Sanremo (Sanrému in Italian), formerly called Villa Matutiæ, today is known as the city of blooms as it is renowned for the cultivation of flowers. It is an Italian town of about 50,000 inhabitants located in the province of Imperia, in Liguria. The city takes its name from the original name Castrum Sancti Romuli in honor of San Romolo, the saint revered by the population, today it is a patron saint of this place and locals. However, San Romolo in dialect sounded San Romiu and was soon crippled in San Remo.
Due to its geographical position, as it is located in an inlet sheltered by the mountains, the city has a very mild climate and offers wonderful views from both an architectural and landscape point of view. But let us explore it a little bit more.
What to Visit in Sanremo?
Sanremo is one of the best-known tourist resorts of the Riviera dei Fiori. Located on the highest part of the city, it is the Old Sanremo and it was founded around the year 1000. It can be reached by passing the Porta di Santo Stefano, a Gothic stone arch that dates back to the 1300s. The oldest and most impressive part of the city is the Pigna. This part is famous for its characteristic crowded streets and medieval fortifications that resemble the scales of a pinecone with the houses perched in medieval style, steep alleys, small historic squares.
The modern city that once was a fishing village, now is a refined tourist center known all over the world, which hosts visitors and tourists in all seasons entertained with the various events and landscape attractions: lush gardens, multicolored flower beds, and tropical plants. The villas and gardens of Sanremo deserve a special mention: Villa Ormond with its park full of exotic plants; Villa Nobel, where Alfred Nobel lived, which today houses the museum on discoveries and inventions of the nineteenth century, and Villa Zirio that is a home of the Symphony Orchestra, one of the oldest Italian musical foundations. Via Matteotti known as “La Tub” is a very famous place also: it is the long pedestrian street that houses the Ariston Theater. It might be called the main and most chic street of Sanremo with fancy restaurants and the most luxury shops.
Enjoy A Bike Ride
For those who love cycling with a view of the sea, the Ponente Ligure Cycle Path offers breathtaking paths. An oasis placed between maritime pines and beaches, skirting the sea for a good 24 km. The Sanremo cycle path is one of the largest pedestrians and cycle paths in the Mediterranean area. Access is also allowed to pedestrians, who have a special lane reserved, and to roller-skates or skateboard enthusiasts, in fact it is accessible on foot, by bicycle, roller-skates and skateboards. It is suitable for families with children, with refreshment points and bike rental. Enjoyable all year round, it is also equipped with wi-fi. The construction of the first stretches began in 2008 and a further extension, which would bring the total length of the route to 60 km, is still on the go.
