Riviera dei Fiori

<< Liguria

The Riviera dei Fiori is the westernmost section of the Ligurian coast, part of the Province of Imperia, and stretching all the way to the border with France. This coast is known for hosting several popular seaside resorts, most notably Sanremo, Bordighera, and Ventimiglia. Its name, meaning “Riviera of Flowers”, comes from its historic flower-growing industry.

Imperia

Imperia is a city on the western Ligurian coast, formed by the two settlements of Porto Maurizio and Oneglia. Both towns were founded in ancient times and became regionally important ports in the Middle Ages. While Porto Maurizio mostly remained under the rule of Genoa, Oneglia became a possession of the Duchy of Savoy in 1576. Both towns later became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and then Italy. In 1923 Porto Maurizio and Oneglia were united to form the city of Imperia.

Basilica of San Maurizio

The Basilica of San Maurizio is the main religious site in Imperia, located in Porto Maurizio. The church was built in Neoclassical style between the 18th and 19th century, and it is the largest church in Liguria. Both the facade and the interior of the church are adorned with numerous sculptures, decorations, and other artworks.

Sanremo

Sanremo is the largest city in the Province of Imperia, and a popular seaside resort on the Ligurian coast. Founded by the Romans, it became a flourishing port since the Late Middle Ages, but it truly rose to prominence in the 19th century as a tourist destination visited by many nobles. Sanremo is now famous for flower cultivation and for hosting many events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival and the Milan–Sanremo cycling race.

Teatro Ariston

The Teatro Ariston is a cinema and theater in Sanremo. Inaugurated in 1963, it became famous as the venue of the Sanremo Music Festival, which has been hosted here since 1976. The theatre sometimes also hosts various other events and television programs.

Santa Tecla Fort

The Santa Tecla Fort (Forte Santa Tecla) is a coastal fortress located on the seafront of Sanremo. Erected by the Genoese in the 18th century, it was later used as military barracks and prison. Now restored, the fortress can be visited and it hosts cultural events.

Co-Cathedral of San Siro

The Co-Cathedral of San Siro (Concattedrale di San Siro) is a historic Romanesque church in the center of Sanremo. Originally erected in the Late Middle Ages over a previous church, it was later heavily reworked with the addition of a Baroque facade. The church was restored to its Romanesque appearance in the early 20th century, and now it hosts a few interesting artworks.

Sanremo Casino

The Sanremo Casino (Casinò di Sanremo) is one of the only four casinos in Italy. Inaugurated in 1905, the casino is hosted in a richly decorated liberty-style building located near the seafront of Sanremo. The Sanremo Casino was the venue of the Sanremo Music Festival from its inception in 1951 until 1976.

Church of Cristo Salvatore

The Church of Cristo Salvatore is a Russian Orthodox church erected in Sanremo in the early 20th century. The church was built for the Russian community of the city, which numbered around a thousand people at the time. Now one of the symbols of Sanremo, the church is still used by the Orthodox community, and it features rich Byzantine Revival decorations.

Bussana Vecchia

Bussana Vecchia is a tiny hamlet in the hills near Sanremo. Originally abandoned after an earthquake in 1887, it was repopulated by artists since the 1960s. This peculiar medieval village is now home to a small community of artists, which have partially rebuilt the town, and it features various shops and ateliers.

Seborga

Seborga is a small village in the hills of the Province of Imperia, known for its self-proclaimed principality.

Principality of Seborga

The Principality of Seborga (Principato di Seborga) is a self-proclaimed and unrecognized micronation that claims the territory of the small town of Seborga. According to this claim, the tiny medieval city-state of Seborga was never formally annexed by the House of Savoy and thus it is not part of Italy. Although this claim has never been taken seriously, it has attracted many tourists to the tiny hamlet. Seborga offers various collectibles for tourists, such as coins and passport, with no legal value.

Bordighera

Bordighera is a town on the western Ligurian coast, located between Ventimiglia and Sanremo in the Province of Imperia. Inhabited since ancient times, it gained strategic importance during the Middle Ages, and it was mostly ruled by Genoa. Since the 19th century, Bordighera has been a tourist destination, known for its palms.

Pallanca Exotic Garden

The Pallanca Exotic Garden (Giardino Esotico Pallanca) is a botanical garden in Bordighera. The gardens, located on a hillside near the coast, feature one of the largest collection of cactus and succulent plants in Europe.

Ventimiglia

Ventimiglia is a city on the western Ligurian coast in the Province of Imperia, located at the border with France. Originally a Ligurian settlement, Ventimiglia was a flourishing Roman town and for centuries it remained the most important center in the area. During the Middle Ages Ventimiglia was a free comune, and it was later conquered by Genoa, sharing its history until the Italian unification.

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is a Romanesque church located in the medieval old town of Ventimiglia. The church was erected between the 11th and 12th century over a previous religious site, and it was later reworked. During the 20th century, the church was restored to its original Romanesque appearance. An ancient baptistery is adjacent to the cathedral.

Archaeological Area of Albintimilium

Albintimilium was an ancient Roman city located at the outskirts of modern-day Ventimiglia. Abandoned in the Middle Ages in favor of the newer settlement, its ruins were found in the 19th century. The unearthed remains include parts of a theatre, baths, roads, and a few other buildings. A small museum in the archaeological area houses some of the ancient objects found here.

Hanbury Botanical Gardens

The Hanbury Botanical Gardens (Giardini Botanici Hanbury) is a botanical garden located on a hillside near the coast west of Ventimiglia. Established in 1867 by English businessman Thomas Hanbury, the lush gardens contain thousands of different plant species. The gardens are adorned with various fountains, statues, and other attractions.

Balzi Rossi

The Balzi Rossi are a system of coastal caves located west of Ventimiglia at the border with France. The caves of Balzi Rossi are a major archaeological site, where many human remains from the Paleolithic have been found. A small archaeological museum hosts some of the remains unearthed here, and offers tours of some of the caves.