Villa Durazzo | Grandi Giardini Italiani

History

On the hill overlooking Santa Margherita Ligure, the park surrounds the residence built in the seventeenth century by the Durazzo marquises and offers sweeping views over the Gulf of Tigullio. The small citrus grove, on the terrace facing the sea, represents its oldest part. Alongside imposing lemon, bitter orange and mandarin trees, it hosts rare varieties of ancient citrus fruits, such as the eighteenth-century “Arancio amaro scannellato” and the “Arancio amaro Bizzarria.”

The Italian-style garden unfolds across the parterre overlooking the sea. Its layout is characterized by flowerbeds bordered by myrtle and Ilex crenata hedges, embellished with numerous cycads and, in summer, the splendid blooms of agapanthus. The garden is framed on each side by a valuable collection of nineteenth-century camellias, including the renowned Lavinia Maggi.

The Romantic English-style Wood extends along the hillside, where holm oaks, cypresses, camphor trees, lime trees, and pines blend with palms of all kinds, including Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia filifera, and Jubea chilensis, in a harmonious mix of exotic and Mediterranean flora. The northern section of the English Woods is a charming place, adorned with statues, gushing fountains, flowerbeds, and cobblestone paths leading to the terrace in front of the villa, dominated by the exquisite risseu, the typical Ligurian paving of black and white stones.

Not to be missed is the Secret Garden of the Centurione Princes: in the nineteenth century a discreet refuge for lovers, it still preserves the romantic atmosphere of the period.

The villa houses an important collection of paintings from the Genoese school, period furnishings, Murano chandeliers and terrazzo floors. The interior rooms and outdoor terraces are available for receptions and events.

Useful information

Entrance to the Villa and Park
- Via Principe Centurione (in the centre of S. Margherita L.)
- Via San Francesco d'Assisi, 3
- Piazzale San Giacomo, 3

Parking
Approximately 100 metres from the Via San Francesco d'Assisi entrance is the city car park/silos 'Autopark Riviera' for a fee, capable of accommodating up to 200 vehicles.

Guided tours
The complex offers guided tours, in Italian and foreign languages, of the Villa Durazzo complex with qualified personnel. Educational workshops for schools are also held.

Cofee house
In the park there is the Coffee House of Villa San Giacomo, a charming refreshment point, which with its indoor and outdoor spaces offers guests moments of relaxation, surrounded by greenery and overlooking the splendid Gulf of S. Margherita Ligure.

Grandi Giardini Italiani Srl

Grandi Giardini Italiani Srl