San Remo Tourist Attractions

San Remo, Italy's largest and oldest winter health resort, lies on the "Riviera dei Fiori", in a bay enclosed by a semicircle of hills. From San Remo it is only about 20km/12mi to the Italian-French frontier.

Thanks to its sheltered situation San Remo has a mild and equable climate in winter, and in summer it is a lively and popular resort, with a beach which is partly artificial. Here olive groves have given place to greenhouses in which carnations and roses are grown for export.

Festival di San Remo

Every year in February the Italian Popular Song Festival takes place here.

Old Town

San Remo is divided into two clearly separated sections - the Old Town and the New Town. On a steep hill between the short valleys of the Torrente San Francesco and Torrenta San Romolo is the Old Town, a huddle of medieval houses with arcades and pointed windows, built in narrow lanes ("carrugi") linked by arches as a protection against earthquake.

New Town

Through the Piazza Eroi Sanremesi in San Remo is the New Town lying at the foot of the hill. Its main traffic artery is the Corso Matteotti, a long street lined with shops. At its west end stands a theater and other facilities.

San Siro

The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century. By the north door is a relief showing the paschal lamb between palms, by the south door a Madonna between saints. The late medieval bell-tower was given a new dome in the Baroque period, and was rebuilt after the Second World War. Inside are a large crucifix above the high altar and a painting of San Siro (1550).

Parco Marsaglia

The Corso Imperatrice is a promenade shaded by palms in the west of the bay. At its far end is the beautiful Parco Marsaglia with an auditorium (theater, concerts).

Flower Market

Corso Garibaldi forms the eastward continuation of Corso Matteotti, with a covered flower market (Mercato del Fiori), where auctions are held early every morning.

Harbor

The harbor lies between the east and west bays. The Forte Santa Tecia dates from the Genoese period. To the east of the fort lies the old fishing harbor which is also used by pleasure craft. The modern yacht harbor with its 1,025m/1,125yds long breakwater can accommodate over 800 boats.

Villa Nobel

Alfred Nobel, famous as the discoverer of dynamite, lived and died (1896) in this villa on Corso Felice Cavalotti. Since 1973 it has served as a cultural center; there is also a small Nobel Museum.

Civico Museo Archeologico

At the top of Corso Felice Cavalotti in San Remo lies the Palazzo Borea D'Olmo, an impressive 15th century palace with a Baroque facade. It houses an archeological museum, with finds from Palaeolithic and Bronze and Iron Age settlements in the San Remo region.

Festival di San Remo

Every year in February the Italian Popular Song Festival takes place here.

Surroundings

Baiardo

From Isolabona it is another 8km/5mi to Baiardo. Inland from the Riviera Ponente, with its crowds of summer visitors, are many quiet little villages well off the beaten tourist track which are well worth visiting not only for the beauty of their setting, on hilltops or precipitous slopes, but also for the picture they give of typical Italian hill settlements. Characteristic examples of such villages can be seen on the road from San Remo via Ceriana to Baiardo (25km/16mi) or on the road from Ventimiglia via Dolceaqua to Apricale (13km/8mi). It is also possible to take in these places on the way from San Remo to Ventimiglia (additional distance 29km/18mi).

Baiardo (25km/16mi northwest; 900m/2,970ft), is situated on a hill, with a beautiful parish church and the ruins of another church (16th century) destroyed by an earthquake in 1887. From a nearby terrace there are magnificent views of the mountains. From Baiardo the trip can be continued via Apricale to Ventimiglia.

Bussana Vecchia

9km/6mi east of San Remo is Bussana Vecchia (201m/663ft), a hill village, which was destroyed in 1887 by an earthquake. At present it is occupied by painters and other artists.