand on the mosaic floor of the Artists' Promenade. They were donated to the municipality of Albissola Marina to be displayed there. The 32-metre-long Muro Raku is also part of the town's artistic landscape. For this mosaic, 77 artists created a total of 1,200 tiles. The Leoncillo Monument is the only public artwork by Leoncillo still in existence in Italy. Anyone interested in the development of modern and contemporary art will therefore encounter different forms, materials and scales in public spaces here.

Fontana's sculpture series Nature also reflects Albissola Marina's ceramic heritage: from 1959 onwards, it was made from clay at the CEAS factory in Albissola Marina. The Museo Diffuso Albisola brings together ceramic craftsmanship, the local area, and modern and contemporary art. Admission is free during opening hours. This is particularly useful for planning if you would like to combine a museum visit with a walk through the town and the opportunity to view artworks outdoors.

Ceramic Tradition in Historic Surroundings

The Alba Docilia Furnace is a preserved historic ceramics factory in the historic centre of Albissola Marina. Its original rooms preserve wood-fired kilns as well as settling basins for clay and glazes. The Furnace also houses a permanent exhibition of traditional ceramic nativity figures from the Albisola region, known as Macachi.

The Alba Docilia Furnace offers free and guided tours. They focus on old Ligurian traditions, folk legends, the dialect of Albissola, and the production and decoration of ceramics from Albissola. The Asger Jorn House Museum complements this focus with free and guided visits, educational workshops and creative experiences. It brings together architecture, nature, ceramics, painting and assemblage. From the exhibition centre, you can reach the museum via a signposted footpath in about 15 minutes.

Villas, Churches and Squares

Villa Faraggiana was built in the first half of the 18th century for the Genoese nobleman Gerolamo Durazzo as a summer residence. It also served to directly oversee the management of his extensive estates. Its garden combines an Italian-style design with terraces shaped by the terrain. The Church of Nostra Signora della Concordia preserves an approximately two-metre-high polychrome ceramic nativity scene from 1576, as well as a processional chest by Maragliano.

Pozzo Garitta is an old square with surviving kilns and artists' studios, including a studio belonging to Lucio Fontana. Together with the Artists' Promenade, the museums and the historic buildings, it offers you a varied sightseeing programme in which ceramic craftsmanship, sacred art, architecture and public art each make their own contribution. The Le Vele bathing facility is considered barrier-free for 2025; its facilities include a level surface and an accessible refreshment area, toilet, changing room and shower.

Discover More Places in Liguria

If you would like to combine Albissola Marina with other destinations in Liguria, you can also discover Ranzi, Finale Ligure, Capitolo-costa, Bardino Vecchio, Celle Ligure, Cosseria, Dego and Savona.

To the main travel overview: Savona.