The two bays of the isthmus
Halfway along the Riviera di Levante, Sestri Levante is a charming seaside town built on a narrow isthmus that connects the mainland to a rocky, wooded promontory, the "Isola", the island, which was once separated from the coast. The isthmus creates two bays, one on each side, with very different characters, which make the town unique. To the north, the Baia delle Favole, the Bay of Fairy Tales, is a long beach of sand with bathing establishments and a lively seafront, named in honour of the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, who stayed in Sestri in 1833 and was enchanted by it; the town dedicates to him the Andersen Prize, a literary award for fairy tales.
To the south, the Baia del Silenzio, the Bay of Silence, is one of the most beautiful and romantic corners of Liguria: a small, sheltered cove of sand with calm, clear water, closed by the promontory and lined directly by a curved row of colourful old houses, whose doors open almost onto the beach, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand. At sunset, the light on the façades and the sea is magical. On the promontory, a wooded park with paths leads to the ruins of the medieval chapel of San Nicolò, Romanesque, and to the Grand Hotel dei Castelli, built in the twentieth century in neo-medieval style. The historic centre has arcaded streets, the baroque church of Santa Maria di Nazareth and shops, and the town is a starting point for the hiking path to Punta Manara and for Riva Trigoso.
Tip: in summer the Baia del Silenzio is crowded, so go early in the morning; walk the path to Punta Manara for a view of the two bays.
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