The province of Savona (; Ligurian: ''provinsa de Sann-a'') is a

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

in the

Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...

region of

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Its capital is the city of

Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...

, which has a population of 61,219 inhabitants. The province has a total population of 279,754.

History

Savona was first settled by the Ligurian tribe of the Sabazi, who supported the

Carthaginians The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people, Semitic people who Phoenician settlement of North Africa, migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Iron ...

in the

Punic Wars The Punic Wars were a series of wars fought between the Roman Republic and the Ancient Carthage, Carthaginian Empire during the period 264 to 146BC. Three such wars took place, involving a total of forty-three years of warfare on both land and ...

. This support of the Carthaginian Empire led to Savona being conquered by the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

. During the Middle Ages, Savona allied with

Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (, , , ; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusalem from 1225. He was the son of Emperor Henry VI, Holy Roman ...

and fought against

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

. In 1440 it also fought against Genoa during its war against the Visconti of Milan; in response, Genoa sacked the city and destroyed the

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

and shipping. It allied itself with the French in the 16th century, but this campaign also failed and resulted in Genoa invading the area again, this time destroying three loaded ships and the port. It was occupied by Napoleon's French forces at the start of the 19th century, but the area was later conquered from Napoleon by the Kingdom of Sardinia. Following this, ironworks were founded in Savona and the port revived.

Geography

Monte Galero da ovest a sin colle san bernardo

The province of Savona is one of four provinces in the region of

, which forms a coastal strip in the northwest of Italy. Savona has a long coastline on the

Gulf of Genoa The Gulf of Genoa (''Golfo di Genova'') is the northernmost part of the Ligurian Sea. This Italian gulf is about wide from the city of Imperia in the west to La Spezia in the east. The largest city on its coast is Genoa, which has an importan ...

; the

province of Imperia The province of Imperia (; ; ) is a mountainous and hilly Provinces of Italy, province in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between France to the north and the west, and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Its capi ...

lies to the west and the

Metropolitan City of Genoa The Metropolitan City of Genoa () is a metropolitan city in the region of Liguria in northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Genoa. It replaced the province of Genoa in 2015. It has 67 municipalities (''comuni) in'' an area of and a total p ...

lies to the east. The region of

Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...

lies inland, with the

province of Cuneo The province of Cuneo (; ) is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west, it borders the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes), to the north the ...

to the northwest and the provinces of

Asti Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...

and

Alessandria Alessandria (; ) is a city and commune in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. It is also the largest municipality of the region. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, ...

to the north. The provincial capital is the city of

. Inland is the mountain chain formed by the

Ligurian Alps The Ligurian Alps are a mountain range in northwestern Italy. A small part is located in France. They form the south-western extremity of the Alps, separated from the Apennine Mountains, Apennines by the Colle di Cadibona. The Col de Tende and the ...

and the

Apennine Mountains The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...

Municipalities

The most-populous municipalities within the province are: The full list is: *

Alassio Alassio (Ligurian: Arasce or Arasci) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Savona situated in the western coast of Liguria, Northern Italy, approximately from the French border. Alassio is known for its natural and scenic views ...

Albenga Albenga (; ) is a city and ''comune'' situated on the Gulf of Genoa on the Italian Riviera in the Province of Savona in Liguria, northern Italy. Albenga has the nickname of ''city of a hundred spires''. The economy is mostly based on tourism, loc ...

Albisola Superiore Albisola Superiore ( Genoese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about northeast of Savona. Main sights *Medieval castle *Sanctuary of ''Madonna della P ...

Albissola Marina Albissola Marina () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italy, Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northeast of Savona. The 16th-century Spaniard Gonzalo Argote de Molina identified Albissol ...

Altare Altare (, , L’Atæ in local dialect) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 1 January 2009, it had a population of 2,160 Augus ...

Andora Andora () or Marina di Andora is a town on the Italian Riviera in the region of Liguria, included in the province of Savona. Geography and climate Andora is situated in the western part of the Italian Riviera between Capo Mele in the east and ...

Arnasco Arnasco ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Arnasco borders the following municipalities: Albenga, Castelbianco, Cis ...

Balestrino Balestrino ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. As of 31 December 2011, it had a population of 607 and an area of . History ...

* Bardineto * Bergeggi *

Boissano Boissano ( or , locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italy, Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Boissano borders the following municipalities: Bardineto, B ...

Borghetto Santo Spirito Borghetto Santo Spirito is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Borghetto Santo Spirito borders the following municipalities: Boiss ...

* Borgio Verezzi * Bormida *

Cairo Montenotte Cairo Montenotte () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in Liguria, an Italian region located west of Genoa and northwest of Savona. Located in Val Bormida, it is a member of the Comunità Montana Alta Val Bormida. It is co ...

Calice Ligure Calice Ligure ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Calice Ligure borders the following municipalities: Bormida, Finale Lig ...

Calizzano Calizzano ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Savona. Calizzano borders the following municipalities: Bagnasco, Bardineto, Bormida, ...

Carcare Carcare (; ; , locally ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Carcare borders the following municipalities: Altare, Cairo Montenotte, Cosseria, ...

Casanova Lerrone Casanova Lerrone () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Casanova Lerrone borders the following municipalities: Borghetto d'Arro ...

Castelbianco Castelbianco () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Castelbianco borders the following municipalities: Arnasco, Erli, Nasino, ...

Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beauti ...

Celle Ligure Celle Ligure () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northeast of Savona. It borders the comuni of: Albisola Superiore, Stella, and Varazze. It is one of ...

Cengio Cengio ( or ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,744 and an area of .All demographi ...

Ceriale Ceriale (, locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Ceriale borders the following municipalities: Albenga, Balestrino, ...

Cisano sul Neva Cisano sul Neva ( Ligurian: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Located in the Val Neva, the territory of Cisano sul Neva bor ...

Cosseria Cosseria (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Cosseria borders the following municipalities: Cairo Montenotte, Carcare, Cengio, M ...

* Dego *

Erli Erli is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Erli borders the following municipalities: Castelbianco, Castelvecchio di Rocca Barben ...

Finale Ligure Finale Ligure (, locally ; ) is a ''comune'' on the Gulf of Genoa, in the province of Savona, in Liguria, Italy. It is considered part of the Italian Riviera. Part of its historical center ("Finalborgo") is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("Th ...

Garlenda Garlenda is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the north ...

Giustenice Giustenice ( or ''Giüstexine'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italy, Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Giustenice borders the following municipalities: Bar ...

Giusvalla Giusvalla (, ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 439 and an area of .All demographics ...

Laigueglia Laigueglia (; , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, in Liguria, nearby the Capo Mele Lighthouse. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). International relations Twin towns – Sister ...

Loano Loano () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Loano borders the following municipalities: Bardineto, Boissano, Borghetto Sant ...

* Magliolo *

Mallare Mallare (, locally ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Savona. Mallare borders the following municipalities: Altare, Bormida, Calice Lig ...

* Massimino *

Millesimo Millesimo ( or , locally or , ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Millesimo borders the following municipalities: Cengio, Cosse ...

* Mioglia *

Murialdo Murialdo (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about west of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 882 and an area of .All demographics and o ...

Nasino Nasino () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Nasino borders the following municipalities: Alto, Aquila di Arroscia, Castelbian ...

Noli Noli (; ) is a coast ''comune'' of Liguria, Italy, in the Province of Savona, it is about southwest of Genoa by rail, about above sea-level. The origin of the name may come from ''Neapolis'', meaning "new city" in Greek. It is one of I Borgh ...

Onzo Onzo () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italy, Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Onzo borders the following municipalities: Aquila di Arroscia, Casanova Lerro ...

Orco Feglino Orco Feglino () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona in the upper valley of the Aquila stream. It consists of the two villages of O ...

Ortovero Ortovero () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Ortovero borders the following municipalities: Albenga, Arnasco, Casanova Lerron ...

Osiglia Osiglia ( Ligurian and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about west of Savona. Osiglia borders the following municipalities: Bormida, Calizzano, Millesimo ...

Pallare Pallare (; ) is a ''comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have t ...

Piana Crixia Piana Crixia (; ; ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 826 and an area of .All demographics and o ...

Pietra Ligure Pietra Ligure () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. It is mainly a touristic city. Pietra Ligure borders the following municipa ...

Plodio Plodio (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern ...

Pontinvrea Pontinvrea () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. The municipality of Pontinvrea contains the ''frazioni'' (subdivisions, mainly v ...

Quiliano Quiliano () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,225 and an area of .All demographics ...

Rialto The Rialto is a central area of Venice, Italy, in the ''sestiere'' of San Polo. It is, and has been for many centuries, the financial and commercial heart of the city. Rialto is known for its prominent markets as well as for the monumental Ria ...

Roccavignale Roccavignale (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Roccavignale borders the following municipalities: Castelnuovo di Ceva, Cengio, ...

Sassello Sassello (; locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about north of Savona in the northern side of the Ligurian Apennines. It is the birthplace of Blessed ...

Spotorno Spotorno () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Today the town is an important holiday center of Riviera delle Palme, but in th ...

Stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Films * ''Stella'' (1921 film), directed by Edwin J. Collins * ''Stella'' (1943 film), with Zully Moreno * ''Stella'' (1950 film), with Ann Sheridan and Victor Mature * ''Stella'' (1955 ...

Stellanello Stellanello () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the n ...

* Testico *

Toirano Toirano () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Geography Toirano borders the following municipalities: Balestrino, Bardineto, ...

* Tovo San Giacomo *

Urbe Urbe ( Genoese: , locally or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about northwest of Genoa and about northeast of Savona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 847 and an are ...

Vado Ligure Vado Ligure (), in antiquity Vada Sabatia, is a port town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy. The town despite its size has become one of the largest ports in Northwest Italy. Economy Vado has a large indus ...

Varazze Varazze (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northeast of Savona in the Riviera di Ponente. Nearby in the Ligurian Apennines is the Monte Beigu ...

Vendone Vendone is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Vendone borders the following municipalities: Arnasco, Castelbianco, Onzo Onzo () ...

Vezzi Portio Vezzi Portio () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Vezzi Portio borders the following municipalities: Finale Ligure, Noli, Orco ...

* Villanova d'Albenga *

Zuccarello Zuccarello (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Zuccarello borders the following municipalities: Arnasco, Balestrino, Cast ...

Government

List of presidents of the province of Savona

Transport

Motorways

* Autostrada A6:

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

* Autostrada A10:

Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...

Railway lines

Genoa–Ventimiglia railway The Genova-Ventimiglia railway runs along the coast of the Liguria region of Italy. It was opened as a single track line between Genova and Savona in 1868, and between Savona and Ventimiglia in 1872, mostly running along a coastal corniche. ...

Marseille–Ventimiglia railway The Marseille–Ventimiglia railway ( French: ''Ligne de Marseille-Saint-Charles à Vintimille''; Italian: ''Ferrovia Marsiglia-Ventimiglia'') is a French- Monégasque-Italian railway line. It opened in several stages between 1858 and 1872. The ...

Turin–Fossano–Savona railway The Turin–Fossano–Savona railway is a major Italian railway that links the cities of Turin and Savona. The railway is double track up to Ceva, standard gauge and fully electrified at 3 kV DC. It connects the cities of Trofarello, Carmagnola, ...

Tenda line The Tenda line or Cuneo-Ventimiglia line, also called in , is a cross-border railway line in the Alpine regions of France and Italy, connecting the Maritime and Ligurian Alps. The line is long, including an tunnel under the Col de Tende mounta ...

Ports

* Port of Savona

Airports

Riviera Airport Albenga - Riviera Airport , former known as Villanova d'Albenga Airport, is in northwest Italy, in the region of Liguria. It is on the Italian Riviera between Savona and Imperia, approximately west of the town of Albenga, in the community of Vi ...

References

External links

Official website

{{Authority control