Albenga, Medieval city center in Savona Province, Italy
Albenga is a commune in Savona Province with a fortified core where narrow lanes wind around a central square. Brick walls encircle the historic center, which extends inland from the coast and is bounded by a riverbed.
The settlement began in the 4th century BC as a trading post for Ligurian tribes by the sea. It became part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC and grew into a harbor city with a regular street plan.
The name comes from a time when Ligurian tribes farmed the land. Today visitors notice the many red brick arches and slender towers rising above low houses.
The center lies roughly half a mile (about one kilometer) from the train station and is reachable on foot in a few minutes. The entrance through the old city gate leads directly to the main lanes, where shops and small eateries line up.
The fifth century produced a baptistry with ten exterior sides and eight interior sides, which still houses an ancient font and early Christian mosaics from the sixth century. The unusual geometry makes it a rare example of early Christian building craft in northern Italy.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
