Riviera
dei Fiori

The Riviera dei Fiori is the westernmost part of the Riviera di Ponente.

It is such a beautiful stretch of coastline that the famous Italian poet Eugenio Montale sang its praises in his poems.

This wonderful territory lies entirely in the province of Imperia and lies between the state border between France and Italy at Ventimiglia and Capo Mimosa in the municipality of Cervo.

The Riviera of Flowers offers views and panoramas that are unique in the world: the sea, nature and the many medieval villages dotted along both the coast and the hinterland make this stretch of the Riviera an ideal vacation destination , 365 days a year.

Map of the Riviera of Flowers

The Flower Riviera is full of towns and villages that are true tourist centers chosen by thousands of travelers each year.

Inland reigns the medieval villages, quiet and charming, including Taggia, Dolceacqua, dominated by the imposing Doria castle and the traditional bridge over the Nervia River, Pigna, a spa center and a country with a great gastronomic culture, Apricale, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy known for the Lizard Castle, Rocchetta Nervina, the land of fairy tales, Perinaldo, Triora, the land of witches, and Pieve di Teco.

The coastline along the Riviera dei Fiori is very varied and is perfect for satisfying a wide range of tastes: from wide, sandy beaches to rocky stretches with deep water, a variety typical of the entire Ligurian Riviera.

From the medieval villages clinging to the inland hills, one descends to the sea, where the panorama becomes more typically Mediterranean, through olive groves and Rossese vineyards.

Here on the coast, the main resorts of the Flower Riviera are:

• 
  Cervo
  : small village overlooking the Dianese Gulf. True historical-architectural gem perched on a strategic spur just above the sea;
• 
  Diano Marina
  : a town of stately hotels, mansions with Art Nouveau decorations hidden among the trees of the boulevards, and beautiful sunlit cottages on the verdant slopes of Cape Berta;
• 
  Imperia
  : capital of the province and consists of two centers, Oneglia and Porto Maurizio;
• Arma di Taggia: a tourist town with pleasant sandy beaches;
• 
  San Remo
  : city of the Italian Song Festival and city of flowers;
• 
  Bordighera
  : The city of palm trees, with its wonderful old town, elegant architecture and crystal clear sea;
• 
  Ventimiglia
  : the border town, full of history and hidden wonders.

The main tourist resorts of the Riviera of Flowers

San Remo
retains all the charm of the Middle Ages in the “old town,” the district also called the Pine Cone because of its characteristic conformation: a labyrinth of alleys, stairways, arches, and covered passages that branch out in concentric rings from the top of the hill.

At the top of the historic district is the Shrine of Our Lady of the Coast from which there is a magnificent view of the Flower Riviera.
Further down, history gives way to glamour and fashion with Via Matteotti a shopping street full of boutiques of the big names.

On this elegant avenue you can see such belle epoque landmarks as the Borea d’Olmo Palace, the Municipal Casino, and the Russian Orthodox Church of Christ the Savior.

On the way down to the harbor you should definitely make a stop at Bresca Square where numerous bars and seafood restaurants enliven the area, during the day, but especially at night.

Also worth a visit are Villa Nobel where the famous Swedish scientist lived and died, and the Villa Ormond Botanical Gardens, both magnificent relics of the 1800s.

Bordighera is distinguished by its pleasantclimate in both winter and summer.
This seaside town is prized among many locations in Liguria for its elegant architecture and the constant presence of nature and greenery in every corner.

Bordighera‘s sea, for several years now, has steadily topped the charts of Italy’s cleanest seas awarded the blue flag.

The city’s wonderful historic center is well maintained and full of small restaurants where you can enjoy typical Ligurian cuisine.

During your visit to Bordighera, you cannot miss the small church of Sant’Ampelio, built at the southernmost point in all of Liguria, walks along the completely pedestrian promenade, a visit to the exotic Pallanca garden and the huge monumental plants hidden in the most characteristic corners of the town.

Bordighera is also the right town for a nice aperitif before the Evening: National Geographic listed Bordighera’s sunset as one of the 10 Most Beautiful Sunsets in the World.

Cervo
is a very charming ancient village overlooking the Gulf of Diana and for many years has been listed among the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The best way to see deer and get lost in its narrow streets. The entire old town is pedestrian friendly: quiet and fragrant, it is an invitation to stroll, despite the constant climbs and slopes that are not always easy.

Diano Marina is a town of stately hotels, mansions with Art Nouveau decorations hidden among the trees on the boulevards, and beautiful sunlit cottages.
Its golden beach is more than 3 km long starts next to the Marina and ends at the foot of the cliffs of Cape Berta.

San Lorenzo al Mare, with an area of just over one square kilometer, is the smallest municipality in Liguria. The present village is the result of the merger of two different Boroughs that arose on the two banks of the Rio San Lorenzo.

This is where the wonderful Ponente Ligure bicycle path begins.

The western Ligurian bike path.

They say it is the most beautiful European bicycle path: perhaps a ranking does not exist, but this great work of recovery really has something extraordinary. It took years of work to see it inaugurated, the Giro d’Italia and Milan-San Remo to celebrate it, but by now the bike path between San Lorenzo al Mare and Ospedaletti is a reality.

For at least eight to nine months of the year, bicyclists, runners and pedestrians ride it.

Retired in 2001, the old Ponente railway line inaugurated in 1872 has been transformed into one of the most beautiful bike paths in the world, squeezed between the sea and the mountains, capable of providing glimpses of rare beauty and leading those who ride it between beautiful villages e quiet beaches Along the Riviera of Flowers.

Today, the entire area around the town has been enhanced and is part of the Riviera dei Fiori coastal park. If once on the train that passed through here traveled noble Italian, Russian and British landowners, today tourists from all over the world ride or walk on the track.

The bike lane, precisely because it stands where the train once passed, has space for two convenient bike lanes and a pedestrian lane.
It has clear signage and along the way it is possible to get refreshments at the many cafes on the bike path or nearby.