Miglio di Chiavari

The Miglio di Chiavari is an open water swimming race held in the sea off the town of Chiavari, located in Liguria along the Italian Riviera. The event centers on a single distance measured to the maritime standard of the nautical mile, which corresponds exactly to 1,852 meters. Organised by Aquamanara 1968, the competition invites swimmers to test their pace along a designated open-water track marked just offshore. The race course is laid out along the Zona Preli waterfront, running parallel to the shoreline on the seaward side of the protective breakwaters. Swimmers set off from the public beach of Cantiere and push forward all the way to the Scogliera di Ponente.

Sighting along the course is guided by a chain of 21 yellow buoys comprising 5 large markers and 16 smaller floats positioned roughly 46 meters apart. These buoys indicate distance increments displayed in both linear meters and feet, allowing competitors to measure their stroke rhythm and track their progress from start to finish. Aquamanara 1968 also organizes the Periplo Manara nine kilometers away in Sestri Levante.

Rione Scogli: the San Pietro festival and Piazza Gagliardo

The Festa di San Pietro in the Rione Scogli of Chiavari, which includes the swimming race Il Miglio di Chiavari, gathered in Piazza Gagliardo (Piazza dei Pescatori) in 2026. The 39th Festa di San Pietro was organised by the Pro Scogli sports association, in collaboration with Aquamanara 1968. The festival's Muscolata is held in a marquee on Via dei Velieri, at the corner with Corso Valparaiso, with mussels, testaroli and fried potatoes handed out. In 2024 the festival programme included the blessing of the boats and the swimming race run by Aquamanara. Along the last stretch of the Chiavari promenade, a line of rocks separates and shelters the bathing area from the open sea, so the sandy beaches look like a natural pool. In March 2024 the Pro Scogli association held its first winter swim, a cimento, on the beach below Piazza Gagliardo, with about forty participants.

Gulf of Tigullio: from the Entella to the Apennine summits

Chiavari is situated directly on the Ligurian Sea within the Gulf of Tigullio, a prominent marine basin in the Metropolitan City of Genoa along the Riviera di Levante. The gulf forms a sheltered natural crescent bounded by Punta di Portofino to the northwest and the headland of Punta Manara to the southeast. Right beside the town, the Entella River flows into the sea between Chiavari and neighboring Lavagna, ending an eight-kilometer descent. Beyond Chiavari, the western expanse of the gulf curves past the roadstead of Santa Margherita and the Gulf of Rapallo. That shoreline also encloses the inlet of Paraggi as well as the inlet of Pagana, where the small bays of Prelo, Trelo, and Pomaro indent the coast.

Three major peaks punctuate the skyline: Mount Maggiorasca at 1,804 meters, Mount Penna at 1,735 meters, and Mount Aiona reaching 1,702 meters. This basin is also celebrated as the Gulf of Marconi, named in honor of Guglielmo Marconi and the radio experiments he carried out.

From Punta Manara to San Fruttuoso: headlands and hidden bays

To the southeast, the gulf terminates at Punta Manara, an expansive promontory covering roughly 190 hectares that has enjoyed environmental protection since 1977. The promontory peaks at Monte Castello at an altitude of 265 meters, while its northern slopes feed the runoff of the Rio Ravino stream. The town of Sestri Levante is shaped by a slender sandy isthmus that splits the sea into two distinct basins: the Bay of Fables and the Bay of Silence. About eleven kilometres from the race area, tucked into an isolated cove that cannot be reached by road, lies San Fruttuoso Abbey. The sea-facing wing of the monastic complex dates back to the 13th century, though the site suffered serious damage during a flood in 1915. In 1954, a bronze statue known as the Christ of the Abyss was sunk into the waters of San Fruttuoso Bay at a depth of 17 meters.

Coastal defenses: ancient Tigullii necropolis and Castello Brown

About eight kilometres across the water in Portofino, archaeological excavations at Castello Brown revealed the remains of a Roman watchtower from the 2nd or 3rd century. The castle was reinforced between 1554 and 1557 with a new platform facing the harbor to fend off Saracen pirate raids, successfully repelling assaults by Admiral Andrea Doria. A watchtower was built in 1562 to protect San Fruttuoso Abbey from Barbary pirates, while on Punta Manara, another stone tower built for defense against Saracens stands 140 meters above sea level beside ancient fortress ruins and World War II military buildings. In 1867, Castello Brown was decommissioned and disarmed, after which the British consul Montague Yeats Brown acquired the property and transformed the parade ground into a hanging garden.

The Chiavari seafront: Colonia Fara and the Preli promenade

In the late 1990s, decades of abandonment had left Colonia Fara, the landmark building of the Preli seafront, in such ruin that seagull nests were discovered on its roof. A comprehensive redevelopment project subsequently revitalized the architectural icon and revived the entire waterfront edge. As part of the Preli area transformation, an old cinema built in the 1930s was demolished to open the coastal frontage to the open air.