Savona is as unassuming as they come. As one of Liguria’s regional industrial hubs, a tangle of port-based industry and big boats is what welcomes you from the highway. But go beyond, to the historic center, and you’ll find that it’s a city of surprises. 

Nicknamed the “City of Popes”, because both Pope Sixtus IV and Pope Julius II hailed from the local Della Rovere family, Savona greatly profited from the holy men’s patronage of the arts and the country’s best craftsmen and architects were employed in its urban development. Find this legacy at the likes of the Cattedrale di Nostra Signora Assunta and the Oratorio di Nostra Signora di Castello; the latter houses the Della Rovere Polyptych, Vincenzo Foppa and Ludovico Brea’s 1490 masterpiece. 

But it wasn’t the rich religious and art history, nor the Renaissance architecture, that made up the aforementioned surprises; those came courtesy of my cousin Donato, who works as a tourist product officer at the Ligurian Riviera in Savona, and his group of fabulously fun friends. The following is their Savona, the locals’ Savona. 

“Being from Savona means feeling like I belong to a city with history, with depth, and meaning. It means feeling like an integral part of the sea,” Donato’s friend Mario Badano–who was born in Savona and has lived there his whole life–tells me. 

From a 24-hour pizza window to one of the best underground music venues in Italy and a second Sistine Chapel, here are all the best kept secrets of Savona, as told (and shown) to me by locals.

Where to Drink in Savona

“Savona is a daytime town,” Alessia, one of Donato’s friends, told me as we were walking towards Birró; she’d noticed me looking around at the quiet, empty streets of Savona in disbelief that there was a place to drink so late. The nighttime scene here isn’t as apparent as it might be elsewhere, but you just have to know where to look.

Birró

Situated on the port, with a backdrop of docked boats and a calm coastline, this tiny dive bar is amongst a string of other little bars and restaurants–all packed full of local party people. The bar stays open until around 2 or 3 AM on Friday and Saturday nights, or until the crowd dies down. 

Birró is more of a hole in the wall than a bar. There’s room for about 20 people at a squeeze–there are seats at the bar and a few tables out back–but out the front is where the real party happens. Drinks in hand, people strew out front, leaning against the facade of the bar, sitting on the low stone wall above the port. 

“It’s always full of good people,” Donato says. He and his friends knew the owner Ermino (but everyone calls him Ermi) and more or less everyone else who frequents the spot; it’s one of those well-loved neighborhood bars where everyone knows each other. And, at roughly €4 per drink, it’s one of the cheapest and most cheerful places in Savona. 

The Balance

If you’re into something a bit more upscale, The Balance cocktail bar is where the young locals like to drink nice cocktails. Along the same strip as Birró, the bar looks out onto the waterfront of the dock; there’s less of a social vibe, but great if you’re with a group. Donato’s favorite cocktail is the Savonado; similar to a daiquiri–light, zesty, and shaken–this classic cocktail mixes vodka, lemon, Chinotto, and maraschino liqueur. 

Where to Eat in Savona

La Bottega Del Pane

Craving a juicy piece of pizza, focaccia, or maybe even a brioche after a night out? (Or on an early, early morning walk?) This pastry window is open 24 hours, seven days a week. The bakery behind it delivers bread, pastries, and pizzas to the bakeries and restaurants of Savona, as well as to people’s houses, while the window services the party people and late night snackers of the town with pizza, focaccia, cornetti, brioche, crostate, and other pastries.

Mercato Civico

Mercato Civico is your classic producer’s market, with stall owners shouting to each other in Italian, gesticulating wildly over their produce, and the smell of both raw and cooked seafood wafting through the air. Come here to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, wine, seafood, cheese, and flowers, or to sample fritto misto, seafood salad, or top-tier panini.  

Osteria Bacco

This spot is a local favorite for its seafood and decor. Brim-full with model boats, airplanes, hot air balloons, rocket ships, local historic figures, witches hats, baskets, t-shirts, and jerseys, the place is completely chaotic–but it works. Old radios line the counter, and hundreds and hundreds of dockets are plastered on the pinboard. The floor is tiled in black and white checks, the chairs are red, and the door so small you’d probably miss it. Osteria Bacco basically looks–and feels–like it hasn’t changed since it opened roughly 50 years ago. And the seafood classics don’t disappoint. Spaghetti with vongole veraci, antipasto misto mare, and gnocchi agli scampi are all great choices for lunch or dinner. 

Osteria delle Mancine

If you’re after some typical Ligurian food, Donato recommends Osteria le Mancine. They’re well-known for doing right by the classics, such as minestrone alla genovese con pasta rotta e pesto, hard to find in other city restaurants. Fritto di pesce del giorno e panizza (fried white fish with chickpea chips) and the simple gnocchi al pesto e patate are other must orders. 

Besio

In 1860, Vincenzo Besio started his own candied fruit and chinotto business and production, using techniques he learnt from French immigrants who arrived in Savona in the late 1800s. His company, Besio, still exists today, and produces candied and glacé fruits, as well as chinotto jams and liqueurs. The original store, bakery, and factory are all in Savona, and you can go and taste the various fruits and see where they’re made. (The candied figs and yellow melons are particularly remarkable.) They often have jams and nougat for tasting too, as well as fruit tarts and panettone. Buy a bottle of Sciroppo di Chinotto 650 and make a spritz, with fresh lemon and prosecco–a local fave.

Caffè Due Merli

In the heart of Savona on the corner of Via alla Maddalena–with a great big Mary Magdalene statue staring down at you–this cafe seems nondescript. But it’s the best people-watching opportunity in the whole of Savona; everyone passes through here, from nuns and the elderly to game-playing kids and well-suited business people. The caffe con la crema, a black coffee with cream, is proof that simple is better. 

What to Do in Savona

Raindogs House

If you’re into live music, this one’s for you. Raindogs House is a hidden live music venue in Savona, and it’s one of the best underground music venues in Italy. With a minimum of three live music acts a week–during week nights and weekends–Raindogs is famous in the north of Italy for bringing good quality underground and emerging artists to the main stage. You can expect jazz, Japanese rock, old soul, and the occasional funk / dance night. 

The only catch is that you need to be a member of the ARCI Association–which gets you entry into a bunch of venues, cultural events, and festivals. You can become a member online for around €6 (for the year). The Raindogs House line-up is constantly changing, so you’re best to keep up with their Facebook page here.

Palazzo Gavotti

This palace-museum marries the Civic Art Gallery, the Ceramics Museum, and the Milena Milani Museum of Contemporary Art all in one place. Spanning two stories, the museum tells the comprehensive history of art in Savona and the region of Liguria as a whole, from the 14th to the 20th century. This one is a must for the art-history nerds. 

Savona’s Sistine Chapel

Did you know that there are two Sistine Chapels in Italy? (I didn’t either.) “It’s a bit of a secret,” my cousin told me.

Most don’t know that Savona houses the second Sistine Chapel, while the other–more famous–one, as you probably know, can be found in Rome. Dating back to the 1480s (like the one in Rome), Savona’s Sistine Chapel was created by Pope Sixtus IV, as a funerary chapel for his deceased parents. It’s not as grand as its Roman counterpart, but with golden awnings, black and white mosaic tiles, and hand-painted walls, it’s still pretty majestic–which you’d never expect from the humble exterior. 

Savona’s Sistine Chapel only costs €3 for entry and is open on Saturday and Sundays 10 AM – 12 PM and 4 PM – 6 PM.

All About Apple Museum

This is a quirky one. Dedicated to the eponymous software company and its history, this niche museum is one of those you only know about if you’re a local or an avid (avid!) follower of Apple. Founded in 2002, the All About Apple Museum is, per its website, the “most comprehensive museum of Apple in the world” and contains all of Apple’s computers, peripherals, accessories, and prototypes from 1976 to today. 

You can do a guided tour or just go and visit–only on Saturdays and Sundays. 

Monday Markets

Monday is market day in Savona, when the streets of the city center are lined with stalls selling leather goods, handmade jewelry, secondhand books, etc. from around 8 AM until 4 PM. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, there’s a great atmosphere of all the locals out shopping, so go ahead and have a browse.