Periplo Manara

The Periplo Manara is an open water sea swimming race held along the eastern shores of the Metropolitan City of Genoa, in Liguria. Organized by Aquamanara 1968, the event features a single 4,000-metre course that takes competitors out of the sheltered bay, through open marine water, and into the adjacent inlet of Riva Trigoso. In past editions, participants have faced calm water and gentle breezes with no wind around the cliffs, while in other years a light south-easterly current and the seasonal arrival of jellyfish have added an extra challenge along the course. The modern crossing preserves the maritime heritage of the area, where competitors have long navigated the waters beneath the cliffs with the support of coastal vessels.

That lineage reaches back to the earliest gatherings on this shoreline. In early editions, local rowing boats known as gozzi escorted swimmers toward the outer tip of the headland. In those years, swimmers gathered before the Madonna del Soccorso shrine to receive a traditional blessing from the parish priest of San Bartolomeo, preparing for the open sea passage before swimming toward the sheltering bay of Portobello.

The Gulf of Tigullio and the dual bays of Sestri Levante

The course takes place on the eastern boundary of the Gulf of Tigullio, along the scenic coastline of the Riviera di Levante. Geographically, the Gulf of Tigullio extends between two distinct promontories, framed by Punta di Portofino at its north-western limit and Punta Manara marking its south-eastern edge. The body of water is also known as the Gulf of Marconi, celebrating the pioneering radio experiments conducted across these waters by Guglielmo Marconi. Across the western reaches of the gulf, the coastline opens into a series of celebrated anchorages. These western shores hold the inlet of Paraggi, the wide roadstead of Santa Margherita, and the inlet of Pagana with its sheltered bays of Prelo, Trelo, and Pomaro, beside the larger Gulf of Rapallo.

At the far western tip stands the Portofino Lighthouse, constructed in 1917 on the extremity of the Portofino peninsula. Positioned at an elevation of 40 metres above sea level, its lantern projects a white flash every 5 seconds that can be seen across the sea for up to 16 nautical miles. Further along the gulf, between the neighbouring towns of Chiavari and Lavagna, the Entella river flows into the sea after completing an 8-kilometre journey from the inland valleys. Looking inland from the water, the horizon rises steeply toward the high summits. Mount Maggiorasca at 1,804 metres, Mount Penna at 1,735 metres, and Mount Aiona at 1,702 metres dominate the mountainous backdrop above the coast.

About twelve kilometres from the race area, Sem Benelli Castle perches on a dramatic rocky spur commanding views across the water. Further down the shore, roughly nine kilometres from the race area, stands the Colonia Fara. The town of Sestri Levante itself developed across a distinctive natural landform. The original settlement sat on an isolated rocky island before alluvial deposits carried downstream by the Petronio and Gromolo torrents gradually bridged the gap to the mainland.

Baia del Silenzio: medieval citadels and seaside traditions

The starting point of the race lies inside the Baia del Silenzio. At the outer tip of the Sestri Levante peninsula, which encloses the bay, stands the Convento dell'Annunziata, an imposing complex flanked by the sea on three sides. In 1867 the former monastic house was transformed into a seaside marine colony, maintaining that civic caretaking role until 1982. In 1133 the influential Fieschi family staged an assault on the Gulf of Tigullio around Sestri Levante. A few years later, in 1145, the Genoese took control of the local abbey of San Colombano and converted its stone structures into a defensive castle. When a hostile naval fleet from Pisa attacked Sestri Levante in 1170, the fortified town successfully defended its harbour. Each year the Bay of Silence hosts the Barcarolata, a traditional procession of decorated boats across the sheltered cove. Entering the sea here for the Periplo Manara, swimmers glide past these same shores before breaking out around the headland.

Punta Manara: coastal reserve, Saracen watchtowers, and Monte Castello

Punta Manara covers around 190 hectares of coastal terrain and has enjoyed regional environmental protection since 1977. The high point of the headland is Monte Castello, rising to a summit of 265 metres above sea level, while its northern slopes drain toward the Rio Ravino stream. Perched 140 metres above sea level sits an old stone watchtower erected to spot approaching Saracen raids across the open sea. Close by, the paths through the reserve wind past the ruins of an ancient fortress as well as concrete military installations left behind from World War II.

Riva Trigoso: historic shipyards and the marine sanctuary of Punta Baffe

The swim concludes across the water in Riva Trigoso, an anchorage steeped in Italian industrial and maritime history. The town is home to the Cantiere Navale di Riva Trigoso, a celebrated shipyard with a long naval legacy. On 22 September 1907, the yard witnessed the launch of the grand passenger liner SS Principessa Jolanda, which suffered an immediate catastrophe, capsizing right in the water with her funnels remaining just a few metres above the surface. Learning from that loss, shipbuilders launched her sister vessel, the SS Principessa Mafalda, in 1908 without most of her superstructure to avoid repeating the accident. Just about five kilometres from the race course, the marine environment extends into a coastal Site of Community Importance established around Punta Baffe and Punta Moneglia.

Spanning the shoreline between Riva Trigoso and Moneglia, this protected area features deep valleys, small beaches, and rugged headlands rising from sea level up to 520 metres at the summit of Monte Moneglia. The terrain is covered in native Mediterranean scrub, garrigue, and pine woods, complemented by riparian vegetation along the banks of the Petronio stream.