What it is and why it is worth the trip
Chiavari is not a town you pass through. It has a precise character: its medieval arcaded streets stretching for kilometres, the compact and lived-in historic centre, the covered market that smells of real Liguria. And since a distributed cultural festival began filling its squares, Chiavari has found the best way to tell its story — not as a postcard tourist destination, but as a place where culture genuinely happens.
The Giornate di Chiavari grew from the tradition of the Festival della Parola, which Helena Molinari had built with patience and vision over ten years — from 2013 to 2023 — bringing writers, philosophers and Italian cultural figures face to face with the Chiavari and Tigullio public. In 2025 the format was renewed, with the artistic direction of Massimiliano Finazzer Flory — actor, director and intellectual with a long history of distributed festivals combining art and thought.
The 2026 theme is "How good it is to be in Chiavari": four days, from 30 May to 2 June, with events extending into the following weeks in summer and autumn. The distributed format is the key strength: there is no single venue, but the whole city. Squares, loggias, historic palaces, internal courtyards. Culture steps out of institutional containers and mingles with the everyday life of the historic centre.
The programme mixes literary talks and debates with concerts, film screenings, poetic trekking in the surrounding hills and evening performances. This is not a festival for insiders only: it is designed for the curious, for those who love to listen and walk, for those who want a weekend with more layers of meaning than just the beach.
What to expect in practice
A long weekend at the end of May: the perfect moment for the Riviera del Levante. The weather is mild, the sea is already swimmable, and the August crowds have not yet arrived. The days lend themselves to a pleasant rhythm: free morning to explore Chiavari — the arcades, the market, the seafront — and afternoon packed with events. In the evening the city comes alive in bars and squares, with the natural continuation of conversations started at the talks.
Those staying in Rapallo can easily combine the festival with a trip towards Portofino or Sestri Levante, which are equidistant. The train is the key: in 15 minutes you are in Chiavari for the first afternoon event, in 30 you are in Genoa if you want to extend the evening.
