In the Roman age the area of Finale, enclosed in the municipality of Vada Sabatia (Vado) between the Ingaunes and the Sabazes, was organized in small rural communities, like Perti, Calvisio and Varigotti; while at the mouth of Pora, in locality ad Fines, the most important settlement was installed. In the same place toward

the 5th-6th century the early Christian parish of San Giovanni Battista, then become Capuchin monastery, was built.

The oldest Christian evidence, however, dated 362, has been found in Perti: it is an epigraph, part of a grave with some rests of a child and two Constantin and Constant III's coins.

The coastal centres of Marina and Varigotti, once Byzantine castrum and harbour, were destroyed by Rotary in 643 and subject to Saracen assaults (9th-10th century), that forced the inhabitants to look for a shelter in the inland valleys. In the 12th century the Finalese was rich in small agricultural villages, dominated by the feudal castles of Perti, Pia and Orco, belonging to the Marquesses del Carretto, who, sent away from Savona and Noli, were able to keep for a long time the possession of this region. The development of the village of Marina, seat of naval yards of a certain importance, was limited by the foundation of the new core of Finalborgo (nearly 1213), completely walled and protected by the tower of the Bechignoli on a hill, later included in the Spanish castle of San Giovanni (1640), and by the castle Gavone. It became the capital of the Marquisate of Finale. In 1341, because of the disastrous war against Genoa the harbour of Varigotti was covered, main maritime outlet of the Marquisate, and close to the coast the Genoese built the fort of Castelfranco. In 1428, helped by the Lords of Milan, the del Carretto occupied again the coastal region, but about twenty years later they had to capitulate and Finalborgo was burned up and almost completely destroyed.

Become vassals of the Republic, they rebuilt the village even if they were in open contrast with it. The consequences of such a political instability were that the Marquisate was occupied by Spaniards in 1572 and definitively englobed in Spain from 1598 to 1713. After that date Finale became part of the territories belonging to the Republic of Genoa, which pulled down a part of the Castelfranco's fort and of the Gavone castle. Today, Finale Ligure, subdivided in the centres of Marina, Pia and Borgo, has become an appreciated touristic resort, with good receptive equipments and a little harbour in the hamlet of Varigotti.