Sanremo

Italy’s Riviera has glitz, glamour and glorious beaches

Just over the border from France’s high-rollers and chequered flags, you’ll find Italy’s answer to Monaco. Yet this Ligurian resort has a cosmopolitan spirit all of its own. Place your bets at the palm-fronted Art Nouveau casino. Find your rhythm at February’s Song Festival. Go villa-, beach- and garden-hopping. In Sanremo, the golden age shines as brightly as ever.

Things to do

CULTURE
Once a ghost town, an artistic spirit now runs through Bussana Vecchia. Though an earthquake all but destroyed it in 1887, this medieval village clung on – much as it clings to the cliffs above the coast. In the 1950s it gradually transformed into a haven for creatives, who came from around the world to create a new chapter in the story of these old stones. Explore the galleries, pop-up performances and cafés in buildings remade by the artisans who now live here. That’s except for the collapsed church, which stands as a poignant reminder of Bussana Vecchia’s time-worn past.

LANDMARKS
Bring water and willpower for the climb up through La Pigna’s snaking stairways to the crest of the old town, where the pine-scented Queen Elena Gardens place you at rooftop level. Up here you’ll also find the Sanctuary Madonna della Costa, its cupola bearing beautiful examples of frescoes. Equally as sublime are the gardens that wrap around Villa Nobel. The former residence of Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and creator of the Prize that bears his name, is an eclectic mix of architectural styles. Today, the museum here puts Nobel and his scientific peers under the microscope, for all to observe.

BEACHES
The shores of Sanremo aren’t just made for summer holidays. In the shoulder seasons, embrace the refreshing sea breeze and follow the Riviera dei Fiori Coastal Path by bicycle. Or stroll the promenade that fringes Empress Beach. For a dose of tranquillity, take yourself to Tre Ponti. For volleyball, spritzes and a livelier buzz, Morgana Beach hits all the right notes.