Table of Contents:
How to get to Bordighera from Genoa
How to get to Bordighera from Milan
How to get to Bordighera from Sanremo
How to get from Bordighera to Nice
When to travel to Bordighera
Bordighera was once a small fishing village, but with the development of tourism in Northern Italy it has become a popular resort, which for many years has held a leading place as a holiday destination along with the neighboring Sanremo, Ventimiglia and some other resorts of the Italian Riviera. Bordighera is famous for its historical sights, green gardens, and well-groomed beaches. In addition, Bordighera can be a great starting point for exploring the region of Liguria.
The “high” touristic season starts in Bordighera in June and ends approximately in the middle of September; sometimes it lasts even longer. This is the period when travellers come to the resort to enjoy swimming and sunbathing. The period from November until April is less visited by tourists, but those who come, may enjoy trying local food and sightseeing. Winters in Bordighera are quite mild and sometimes a bit rainy.
How to get to Bordighera
Where do you fly into to get to Bordighera? Geographically, Bordighera is located in Northern Italy, in the province of Imperia, Liguria region. You can get here from Genoa or Milan. You can check the current flight timetable to both cities via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. Tourists also often visit Bordighera from neighboring French cities. Be it Genoa or Milan or towns of French Riviera, you can get to Bordighera by public transport, by taxi service or by rented car.
How to get to Bordighera from Genoa
By train: Direct regional trains run between Genoa and Bordighera daily. The first train departs at 5 a.m. and then run once an hour during the day. The travel time is just a little less than 3 hours. You can check the current train timetable in advance and purchase tickets at the Raileurope booking service.
By rented car: In total, the distance between Genoa and Bordighera is about 150 km; they are connected with highway No. A10/E80, which passes through such picturesque towns as Savona, Finale Ligure, Alassio and Imperia (see on the map). Also 12 km from Bordighera there is another famous resort called Sanremo. You can get to Bordighera by rented car. Car rental offices are open both in city areas of Genoa and at airport. As an option, tourists can also book a car in advance via different online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. A trip by car is not only incomparably more comfortable and faster, but also opens up a lot of opportunities for exploring the picturesque sea shore. If you wish, you can also go to neighboring France in a rented car.
How to get to Bordighera from Milan
By train: The distance between Milan and Bordighera is almost 300 km. Direct high-speed IC trains run from Milan Main Station to Bordighera several times a day. The travel time is just a little less than 4 hours. There is also an option to get there with a change in Genoa, but in that case, the duration of the trip increases in proportion to the duration of the change. You can check the current train timetable in advance and purchase tickets at the Raileurope booking service.
By rented car: Tourists can also rent a car in Milan to travel to Liguria. There is a lot of car rental points in Milan, be it the city center or the airport. Travellers can also book a car in advance using various international services, for instance, Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Milan and Bordighera are connected with #A7 and #A10/E80 motorways. The travel time is about 3 hours 40 minutes (see on the map).
How to get to Bordighera from Sanremo
By train: Tourists often arrive in Bordighera from the neighboring town of Sanremo. Traveling between the two resorts is quite easy; the distance between them is only 12 km. You can get there in just 10 minutes by regional train. Trains run approximately once per hour. You can check the current train timetable in advance and purchase tickets at the Raileurope booking service.
Where to stay in Bordighera
Bordighera has more reasonable hotel prices compared to neighboring Sanremo, however, there are somewhat fewer accommodations here, so when choosing this resort as your main place of stay, it is recommended to book a hotel room as early as possible before the start of the “high” season. In “low” season, as a rule, there are no problems with room availability.
Grand Hotel Del Mare Resort& Spa 5* is located 2 km from the center of Bordighera, on the first beach line and surrounded with a garden. Guests can enjoy an outdoor seawater swimming pool, a Turkish bath, hydromassage, a sauna, a sensory shower and a gym. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. You can stay in rooms of various categories. Most rooms have sea views. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site. The front desk is available 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage and currency exchange services;
Hotel Astoria, 3* is located in a quiet area of the town in a 19th century villa. The rooms have garden views. Free private parking is available. An outdoor terrace, a lounge area and a bar are provided on site;
Villa Gaia – Luxury Villa & wellness rooms is located on a hill, 2 km from the center of Bordighera. The hotel area offers panoramic views of the sea. It features a cozy garden and an outdoor swimming pool. Guests can stay in standard rooms or apartments. Breakfast is included. Each room is also equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site.
What to see in Bordighera
Bordighera is divided into 2 parts called the Old Town, where historical monuments are perfectly preserved, and the New one with a wonderful promenade area, the longest in all of Liguria, and beaches. In addition, popular holiday activities in Bordighera include trips to the surrounding area, for example, to the Crosia and Nervia valleys, as well as to neighboring towns such as Sanremo in Italy and Nice in France.
The old part of Bordighera is a labyrinth of narrow streets where you can find many interesting historical objects. For example, the 11th-century Romanesque-style church of St. Ampelius, or the 16th-century parish church of Santa Magdalena, has been preserved here. Historical monuments also include the Anglican Church of the early 19th century, the Town Wall and three Town Gates, the Town Hall and some others. Of the more modern buildings, you may be impressed with the luxurious villas of the 19th century, for example, Villa Garnier, resemble to the Parisian opera, or Villa Margarita, which served as the winter residence for Queen Margaret of Savoy. You should definitely go inside, where a rich collection of paintings by local masters has been preserved.
It is definitely worth taking a walk along the longest promenade on the entire Ligurian coast called the Argentinean embankment, which stretches 2 km along the town. If you are not afraid to climb the mountain, then on the mountainous terraces of Bordighera you can find the wonderful Pallanca Garden of Exotic Plants, home to more than 3,000 species of exotic plants collected from all over the world. There is also another original plant park in Bordighera called Winter Garden, which contains a collection of Mediterranean flora, especially many different citrus trees and plants.
Outside of Bordighera there is also something to see. Within 2-4 km there are many villages preserved, the facades of which has not changed since the Middle Ages. Such areas are usually called the Crozia Valley and the Nervia Valley. Special walking routes are available here, along which you can see vineyards, olive groves, small villages located at the bottom of the valley, as well as preserved medieval buildings, including bridges, castles and living quarters. The settlements such as Soldano, Perinaldo, Apricale (Crozia Valley), Camporosso, Dolceacqua, Isolobona, Pigna (Nervia Valley) and others are definitely worth visiting.
Beaches of Bordighera
Bordighera has both public beaches and private ones belonging to the specific hotels. If the main goal of your vacation is swimming and sunbathing, then it makes sense to initially look for a hotel with its own beach area, since such places are usually not crowded, which means a more relaxing vacation is guaranteed. On the public beaches of Bordighera, which, by the way, are pebbly, you can engage in active sports, such as water skiing or surfing. At night, on the beaches of Bordighera, various entertainment options are available, including nightclubs, bars, open-air discos.
If you prefer sandy beaches, then you should go to neighboring Sanremo. If you want to try the famous beaches of Nice, then read how to get to this famous resort of the French Riviera.
How to get from Bordighera to Nice
A frequent entertainment for tourists vacationing in Bordighera is a trip to neighboring towns of the French Riviera; Nice is especially popular in this regard. The distance between the towns is 45 km (see on the map). If you decide to visit Nice by train, please, note, that you will have to make a short change in Ventimiglia, because all trains heading to France have a change in this town. However, the change does not take much time, and in total you will spend about 1 hour on the way. You can check the current train timetable in advance and purchase tickets at the Raileurope booking service.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out a travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerged medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase an insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Ricc_HB74
The author is Julia Mam
Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more…
