San Pietro di Rovereto - Santuario della Madonnetta - Sant'Andrea di Rovereto

This is a short, easy trail between Zoagli and Chiavari, perfect for an afternoon hike. Enjoy a snack at the Sanctuary of Madonnetta and catch the sunset over the Gulf of Tigullio.

Start at San Pietro di Rovereto, a hamlet of Zoagli. Access it via Via San Pietro, the road that climbs left just after the gas station.
Begin your hike just before the village, where a small pull-off offers parking (though spots near the church can be scarce) in front of Salita Montà, a steep path leading to the church in minutes.

From here, follow the well-marked staircase to the left of the church. It climbs steadily, crossing Via dei Tessitori, and continues uphill to a junction near a house.
Look for the trail marker that guides you to the Sanctuary.

Continue uphill along the path, flanked by dry stone walls and terraces, until you reach Via Longarola. This steep cement staircase offers sea views and passes by the walls of elegant villas.

At a small cluster of houses with a votive shrine on a rock, pause to take in the sweeping views from Sestri Levante to the Portofino promontory.

The trail then turns left, passes the last house, and enters the forest. It levels out before gently ascending, merging with a trail from Chiavari to reach the Sanctuary of Madonnetta (15 minutes from the junction). Built in 1847 by San Pietro residents as thanks for surviving a cholera epidemic, the church square and nearby tables in the woods make it a great rest spot.

To return, descend the staircase you came up, but at the junction, keep left to head into the woods, following the FIE trail marker .

The trail, slightly uneven in places, ends after about 15 minutes on a cement road. Follow it downhill, ignoring the first left turn, and instead, turn right at the junction near a charming stone house.

The route now follows a dirt road through a typical agricultural landscape, with houses surrounded by Ligurian terraces overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio.

At the end of the dirt road, turn left onto a trail that quickly leads to a junction. Here, a left turn takes you down to the Church of Sant’ Andrea di Rovereto in Chiavari, dating back to the late 12th century.

Return to the trail and continue straight until you reach the house you passed earlier at the junction. Here, retrace your steps back to the church and along Via Montà to your starting point.

Alternatively, descending the drivable road from the church, you'll find a small grocery store with an attached bar and wine shop.