Villa Durazzo
Seventeenth-century villa in Santa Margherita Ligure with a frescoed noble floor, a Genoese picture gallery, a room dedicated to Vittorio G. Rossi and a three-hectare park overlooking the gulf.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The villa was built in 1678 as the summer residence of the Durazzo family, on the site of a 16th-century fortification built over Roman remains. After the Chiavari and the Durazzo families, in 1821 the property passed to the Princes Centurione; in 1919 Alfredo Chierichetti bought it and enriched the garden with palms, camellias and magnolias. Since 1973 it has belonged to the Comune di Santa Margherita Ligure.
The visit route runs through the piano nobile (main floor), with a collection of Genoese paintings from the 16th to the 18th century, including works by Domenico Piola, Giovanni Battista Paggi and Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari, as well as frescoes, trompe-l’œil, Murano chandeliers and floors in majolica and Genoese-style terrazzo. Among the main rooms are the monumental entrance hall, the Vaymer room, the Music room with an 1871 Erard piano, the loggia with the fresco of the seasons, and the Salone degli Stucchi, with a nine-metre stucco vault. The Camera Umbertina commemorates Queen Margherita’s stay in 1904.
One room is dedicated to the writer and journalist Vittorio G. Rossi, born in Santa Margherita in 1898, with books, literary prizes, travel souvenirs and photographs. The park of about three hectares overlooks the gulf and includes a historic citrus grove and a 19th-century Italian garden.
Highlights
- Salone degli Stucchi with a nine-metre vault
- Genoese picture gallery from the 16th to the 18th century
- Room dedicated to Vittorio G. Rossi
- 1871 Erard piano in the Music room
- Three-hectare park with a historic citrus grove
- Camera Umbertina of Queen Margherita
- Operated by
- Comune di Santa Margherita Ligure
- Visitors per year
- approx. 4,750
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4FAI and Touring Club members |
| Children & teens | €3Children aged 8 to 14. |
Prices for visiting the villa; dedicated tickets are offered for summer evenings and themed visits (€6, children €3; evening ghost tours €12, children €6, booking required).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Santa Margherita Ligure railway station is less than 1 km away; the harbour is about 500 m away.
By car
Paid parking · 100 m to the entrance
Paid municipal car park “Autopark Riviera”, with about 200 spaces, about 100 m from the entrance on Via San Francesco d’Assisi.
By car: take the Rapallo exit of the A12 motorway and drive about 5 km to Santa Margherita Ligure. Entrances: Via Giuncheto 25 (centre), Via San Francesco d’Assisi 3 and Piazzale San Giacomo 3. Genoa airport is about 30 km away.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The park’s café (Coffee House) is temporarily closed.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
The villa and park host weddings, receptions and corporate events; enquiries via the villa’s office.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours of the villa and park are available, including themed ones; information on +39 0185 472 637. |
