What to see in Sanremo in 2 days: beyond the Festival, the most authentic Riviera

Sanremo in 2 days: the City of Flowers beyond the spotlight

Sanremo evokes the Song Festival and the Casino, but this city's true soul lies elsewhere: in the medieval maze of the Pigna, in impossible tropical gardens, in the golden light that attracted Russian and European aristocracy for a century. Two days reveal the Sanremo you don't expect.

Day 1: The Pigna and the historic centre

Morning

Begin at the Pigna, the medieval core perched on the hill. This labyrinth of caruggi (alleys), staircases, arches and covered passages has remained virtually intact since the Middle Ages. Climb among the clustered houses to the Sanctuary of Madonna della Costa, which overlooks the city from its panoramic churchyard.

Along the way up, notice the carved slate doorways, stone wash-houses and hidden squares where sunlight penetrates only at noon. The Pigna is alive: Sanremo locals still live here.

Afternoon

Back down, walk Via Matteotti and Corso Imperatrice, the elegant seafront lined with 20-metre Canary Island palms. These palms, planted in honour of Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna who wintered here, give Sanremo its unmistakable exotic air.

Hidden gem: the Russian Orthodox Church of Christ the Saviour, with its onion domes, testifies to a large Russian colony in the nineteenth century. The interior is richly decorated with icons. A little further, Villa Nobel housed Alfred Nobel in his final years: the garden is visitable.

Evening

Dine in the Portosole harbour quarter or the trattorias of the lower Pigna: sardenaira (focaccia with tomato and anchovies), brandacujun (creamed salt cod), rabbit Ligurian-style. Taggiasca olive oil dominates every dish.

Day 2: Gardens, cycle path and hinterland

Morning

Visit the Gardens of Villa Ormond, an exotic park with palms, giant bamboo and a Japanese garden that most tourists overlook. Entry is free and the peace is total.

Then head to the Hanbury Gardens at Mortola (30 minutes towards the French border) or, staying in town, explore the Park of Villa Zirio with its rare species.

Afternoon

Rent a bicycle and ride the Ponente Ligure Cycle Path, one of Italy's most beautiful. Built on the old railway track, it runs along the cliff edge above the sea for 24 km from Sanremo to San Lorenzo al Mare. Even just the stretch to Santo Stefano al Mare (12 km) offers spectacular views and seaside villages to stop at.

Hidden gem: at Bussana Vecchia, a ghost village destroyed by the 1887 earthquake and reoccupied by artists in the 1960s, you'll find studios, sculptures among the ruins and a surreal atmosphere. It's 15 minutes from the cycle path.

Evening

For your last evening, drive up to Triora in the hinterland, the "village of witches" (40 minutes), or end with an evening stroll at Sanremo's Porto Vecchio, where fishing boats return at sunset.

Recommended walking routes

• The complete Pigna: from the port to the Sanctuary of Madonna della Costa via caruggi (1 km, steep, 1 hour with stops)
• Corso Imperatrice → Via Matteotti → Teatro Ariston → Casino (1.5 km, flat)
• Villa promenade: Corso degli Inglesi with hidden Liberty villas among gardens (2 km)

Practical tips

• Tuesday and Saturday the flower market in Piazza Eroi is a riot of colour
• The cycle path has bike rental at every access point: no need to bring your own
• The mild climate allows year-round visits; in winter the light is spectacular

Further reading

For your stay, see where to stay in Sanremo, where to eat in Sanremo and how to get to Sanremo.