Villa romana del Varignano
Seaside Roman villa at Le Grazie (Portovenere), with residential and productive areas open to visitors and a museum with the finds in a 17th-century farmhouse.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Roman villa of Varignano stands in a sheltered inlet with fresh water, in the locality of Le Grazie in Portovenere. It was part of a system of landing places and landed estates (fundi) created by the Romans in the Gulf of La Spezia, linked to the nearby port of the colony of Luna (Portus Lunae). Its origin is part of the Roman conquest of the area, previously controlled by the Ligurians, which culminated in 177 BC with the foundation of the colony of Luna.
The complex follows the model of the Roman villa with a dual function: a residential part (pars urbana) and a rustic part (pars rustica), intended for storehouses, stables, processing rooms and the dwellings of servants, including an oil press. The structures visible today cover about 3,080 square metres, of which about 1,320 for the residential area and about 1,760 for the productive installations, to which is added a large courtyard of about 4,800 square metres.
The museum is devoted to the finds from the excavation campaigns begun in the late 1960s. It is housed in a 17th-century rural farmhouse built against the Roman walls of the productive area. The display dedicates one floor to each part of the villa: on the ground floor the pars rustica, with olive green as its guiding colour, and on the first floor the villa maritima, with blue evoking the sea.
Today the site is managed by the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Liguria.
Highlights
- Residential and productive areas with oil press, courtyards and cistern
- Museum in the 17th-century farmhouse with finds from the excavations
- Route with audio guides, LIS videos and augmented reality on your mobile phone
- Panoramic position among the olive trees, over the Gulf of La Spezia
- Free kit for children and educational spaces
- Operated by
- Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Liguria
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Young people aged 18 to 25 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Groups (11+ people) | –Groups of more than 10 people must book using a form sent by email. |
| Combined ticket with the Museo nazionale and Parco archeologico di Luni | €8Valid for 6 months from the date of purchase |
A single ticket covers the archaeological area and the exhibition space. Tickets can also be bought on museiitaliani.it.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The area is not physically accessible to people with walking limitations; cognitive accessibility is provided through the website and a touch station next to the ticket office. LIS videos are accessible from mobile phones.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Baby changing facilities
Free kit to help children with the visit, teaching spaces, a baby changing table in the women's toilet, and a baby pit stop with a nursing chair at the Casale Turra.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Le Grazie
ATC bus from La Spezia to Portovenere, stop Le Grazie, then on foot along the seafront following the signs to the villa.
By car
Parking available
Parking on the seafront, with a short walk following the signs.
By car from La Spezia: SP370 (via delle Cinque Terre), then SP530 towards Portovenere as far as the locality of Le Grazie.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
There are no refreshment points in the area; benches and a drinking fountain are at the entrance.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
The site states that civil unions and weddings can be celebrated there, and that it can host events and performances.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The visit takes between 30 and 90 minutes. Audio guides, LIS videos and augmented-reality experiences are freely accessible on your own mobile phone; a map is available for self-guided visits. Dogs are admitted on a leash. |
