The Gulf of Diano – where we are located – is a basin sheltered from the winds, between Capo Cervo and Capo Berta. Seven municipalities (San Bartolomeo al Mare, Diano Marina, Cervo, Diano Castello, Diano San Pietro, Diano Arentino, Villa Faraldi) and a territory that ranges from beaches to woods, up to the meadows around Pizzo d’Evigno, the highest peak in the area: almost 1000 meters!
Diano Marina, San Bartolomeo al Mare, and Cervo
The ideal destination for a holiday in all seasons
Each village has its own identity, amidst history, art, agriculture, and shops. We can visit them all by bus, car, or simply by bicycle. Hotel La Marina is in the center of the Gulf of Diano.
A five-minute walk from the Hotel, we find the Sanctuary of Madonna della Rovere, listed among the oldest religious buildings in Liguria, built on the ruins of a Roman settlement.
Walking along the seaside promenade in front of the Hotel, we reach the typical “carrugi” (alleys) of Cervo – home to the prestigious International Chamber Music Festival – scattered with artisan workshops.
The Valleys of the Gulf of Diano
Not only the sea, but also woods, nature, and ancient villages
Just behind Diano Marina lies Diano Castello, a 10th-century fortified village, under whose streets are hidden the Lone, ancient and enormous tanks for collecting rainwater for reserve and irrigation.
In the Gulf of Diano Marina and in San Bartolomeo al Mare, there are numerous venues open in the evening.
Still in the area, the “Bowling di Diano” complex offers bowling lanes, an arcade, a bar, a five-a-side football pitch, minigolf, and a go-kart track.
Getting there is very easy: from the hotel to the center of Diano takes a quarter of an hour on foot, five minutes by bike, or there is a bus every 20 minutes.
Continuing our journey into the surrounding valleys, culminating in Pizzo d’Evigno (989 m), we cross many unique villages rich in treasures to discover. Within a few kilometers, we find maritime pines, palms, olive trees, woods, and pastures!
Throughout the hinterland, we discover a mammoth feat of engineering: dry stone terraces cover almost all the hills. The caselle (proto-historic constructions typical of western Liguria, similar to Sardinian nuraghi and Apulian trulli) and the anti-Barbary towers (or Saracen towers) scattered throughout the valleys testify to a past born from the encounter between the sea and the land.
