The Capo di Vado lighthouse stands on a prominent headland 1.5 km south of Vado Ligure, an active lighthouse that has marked this point of the Ligurian coast since the 19th century. The cape itself offers good views along the coast in both directions — north toward Savona and the industrial port, south toward the protected coastline around Bergeggi.
The walk to the lighthouse from the town along the coastal path passes through scrubby Mediterranean macchia. It's a short excursion that gives some relief from the industrial character of the port and a sense of the natural landscape before the heavy development of the 20th century.