Meet your expert Local Guide at the Chiavari train station. Not nearly as well-known as its neighbours on the Gulf of Portofino, Chiavari is a pretty town with a historic center dating from the Middle Ages, though the town goes back much further. Chiavari has its share of palazzi, Renaissance buildings, churches (San Salvatore di Lavagna is a standout), fountains and arcaded buildings. Wander with your guide through caruggi (narrow lanes) where many of Chiavari’s artisans have traditional workshops. Visit several of these – perhaps the lace-maker, the silk manufacturer, the slate worker or the craftsman who hand-makes corzetti, wooden stamps used to shape pasta.
