Sestri Levante's pleasures are largely slow ones. The Baia del Silenzio on the northwest side of the peninsula is genuinely peaceful — a curving beach backed by pastel houses with no through traffic. The Baia delle Favole on the south side is larger and livelier. The Marconi Tower at the top of the promontory is worth the walk for panoramic views that extend to the Alps on clear days. The 12th-century Chiesa di San Niccolò, Roman-Gothic in style, sits near the old castle at the tip of the peninsula. The coastal walk to Punta Manara, about 45 minutes south, is one of the best short excursions from town.