San Remo and the Riviera dei Fiori - hidden gems

This is a three-day itinerary Starting from San Remo and Proceeding toward the border with France. I have spent more than 15 years of my youth in Ospedaletti every summer and these are all the hidden gems that my local friends and I used to visit, particularly close to my heart. I hope you will enjoy it! To better enjoy this itinerary I suggest having a car, because the shifts from one location to the other, considering the public transport and the nearby mountains are much easier with it.

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Day 1

San Remo

Via Giacomo Matteotti

@beatricelugano

This is the most important street in San Remo, where you find the Ariston Theater, where every spring the renowned musical festival takes place. Here you can find lots of fancy shops where you can buy the real made in Italy and is definitely a must-visit. Take a walk, look at the shops and maybe, if it is the season of the Festival, you can meet some Italian singer 😉

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La Pigna di Sanremo

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La Pigna di San Remo is the old town. It is a little bit north compared to Via Matteotti and you have to be prepared to walk because the small streets form a labyrinth that develops in a concentric form. Be prepared to walk! There are lots of nice bars and restaurants in the Pigna, but my favourite is the one in the next card. The name is Pigna because of a fountain with a pinecone (pigna in Italian) right in the middle of the old town.

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Taverna Al 29

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At the entrance of the old town, you can find this lovely small typical restaurant. My parents used to love this place. The legend says that it is called like this, because the owner bet on the number 29 of the roulette at the casinó and won enough money to open the restaurant 🤭 Wonderful fish dishes, although I preferred the zucchini pie, not sure if they have it still on the menu but if they do, give it a try.

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Porto vecchio

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After a nice walk in the upper part of the city, arriving in the late afternoon, or early evening, I suggest you take a walk at the Porto Vecchio, a lovely area that offers as well nice restaurants and pubs with an amazing view of the gulf. take your time and enjoy "il dolce far niente" 😉

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Pizzeria - Friggitoria "Al Sessantuno"

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Near the Porto Vecchio, you will find this amazing Neapolitan-style pizzeria, that also has wonderful fish dishes. Absolutely to try!!! Order an impepata di cozze or the antipasto misto di mare caldo and then let me know 😃

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Living Garden

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How about to finish the dinner with an amazing gelato? After a short walk from Al Sessantuno, you can arrive at Living Garden, the most famous gelateria of the Riviera. Sometimes, especially in the summer, they have live music. The specialty of Living Garden is hands down the mangia e bevi, a gelato with lots of fresh fruit and whipped cream. I usually had the banana split, really energetic, but all kinds of gelato are really good. The terrace at the sea is beautiful but sometimes attended by pigeons and seagulls, so check it out and in case stay on the inside 😉

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Casinò di Sanremo

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If you feel in the mood, you can finish your day testing your luck at the Casinó di San Remo. Remember that you have to be 18 or older to be allowed to enter and that a formal dress (jacket and tie for men and elegant dress for women) is required.

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Day 2

Bussana Vecchia

Bussana Vecchia

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At ca. 20 minutes by car from San Remo you will reach Bussana Vecchia, a lovely medieval village on the inside of the Riviera (in Italian called Entroterra). This town has been abandoned in 1887 after an earthquake and then repopulated in the 1960ies by a community of artists. You will find craft shops, restaurants, cafes, and can have a lovely time. The whole village can be seen in around an hour but maybe you can find some exhibition or event that can elongate your stay. I have thought of dedicating a morning to it and finishing with a lunch.

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Osteria Degli Artisti

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The oldest restaurant of Bussana, typical cuisine and sometimes live music. Beautiful atmosphere!

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After you leave Bussana Vecchia, I give to you a couple more of options to get to know the beautiful "entroterra ligure".

The first is Perinaldo, an interesting village chosen among one of "The most beautiful villages of Italy" (I borghi più belli d'Italia); the other is Triora, the witches' village.

Both are about one hour of distance by car from Bussana Vecchia, so you can decide which one to visit 😃

Perinaldo

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At more or less one hour by car from Bussana, you can arrive at Perinaldo, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Here, beyond the interesting churches, you can visit as well an Observatory and the "Lago del Funtanin".

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Triora

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At an hour from Bussana Vecchia, you have this other gem. From Wikipedia: The town is an elite member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia, a list of the top 100 most beautiful medieval citadels in Italy. It also has been awarded a Touring Club Italiano Bandiera arancione, a similarly prestigious achievement recognizing the best places for tourists to enjoy. Triora was the site of the last witch trials held in Italy, during the Renaissance. As such it has been selected as the location of a series of folklore- and horror-themed events and festivals in recent years. It has three annual festivals: a summer witchcraft festival, in August; and two autumn celebrations: the mushroom festival in September; and Halloween, at the end of October. Then there are the many smaller fairs of the year, including the Christmas bonfire on 24 December; St. John of the Meadows, the local patron saint's day, on 23 June; a chestnut fair in October; an All Souls Day fair, at the start of November; and a series of Easter parades, before, during and after Holy Week, each Spring.

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I suggest you to choose one of the two citadels to visit in the afternoon, after Bussana Vecchia, because reaching Triora from Perinaldo and vice versa would take you by car almost one hour and a half 😉

Day 3

Ospedaletti

Ospedaletti is a great place to stay. I am biased because I spent a big part of my teenage years and many of my friends were born there, but this little town is absolutely amazing to me, I firmly believe it deserves every compliment I make 😉

It does not have all the chaos and fuss of San Remo but it has nice beaches and amazing liberty style buildings. A stunning passeggiata where you can have a lovely gelato in the evening and nice cozy restaurants.

I suggest you to stay here for the day at the beach and to relax after the excursion days.

Ristorante Bagni Regina

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This place has improved so much since I was hanging around here when I was a young girl. Amazing seafood and lovely terrazza sul mare where you can enjoy your aperitivo. It is a beach resort as well. Highly recommended

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Ristorante Playa79 Stabilimento Balneare

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Similar to Bagni Regina, you have bagni La Playa, great food as well, and nice ambient. This was the favourite place of our parents 😃

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La Fugassa

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Nice bar where you can taste Sardeinara, a soft kind of pizza with tomato, olives from Taggia, anchovies, and capris. Great as street food or to accompany an aperitivo.

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Bordighera

After lunch you can decide to stay the whole day at the beach or leave direction French border and reach Bordighera, lovely typical town

Villa Regina Margherita

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The official winter residence of the Queen Margherita di Savoia, this magnificent villa built in 1914 has hosted many notable figures from Fogazzaro to Carducci. Enjoy the beauty of the neo-baroque style of the rooms and the lushious gardens.

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Church Sant 'Ampelio

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This lovely church on the southmost cape of Liguria is a little gem. Stroll around the area and enjoy the beautiful sea view. During the summer, not far away from the church you will find a typical kiosk where you can refresh with a nice slice of watermelon.

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Clarence Bicknell Museum and Library

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A fascinating place. Founded in 1888 by Bicknell himself, this venue has hosted science gatherings and contemplation of nature. Nowadays the museum hosts Bicknell collection and a vast library. Worth a visit.

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Maoma Beach

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If you decide to stay in Bordighera for dinner, I truly recommend this hidden gem: a small restaurant with daily fished fish, a familiar atmosphere, and a great view. I suggest the fritto misto, a cloud!!

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Where to stay

3 hotels, 3 different budgets. The area is filled by beautiful b'n'bs but, as mentioned before, I do not trust to refer anyone specifically because having my own house I did not experienced them.

The hotels that I suggest are widely renowned and many friends of mine have visited them.

Grand Hotel Des Anglais

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The best in the range. You can choose the sea view, the garden view or the mountains and you have the spa as well. The restaurant offers international cuisine with a menu that changes every day based on the seasonal products of both sea and mountain. Buffet breakfast is continental.

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Hotel Petit Royal

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A liberty, petite hotel curated in the details, with cozy rooms and an incredible position. With continental breakfast and à la carte menu, it offers transport service to and from Nice airport.

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Grand Hotel del Mare

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Beautiful position for this hotel with a spa and seawater pool. The private beach and beautiful gardens are for sure a plus. Full of services and at 1.4 km from Bordighera

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beatrice Lugano

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👋🏻 Hej allihoppa! My name is Beatrice and I am an Italian 🇮🇹 living in Sweden 🇸🇪. I left Milano 6 years ago for the Venice of the North and can't wait to show you all my favorite places to experience the true Swedish lifestyle. Så mysig!! 🧁☕️ Here in Stockholm, I do couple and portrait photography and always help my clients (most tourists) to have a wonderful time in this beautiful city. I love giving them the best suggestions and I will do the same for you. I also love to explore the city with my family, most itineraries will be family-tailored! Milan is where I was born and lived. most of my life, so I will share with you all my secrets about this incredible city. My background is artistic, so I will always include some nice museums or activities to visit in my guides. I have worked many years as a photographer on location this is why I have good experience of Egypt, the Caribbeans, Zanzibar, Madagascar, and Viet Nam. I am a food lover too, so I will include the best spots to eat amazing food. Can't wait to share all of this!!! See you soon ⭐️

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