The Diano Marina–Andora stretch on the old railway: 7 flat km, stops at Cervo and Diano, train plus bike, hire, shade and MTB routes.
Since 2026 the old railway line of the Gulf of Diano has been a paved, flat cycle path running through San Bartolomeo al Mare and linking Diano Marina, Cervo and Andora. Here you find what the stretch is like, where to join it, how long it takes and how to arrive without a car.
The path follows the railway line abandoned after 11 December 2016, when the double-track tunnel between Andora and San Lorenzo replaced the old coastal line. In 2021 the town bought the land of the former railway bed to build the path. The Gulf of Diano stretch cost about 9 million euros, with regional, PNRR and FSC funds.
The route is about 7 km between Diano Marina and Andora. In San Bartolomeo it passes Piazza Aurora, where the official ribbon-cutting took place on 15 May 2026; at Cervo it touches the former station; just outside town it passes close to the Roman mansio of La Rovere and crosses the “via della Costa”. The link towards Imperia, up to Capo Berta, was inaugurated on 20 June 2026: the whole Tyrrhenian route is about 45 km long.
For the stretch further west, towards Sanremo, see the page for San Lorenzo al Mare: it is another piece of the same route.
From Piazza Aurora to the Torre di Santa Maria is about 400 metres; from the tower to the centre of Cervo a little over a kilometre. By bike it is a few minutes: the easiest outing in the area. The medieval village of Cervo is uphill: leave the bike at the bottom and walk up.
From Piazza Aurora to the centre of Diano it is about 3 km: roughly a quarter of an hour by bike, longer if you stop on the seafront. In Diano you find bike hire, the Civic Museum (where the finds from the Roman mansio are kept) and the railway station.
The eastern stretch reaches Andora, where the path ends at Vico delle Vignette, at the end of the western promenade. From there you can continue towards Capo Mimosa or take the train at Andora station to go back.
Train and bike work well together, but remember that San Bartolomeo no longer has a station (closed in 2016). The handiest stops to start from are Diano and Andora: get off there and ride to town.
If you come by car, leave the A10 at the San Bartolomeo al Mare toll gate and drive to town. There is no official list of car parks: arrive early or leave the car outside the centre. The urban regeneration works linked to the path in the three towns include new car parks, but their position is not confirmed.
There is no confirmed bike hire in San Bartolomeo. The hire points we know of are in the former stations of Diano Marina, Imperia and Sanremo, so arrange it before you set off. Along the route there are benches, rest areas and viewpoints, but little shade. The recommended period is May to September; in summer choose early morning or late afternoon.
It is a shared path: slow down where there are pedestrians. With a pushchair or a small child the smooth surface is comfortable.
For more climbing, the town has marked five MTB routes between the sea and Pizzo d’Evigno, from 8.5 to 28.8 km, meeting at Piazza Torre Santa Maria. Maps are at the IAT, Piazza XXV Aprile 1, and altitude profiles on the municipal website. The easiest is the Green route (14.8 km, 484 m climb). The Purple route goes as far as Laigueglia.
FAQ
Yes, it follows the old railway and is practically flat, with new asphalt.
The Diano Marina–Andora stretch is about 7 km; the whole Tyrrhenian route is about 45 km.
In Diano Marina, Imperia and Sanremo. None is confirmed in San Bartolomeo.
Yes, but not at San Bartolomeo: get off at Diano or Andora and continue by bike.
May to September, early morning or end of day, because there is little shade.
Yes, it is a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.
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