Leaving behind the pastel-colored houses and the scent of the sea of Borgo Foce , near the Church of San Benedetto Revelli, the climb towards Monte Calvario begins.

An ancient mule track made of stone and small pebbles , the Salita Monte Calvario, climbs up the hill to the Sanctuary, crossing one of the most fascinating historical routes of Porto Maurizio.

At the end of the climb, a large green space opens up, crossed by cobblestone walkways and surrounded by majestic cypress trees .

From here, the view encompasses the sea and the Parasio hill, dominated by the bell towers of the Cathedral of San Maurizio. The view continues towards Oneglia and Capo Berta , while behind the Sanctuary, the olive grove valleys extend to Monte Faudo and Val Prino.

The Sanctuary was built in 1690 by order of the priest Bartolomeo Bruno , upon his return from a trip to the Holy Land.

From that moment the previous Monte Gagliardone began to be known as Monte Calvario .

In 1860 the church incorporated the ancient convent, home to the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity , active since 1706.

The Confraternity once fulfilled an important social function. Among its duties was helping to ransom sailors taken prisoner during pirate raids in the Mediterranean.

Next to the Sanctuary it is possible to visit the small Museum of the Confraternities , where vestments and sacred furnishings used during processions are preserved.

Particularly evocative are the iron chains offered to the Sanctuary by freed slaves , evidence of the activities carried out in the past by the Confraternity.

Among other works are a medieval stone sculpture of the Madonna and Child and parts of an ancient holy water stoup which, according to tradition, was dismantled and hidden in the garden to protect it from the plundering of Napoleon's troops.

Every Good Friday, the traditional procession of the Via Crucis takes place along the climb up Mount Calvary, accompanied by songs and prayers.

The small shrines that mark the route contain tiles made of terracotta from Albisola , a Ligurian town famous for its ancient ceramic tradition.