San Remo
Located just 30 miles from the French Border, San Remo offers a wonderful slice of old-fashioned Riviera grandeur. High-rise free with luxury villas lined with palm trees, long expansive beaches with cabana filled beach clubs and a large walk along the Mediterranean. Beyond the manicured lawns and belle époque hotels, an old town with a maze of twisting lanes that cascade down the Ligurian hillside is hidden. Curling around the base is a 15 mile bike and walking path that tracks the coast as far as Imperia, following the course of a former railway line and passing through the town's two character-filled harbors. The nightlife is excellent, with its glittering Casino Municipal. La Pigna, the Pinecone, is the oldest part of the city. La Pigna's tiny street and covered alleyways wind up the hill to the gardens and sanctuary at the top.
Visit and explore the Madonna della Costa Sanctuary (on the hilltop above la Pigna, a beautiful cobblestone mosaic, dating from 1651 leads the way to the sanctuary.); The Gardens of Queen Elena on top of the hill above La Pigna; The gardens of Villa Zirio, Villa Ormond, Villa Nobeland Palazzo Bellevue and so much more.