Vara (river)The Vara is a river of the Province of [La Spezia] in Liguria, north-west Italy.GeographyThe river runs through Varese Ligure, Brugnato, Borghetto [di Vara] and Castiglione di Vara. At it is the longest river in Liguria. The main source of the river is on Monte Zatta; for much of its course it flows in a southeasterly direction, parallel to the Riviera di levante, in the valley which takes its name: the Val di Vara. The river flows into the Magra, as a right tributary, at Fornola within the commune of Santo [Stefano di Magra].HistoryThe Département du Vara or Dipartimento del Vara of Ligurian Republic took its name at the end of the 18th century from the river.