San Terenzo is a seaside village in the municipality of Lerici, in the province of La Spezia, on the Gulf of Poets in Liguria. It is an old fishing village with a sandy beach along its whole length, a castle on the water and Villa Magni, the last home of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Lerici is about two kilometres away along the sea; La Spezia about twenty minutes by car.
The village
San Terenzo began as a fishing village: colourful Ligurian houses, alleys and flights of steps running down to the sea. Life happens on the seafront, with the beach on one side and cafés and restaurants on the other; at the far end, on the headland, the castle.
In the Middle Ages the village lived on fishing and on trading wine and olive oil; from the thirteenth century it came under Genoa. Its old name was probably Portiolo. The parish church is Santa Maria Assunta.
The village square is Piazza Brusacà, just before the castle: on summer evenings, that is where most of the events run by the local Pro Loco take place.
On the headland
The castle stands on a low spur of rock at the end of the bay, a natural terrace over the gulf. It was built to defend the village from Saracen pirate raids; today it belongs to the Italian Ministry of Culture and hosts exhibitions and events in summer.
Its origins are uncertain. Records show the village had a castellan, one Rossi, in 1360; the building you see today probably dates from the fifteenth century, possibly built by the villagers themselves, with a pentagonal outer wall and three corner turrets. It was part of Genoa's defences around the Gulf of La Spezia.
Since December 2014 it has been run by the regional directorate of Liguria's national museums. Opening hours and tickets change every season: check the Musei nazionali Liguria website before you go. Behind the castle lies the Marinella, a small sandy cove.
The Gulf of Poets
Villa Magni is the villa on the seafront towards Lerici, at the foot of the Marigola headland. Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, lived here in 1822. It was the poet's last home: he drowned in a shipwreck that summer.
The villa is private: you see it from the seafront, and it opens only on special occasions, such as FAI heritage days. Its former garden is now Parco Shelley, a public park. From there starts the Percy Bysshe Shelley Literary Park, opened in July 2024: a trail climbing from the coast into the hills of Monte Rocchetta, with marble books carved with the poet's verses by the artist Marco Nereo Rotelli. Maps and details on the Literary Park website.
The sea
San Terenzo beach is fine sand, with water that stays shallow for a long way out: part of it is free, part is free with sunbeds and umbrellas for hire. From here a seafront walk runs past Villa Magni and the Venere Azzurra beach all the way to Lerici.
Every beach nearby, with the type of shore, how it is run and how to get there, is in our guide to the beaches of San Terenzo and Lerici. What to see once you get there is in the guide to Lerici.
In summer
The village's best-loved event is La Tana dei Turchi, a historical re-enactment held every year over a weekend in July. It tells the story of a raid by Turkish pirates and the villagers' defence, with a landing on the beach below the castle.
It has been organised by the Pro Loco San Terenzo since 2005; the 2026 edition, the twentieth, took place on 10 and 11 July. For the rest of the summer the Pro Loco fills the seafront, Piazza Brusacà and Parco Shelley with concerts and evenings, almost always free. San Terenzo also races its own crew in the Palio del Golfo, the rowing regatta of the Gulf of La Spezia.
The programme changes every year: up-to-date dates are on the municipality's tourism website, lericicoast.it.
Above the village
Bagnola is the hillside just behind San Terenzo, among olive trees and scattered houses. This is where Il Capolavoro's three houses are: 250 metres from the beach, about four minutes' walk downhill, and away from the bustle of the seafront.
| San Terenzo beach | 4 min on foot (250 m) |
|---|---|
| Marigola Golf | 4 min on foot (250 m) |
| San Terenzo village centre | 8 min on foot |
| Lerici | 20 min on foot |
| La Spezia | 20 min by car |
| Cinque Terre | 60 min by train |
The nine-hole Marigola Golf course is just across the road. If you are driving: each house has free parking inside the property, and in summer the village centres are restricted traffic zones — details in our guide to parking in Lerici and San Terenzo.
Where to stay
Il Capolavoro is three self-contained houses in Bagnola, 250 metres from San Terenzo beach, each with air conditioning and free parking inside the property. They differ in size and in what lies outside: a garden, a patio, a sea view.
Prices vary with the season: I Particolari and I Pesci start from €180 a night; for Ritratto di Donna it depends on the dates. For the rest of the coast, see our guide to the Gulf of Poets.
Questions
San Terenzo is a village in the municipality of Lerici, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, on the Gulf of Poets. It lies on the coast about 2 km from Lerici, which you can reach on foot along the sea; La Spezia is about 20 minutes away by car.
See the castle on the headland at the end of the bay, which hosts exhibitions in summer; spend time on the sandy beach that runs the length of the village; walk past Villa Magni, where Percy and Mary Shelley lived in 1822, and through Parco Shelley and the Literary Park trail; and take the seafront walk to Lerici.
Yes. A seafront walk links San Terenzo to Lerici, passing the Venere Azzurra beach. From Il Capolavoro, in Bagnola, the centre of Lerici is about 20 minutes on foot.
Villa Magni is privately owned: you see it from the outside, on the seafront towards Lerici. It opens only on special occasions, such as FAI heritage days. Its former garden, now Parco Shelley, is a public park.
Il Capolavoro has three self-contained houses in Bagnola, on the hill above San Terenzo, 250 metres from the beach: I Particolari and I Pesci for 4 guests, Ritratto di Donna for 8, with a sea view. Each has free parking inside the property.
Not for the village: the beach, shops and restaurants are all walkable, and so is Lerici. A car is useful for Tellaro, Fiascherino or the hinterland. In summer the centres of Lerici and San Terenzo are restricted traffic zones (ZTL), so it is easier to leave the car in the parking space at the house.
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Three houses in Bagnola, above San Terenzo, 250 metres from the beach. Tell us the house and dates: we'll reply with availability and a quote, no obligation.
