{"id":53504,"date":"2026-09-30T16:30:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/darkseagreen-rook-345411.hostingersite.com\/liguria\/sanremo\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T19:34:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T19:34:34","slug":"sanremo","status":"publish","type":"localita","link":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/en\/riviera-di-ponente\/sanremo\/","title":{"rendered":"Sanremo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sanremo is the best-known town on the Riviera dei Fiori: home to the Italian Song Festival, the Liberty-style Casino, the medieval old town of La Pigna, the palm-lined Passeggiata Imperatrice and a cycle path that runs along the sea for dozens of kilometres. It lies in the province of Imperia, halfway between Imperia and the French border, about an hour from Nice airport.<\/p>\n

With more than fifty thousand inhabitants it is the largest town in western Liguria, and it stays lively all year round. From the late 19th century it was one of Europe’s great winter resorts: Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia stayed here, as did Alfred Nobel, who died here in 1896, and the family of Italo Calvino. The climate is among the mildest in Italy, with an average of over 10 degrees in January, and in summer the sea reaches 24\u201325 degrees.<\/p>\n

The name comes from San Romolo, a 5th-century bishop of Genoa who withdrew as a hermit to the hills behind the town: in dialect “San Romolo” became “San Remo”. In Roman times the villa Matutiana stood here. Today Sanremo is also the “city of flowers”: the wholesale flower market is in Valle Armea, and every spring the Corso Fiorito fills the streets with floats covered in fresh flowers.<\/p>\n

What to see in Sanremo<\/h2>\n

The centre is easy to explore on foot: from the sea you climb into the alleys of La Pigna, walk along the street of shopping and the Festival, and return along the seafront past villas and gardens. To see everything at a relaxed pace you need at least two days.<\/p>\n

La Pigna, the old town<\/h3>\n
\"Alleys<\/figure>\n

Sanremo’s medieval old town is called La Pigna (“the pine cone”) because its houses, packed against the hillside, form a cone shape that recalls a pine cone. It is a maze of carruggi (narrow alleys), stairways, arches and covered passages built as a defence against pirates, climbing from the market area up to the Regina Elena gardens. On the way up you find quiet little squares, oratories and old fishermen’s and farmers’ houses.<\/p>\n

Santuario Madonna della Costa<\/h3>\n
\"Sanctuary<\/figure>\n

At the top of La Pigna, about a hundred metres above the sea, stands the Baroque sanctuary of the Madonna della Costa, with a great dome visible from all over town and a churchyard decorated with a pebble mosaic. It is the best viewpoint in the centre: from here you can see the rooftops of La Pigna, the harbours and the coast as far as Capo Verde.<\/p>\n

Regina Elena Gardens<\/h3>\n
\"Regina<\/figure>\n

Just below the sanctuary, the gardens dedicated to Queen Elena of Montenegro are a viewpoint with palms, flowerbeds and sea views. They are the perfect place for a rest on the climb up through La Pigna.<\/p>\n

Co-cathedral of San Siro<\/h3>\n
\"Co-cathedral<\/figure>\n

This is the oldest church in Sanremo: the current Romanesque building dates from the 12th century and was built over the remains of a small early Christian church. Inside is a black crucifix from the 15th century. The base of the bell tower dates from the 13th century, while the upper part was rebuilt after the Second World War.<\/p>\n

Via Matteotti<\/h3>\n
\"Via<\/figure>\n

Corso Matteotti is the street for shopping and strolling, pedestrianised and controlled by the ZTL (limited traffic zone) gates. Here you will find shops, historic caf\u00e9s, the Ariston Theatre and Palazzo Borea d’Olmo. On Saturday evenings and during the Festival it is the heart of the town’s life.<\/p>\n

Ariston Theater<\/h3>\n
\"Illuminated<\/figure>\n

Since 1977 the theatre on corso Matteotti has hosted the Italian Song Festival, which began in 1951 at the Casino. During the year it works as a cinema and theatre, and in autumn it hosts the Premio Tenco, devoted to singer-songwriters. Everything about the Festival, from the 2027 dates to practical tips, is in the guide to the Sanremo Music Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Casino of Sanremo<\/h3>\n
\"Sanremo<\/figure>\n

The Casino, designed by the French architect Eug\u00e8ne Ferret and opened in January 1905, is one of the symbols of the Belle \u00c9poque on the Riviera. It is open every day of the year; entry is free and restricted to over-18s with ID. Shorts, vests and flip-flops are not allowed in the traditional gaming room, but a jacket is not required. The building also houses a theatre and the Roof Garden terrace.<\/p>\n

Passeggiata Imperatrice<\/h3>\n
\"Corso<\/figure>\n

The palm-lined seafront is Sanremo’s open-air drawing room. It is named after the Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Tsar Alexander II, who spent the winter of 1874\u201375 in the town and, before leaving, donated the palms for the new avenue. It runs west from the Casino between flowerbeds, statues and historic hotels.<\/p>\n

Russian Church<\/h3>\n
\"Domes<\/figure>\n

With its five onion domes, the Orthodox Church of Christ the Saviour is one of the most photographed monuments on the Riviera. It was designed by Alexey Shchusev, who would later design Lenin’s Mausoleum, and consecrated in 1913 for the Russian community; the interior was left unfinished because of the 1917 revolution. King Nicholas I and Queen Milena of Montenegro, the parents of Queen Elena, were buried in the crypt until 1989. It is open every day, in the morning and afternoon.<\/p>\n

Villa Nobel<\/h3>\n
\"Villa<\/figure>\n

Alfred Nobel bought this seafront villa in 1891, named it “Mio Nido” (“My Nest”) and died here on 10 December 1896. Today it is a museum dedicated to the inventor of dynamite and to the prize that bears his name, with an audio guide included. It is open Tuesday to Friday, in the morning.<\/p>\n

The gardens of villa Ormond<\/h3>\n
\"Gardens<\/figure>\n

Opposite Villa Nobel, the large public park of Villa Ormond has palms, exotic plants and a Japanese garden created through the twinning with the city of Atami. It is listed in the Grandi Giardini Italiani guide to Italy’s great gardens. The villa, rebuilt after the 1887 earthquake, is home to the International Institute of Humanitarian Law.<\/p>\n

Palazzo Borea d’Olmo and the Sanremo Civic Museum<\/h3>\n
\"Palazzo<\/figure>\n

On corso Matteotti, the noble palace of the Borea d’Olmo family houses the Civic Museum on its second floor, with archaeological finds from prehistory to Roman times, a picture gallery and Garibaldi memorabilia. It is open Tuesday to Saturday.<\/p>\n

Forte di Santa Tecla<\/h3>\n
\"Santa<\/figure>\n

The triangular fortress by the harbour was built by the Republic of Genoa in the mid-18th century, after a revolt by the people of Sanremo, to keep the town under control. It later became a barracks and, until 1997, a prison. Since 2 July 2026 it has been open again, with exhibitions, concerts and workshops.<\/p>\n

Sanremo cycle path<\/h3>\n
\"Riviera<\/figure>\n

The Riviera dei Fiori cycle and pedestrian path follows the old seaside railway line, closed in 2001. It crosses the whole of Sanremo, from Pian di Poma to Bussana, passing the former station, Portosole and Tre Ponti, with lit tunnels and separate lanes for bikes and pedestrians. Since June 2026 it has run continuously for almost 48 kilometres between Ospedaletti and Andora. Bikes and rickshaws can be hired along the way.<\/p>\n

Porto Vecchio and Portosole<\/h3>\n
\"Sanremo<\/figure>\n

The Porto Vecchio, at the foot of the Forte di Santa Tecla, is the harbour of fishermen and traditional boats, now at the centre of a major redevelopment project. To the east, Portosole is the marina, awarded the Blue Flag in 2026, from which boat trips along the coast depart.<\/p>\n

Bussana Vecchia<\/h3>\n
\"Bussana<\/figure>\n

A few kilometres from the centre, on the hillside, the village of Bussana Vecchia<\/a> was destroyed by the earthquake of 23 February 1887 and abandoned. Since the late 1950s it has been reborn as an artists’ village, with stone houses, studios and the roofless church.<\/p>\n

Beaches in Sanremo<\/h2>\n
\"Tre<\/figure>\n

Sanremo has dozens of beach clubs and a few free beaches along its whole coastline. In 2026 it was awarded the Blue Flag for five stretches: Tre Ponti, Baia Capo Pino, Tiro a Volo, Bussana and Imperatrice. The beaches are made of shingle and pebbles, with some stretches of coarse sand; the easiest way to get from one to another is the cycle path.<\/p>\n

Pian di Poma<\/h3>\n

To the west, towards Ospedaletti, beach clubs follow one another along the cycle path. At Pian di Poma levante there is a stretch where dogs of all sizes are allowed, with showers and shade.<\/p>\n

Imperatrice beach<\/h3>\n

The stretch below the Passeggiata Imperatrice, a short walk from the Casino, has the 2026 Blue Flag and is the most convenient if you are staying in the centre.<\/p>\n

Tre Ponti and Baia Capo Pino<\/h3>\n

To the east, along the cycle path, the long pebble beach of Tre Ponti is a favourite with locals and quieter than the beaches in the centre. Both Tre Ponti and Baia Capo Pino have the 2026 Blue Flag.<\/p>\n

Bussana<\/h3>\n

Sanremo’s easternmost beach, with the 2026 Blue Flag, is the furthest from the centre and the best choice if you are looking for peace and quiet. It is easy to reach by bike.<\/p>\n

All the beaches, with the Blue Flag stretches, free beaches and dog-friendly beaches, are in the guide to the beaches of Sanremo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sanremo in one day: an itinerary<\/h2>\n