The Palazzo Doria is the centrepiece of Loano's old town, its 16th-century loggia looking directly out over the sea. The Doria family — one of Genoa's most powerful dynasties — ruled the town from here for over three hundred years, and the palace still communicates their confidence in stone.
The building is not always open to the public, but its exterior and the loggia arcade facing the waterfront are worth stopping at. The surrounding streets of the old town fan out from here — narrow caruggi with washing strung overhead and a general atmosphere of quiet unhurriedness that distinguishes Loano from busier resorts along the coast.