Via Aurelia: Liguria’s historic coastal road

• The ancient road linked Rome with coastal towns in Liguria and was built in stages.
• Luna, present-day Luni, Genova and Albintimilium/Ventimiglia are among the historic stops along the corridor.
• The modern SS 1 bears the same name, but does not follow the ancient route everywhere.
• The Via Iulia Augusta near Albenga is a separate Roman road.

The Via Aurelia ran north from Rome along the Tyrrhenian coast. Its exact construction date and the identity of its patron are not known with certainty; the road was probably built in the 2nd century BC and extended in stages. In Liguria, the route via Luna to Genova is particularly important. The development of the Roman road network also included the Via Aemilia Scauri, associated with the year 109 BC and Marcus Aemilius Scaurus; its precise course is not established everywhere. In the imperial period, the road network continued into Gaul as far as the area around Arles.

Ancient place names help make sense of the route. Luna corresponds to modern Luni on the eastern edge of Liguria; farther west, Sestri Levante, Genova, Savona, Albenga and Albintimilium—modern Ventimiglia—are named as stops. This sequence shows how the road connected ports and coastal towns. However, it is not a complete map of the modern SS 1 and does not prove that the two roads follow the same route everywhere.

The name appears in different historical contexts. The history of Liguria places Roman routes alongside the region’s later urban and commercial histories; the present-day townscapes of Genoa and Albenga belong to later, overlapping periods.

Today’s state road SS 1 also bears the name Via Aurelia and follows the coastal corridor in many places. But the ancient road did not run directly along today’s coastline everywhere; the landscape, settlements and routes between La Spezia and the western coastal towns have changed. The shared name therefore does not mean that the roads follow an identical course. If you drive along the coast today, you are using the modern SS 1, not a continuously preserved Roman road.

Practical information about access, ZTL restricted traffic zones, tolls, parking and current traffic conditions belongs to the planning of modern road trips in Liguria. The Via Aurelia itself is best understood as a historic transport network: individual ancient sites and remains are spread along a broad corridor, rather than forming a continuous themed route that can be explored on foot or by car.

At the eastern end, the archaeological site at Luni offers the clearest evidence of the Roman city of Luna. The forum, theatre and museum show the scale of the former colony and how its public spaces were organised. Nearby Sarzana complements a visit with its later history as a town and fortress. If you are staying in this part of Liguria, you can compare accommodation in Sarzana as a regional base.

Near Albenga, it is important to avoid a common mix-up: the Via Iulia Augusta, dated to 13 BC, is not the Via Aurelia. It was built under Emperor Augustus as a route towards southern Gaul. Sections of the road, milestones and Roman funerary monuments have been documented between Albenga and Alassio and in the Finale area. The official cultural heritage catalogue entry for the Via Iulia Augusta describes this separate road and its surviving traces. Historic Albenga is a good starting point for distinguishing between the two ancient routes.

Genova, Savona and Ventimiglia also appear in the recorded sequence of Roman stops. Today, later city walls, churches and harbour buildings are often more visible on site than any single stretch of ancient road paving. An overview of other historic and cultural places in Liguria can help you distinguish Roman remains from medieval and modern layers.

For a first impression, choose a specific section rather than attempting a complete coastal drive: Luni reveals the layout of a Roman city, the corridor through Genova and Savona explains the connections between port towns, and Albenga provides access to the separate Via Iulia Augusta. The sites are far apart; the ancient route is not a signposted walking trail that can be followed continuously without planning your stages. You will get more out of your visit by choosing places according to the remains that survive than by simply following the modern road name.

Is today’s SS 1 the ancient Via Aurelia?

No. The SS 1 retains the old name and follows part of the same coastal corridor, but it does not follow the ancient road’s exact route everywhere. Today’s access routes and traffic regulations apply to the modern state road.

Where are the main ancient stops on the Via Aurelia in Liguria?

Historical lists mention Luna/Luni, Sestri Levante, Genova, Savona, Albenga and Albintimilium/Ventimiglia, among others. At the archaeological site of Luni, the forum and theatre offer tangible evidence of the Roman city.

Is the Via Iulia Augusta near Albenga part of the Via Aurelia?

No. The Via Iulia Augusta was built from 13 BC onwards under Augustus as a separate route towards Gaul. Its traces between Albenga and Alassio belong to a different road and should not be confused with the Via Aurelia.