The destiny of San Lorenzo al Mare as a seaside town can be seen if you look at it from above: the town is built in the curious shape of an anchor. The two arms of the anchor are the two centres, which are divided by the Rio San Lorenzo but nevertheless form one town. The western, prevalently maritime part was founded by the lords of Lengueglia and the monks of Villaregia, while the eastern part was founded by the lords of Porto Maurizio as a fortified rural centre behind the church of the Maddalena. The numerous Saracen invasions of the sixteenth century led the inhabitants of the two centres to join forces, although it was only following the construction last century of a brickwork bridge that the two parts of the town were joined physically.

San Lorenzo is today a small but well populated municipality. In the summer the beaches are crowded with tourists playing beach volleyball, diving or simply enjoying the clear water and sand. The church of Santa Maria Maddalena is so close to the sea that frequent restoration work is needed in order to guard against salt erosion. Built on the site of an old Romanesque church (traces of which still remain), it underwent much renovation before acquiring its present form, which is mainly in Ligurian Baroque style. It is well worth visiting the oratory of San Lorenzo, which is of mediaeval origin but was restored in the eighteenth century.


The pedestrian area in the old town centre allows you to go for a leisurely stroll along the recently restored tiled pavement. If you go up to the top of the "Pentachin" hill, you get a fine view over the coast, which is truly spectacular in springtime when the carpet of flowers (particularly liliums) peeps out among olive trees that sweep right down to the sea. A small bay between the beach and an artificial rock face form a leisure port capable of berthing 200 small boats.