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Table of Contents:
How to get to Sanremo from Genoa
How to get to Sanremo from Milan
How to get to Nice from Sanremo
When to travel to Sanremo
Sanremo is a popular Italian resort located in the north of the Ligurian coast in the province of Imperia. Sanremo is the fourth largest city in Liguria. In addition to the developed touristic infrastructure, well-equipped beaches and beautiful Ligurian sea, the city has gained popularity due to the rallies and music festivals that are held here. Travelling around Liguria, do not miss this unique destination to see.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Sanremo. I figured out how to get to the sea resort, where to stay & what to do there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Sanremo.
To my mind, Sanremo has a rather mild climate with warm and sunny summers and rainy, but not too cold winters. The swimming period lasts from June until mid. September. Sanremo is visited both by locals and tourists who like the vibes of chilling and who want to try their fortune as Sanremo is known not only for beaches, but also for the Casino.
How to get to Sanremo
Where do you fly into to get to Sanremo? The closest international airports to San Remo are in Genoa and Milan. You can check the current flight timetable to both cities via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. Based on my experience, Aviasales has a very convenient search. I often use this service as it helps me to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. You can get to Sanremo from Genoa and Milan by train, by taxi or by car.
How to get to Sanremo from Genoa
Genoa is the administrative center of Liguria and geographically occupies an approximately central position in the region, so it is quite convenient to get to all Ligurian resort towns from Genoa, including to Sanremo. After some map research, I figured out that the distance between Genoa and Sanremo is approximately 145 km. San Remo is located north of Genoa, 50 km from the border with France.
By train: Trains between Genoa and Sanremo start running from 5 am with a frequency of 1 time per hour during the day. The fastest trains are the IC type; you can get to the resort by them in 1 hour and 50 minutes. Regional trains travel more slowly as they make more stops along the way; the travel time can last from 2 to 3 hours. Most Genoa – Sanremo trains are direct, but there are also some options with a change; in that case the journey takes about 3 hours. You can check the current train timetable in advance at the Raileurope booking service. You can purchase train tickets from Genoa to Sanremo either at the station ticket office (the train station is called Genova Piazza Principe) or online. I tried both variants and as a rule when booking online in advance I have more options available.
By taxi: The travel time from Genoa airport to Sanremo by taxi takes you about 2 hours, depending on traffic congestion. You can find a taxi right at the airport, or order it in advance via specialized booking services, for example, via Kiwitaxi and others similar. If you order a car in advance, a driver will already be waiting for you at the time of your arrival. I read the reviews of the Kiwitaxi service and most of them are positive. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: For those who have a driver’s license, there is another travel option, i.e., renting a car in Genoa. In Genoa you can find many rental companies offering this service. You can also rent a car at Genoa airport, which will allow you to go to your destination immediately upon arrival. You can book a car in advance for the dates of your trip via various international online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. In my point of view, both online services have a very convenient search so I would recommend comparing their results to choose the best available one. Genoa and Sanremo are connected with # A10/E80 motorway, which lies along the sea shore and other resort towns of Liguria. The travel time is approximately 2 hours (see on the map).
You can book the desired class of car in advance. During the holiday season, early booking will allow you to choose the best option in terms of price and quality, as Genoa is a popular tourist destination. In addition, having a car, you can go on a trip to another Ligurian destination, visit some large cities such as Genoa or Turin or even travel to neighboring France, which is an absolutely gorgeous idea, in my opinion.
How to get to Sanremo from Milan
Milan is located 270 km from Sanremo. You can get there by train, by taxi or by car. Traveling around Italy by train is the most optimal both in terms of price and time (high-speed trains are available). A taxi ride is quite expensive compared to a train, but a taxi option may be useful on night trips when trains do not operate. As a variant, travellers with a driver`s license can also rent a car for their trip. It is obviously a very convenient option when moving around a lot.
By train: You can get to Sanremo from Milan either by direct trains or with a change in Genoa. In the first case, the travel time takes about 3.5 hours, in the second one is about 4.5 hours. Trains start running from 7 am. High-speed trains type IC or EC guarantee the shortest travel time, while regional trains type R or RE take longer because they have more stops along the way. Trains between Milan Central Station and Sanremo run every 2 hours. You can check the current train timetable in advance at the Raileurope booking service. You can purchase train tickets from Milan to Sanremo either at the station ticket office (the train station is Milano Centrale) or online. I mostly book tickets online which is very convenient, in my opinion. It helps me to plan my trips in advance and go ahead without any worries.
By taxi: The travel time from Milan to Sanremo by taxi takes about 3 hours 20 minutes. You can find a taxi at the airport upon arrival, or order it in advance via different booking services such as Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and other similar ones. If you order a car in advance, a driver will be waiting for you at the time of your arrival. Based on my research, these online services have a lot of positive reviews that is why I can recommend them.
By rented car: You can also get to Sanremo from Milan by rented car. The distance between the cities is 270 km; they are connected with highways No. A7 and No. A10/E80; the approximate travel time is 3 hours (see on the map). Car renting in Milan is extremely popular. You can find a car for renting both in Milan city center and at the Malpensa Airport. You can also book the desired class of car in advance via various booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. If you arrive at Bergamo airport, which is close to Milan, then renting a car at Bergamo Airport is also not a problem. The distance from Bergamo to Sanremo is 325 km; the motorways are the same.
Where to stay in Sanremo
Sanremo, being a resort town, has a well-developed touristic infrastructure. It is convenient to get here by public transport or by rented car from Genoa, Milan and the French Riviera. The number of resort hotels are also quite significant. Here you can find both luxurious 5- and 4-star hotels, as well as cozy guest houses, B&B hotels and apartments. I did some research and found out that the following hotels are rather popular in Sanremo:
Grand Hotel & Des Anglais 4* is located directly on the sea shore, a 2-minute walk from the beach. The majority of hotel rooms offer picturesque sea views. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar, a free parking area, and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel;
Hotel Paradiso 4* has a heated outdoor pool, a sun terrace, a garden, a parking lot for 30 + more cars, as well as a private beach with umbrellas, sun loungers and a shower cabin. There is also a Magnolia restaurant and an American-style bar on site;
Hotel Belle Epoque 3* has a 24-hour bar, a bicycle rental service and paid public parking. Internet is available free of charge both in the hotel lobby and in the rooms. The spa center is a 3-minute walk from the hotel. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I discovered that the location of the hotel is directly in the town center;
Hotel Villa Sophia 3* is located in a small villa near the private beach and other attractions of Sanremo. Free parking is available. The hotel rooms are divided into single, double and triple rooms. Depending on the room type, the price may include breakfast, half board or full board. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel;
Casa Zeffirino is close to the beach area of Sanremo. The Ariston Theater and Casino are also within walking distance. The rooms have TV, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, telephone, safe and hairdryer. Breakfast is included in the price. There is paid parking nearby the hotel.
What to see in Sanremo
Sanremo is a relatively small town on the shore, but it has become famous for its entertainment and interesting events that take place here year after year. In this regard, tourism in Sanremo is also event-based, i.e. tourists come to the resort timing their trip to coincide with a specific cultural event, be it a music festival or a car rally.
La Pigna area
The La Pigna city district is the only surviving medieval area in Sanremo, with its narrow cobbled streets, gothic-style arches and stone squares. Saint Stephen’s Gate, Piazza dei Dolori, Gentil Spinola Palace, Sapia Rossi Palace and the Church of San Giuseppe are the most considerable attractions here. According to my research, all these sights date back to the 15th-17th centuries. La Pigna is a purely pedestrian area and you can’t drive here by car; on the other hand, the area is so compact that you can get around it on foot without any problems.
Sanremo Casino and Ariston Theater
Sanremo Casino, built at the beginning of the 20th century, has a long history. The pompous building in the Art Nouveau style invites you to visit both traditional gambling rounds and ultra-modern slot machines. Along with the Monte Carlo Casino, the local casino is considered to be one of the oldest casinos in Europe. Various tournaments and championships are often held here, including, for example, the European poker tournament. In addition to the casino, the building has also a restaurant, an exhibition hall, where art exhibitions are held, and cinema and theater areas.
Ariston is a theater and a cinema in one. Various performances are held on theater stages, while in the modern cinema area you can watch newly-released movies. The famous music festival of Sanremo is also held here.
Churches of Sanremo
The religious architectural monuments include the Cathedral of San Siro and the Orthodox Church of Sanremo. San Siro Cathedral is considered to be the oldest cathedral in the city, its construction dating back to the 12th century. The cathedral has Gothic exteriors, and several valuable relics are located inside the building.
The Orthodox Church in Sanremo was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The church has 5 domes, and its external decoration is made in the Moscow style. Unfortunately, during the war it was not possible to avoid the destruction of the church, so what we see today is its restored version.
Museums of Sanremo
Among the museums of Sanremo, the City Museum and the Rambaldi Art Gallery are certainly worthy of attention. The City Museum of Sanremo occupies the building of the former Olmo Palace, designed in the Baroque style and attracting thousands of tourists with its external decoration. The external decor impresses absolutely anyone. There are sculptures made by Michelangelo’s students, carved portals, a chapel with a marble altar, as well as many beautiful frescoes and stained glass windows. In the museum exposition you can see both archaeological exhibits and artistic works of Italian masters from various Epochs.
From my perspective, the Rambaldi Gallery is no less attractive. The gallery collections are works of Italian artists from the 15th to 19th centuries. Just like the City Museum, the Rambaldi Art Gallery is located in a former palace, although not as pompous as the Olmo Palace.
Villas and gardens of Sanremo
Once upon a time, every Italian aristocratic family had a house here. Over time, some of the aristocratic families lost or sold their houses, and the villas were auctioned off or placed under the management of city authorities. That is why today tourists can freely observe not only the external facades, but also the interior decoration and spacious park areas hidden behind the villas` walls.
The city authorities have turned many villas into municipal museums, so many of them are open to visitors to the city. For example, the Nobel Villa, now a City Museum, is of particular artistic value. The interiors of the villa have been carefully preserved.
Well, if you want to take a walk along the famous landscaped gardens of Sanremo, then go to Villa Ormond. The villa is used for the needs of the civil authorities, but the park is open to visitors. Here you can see rare plants and trees from the Mediterranean region and from more exotic places.
Beaches of Sanremo
As I see it, a holiday in San Remo would be incomplete without a beach holiday. Why are the beaches of Sanremo so good? The thing is that the Ligurian shore is quite rocky and has many cliffs. The beaches of Sanremo are attractive because they are located in the bay and have sandy and sand-pebble coverage. In addition, the beaches here are considered to be one of the most well-equipped.
Another feature of Sanremo beaches is that most of them are private and not municipal. That is why many tourists prefer to find hotels in the resort that have their own private beaches, so as not to worry about where to swim. However, there are still public beaches in Sanremo, but you will still have to pay for such equipment as sun loungers and umbrellas, if you plan to use them.
How to get to Nice from Sanremo
Sanremo is a very popular resort, but its location makes it an excellent starting point for visiting other cities of the Ligurian Riviera, as well as the neighboring French Cote d’Azur region. The distance from Sanremo to the border with France is about 50 km. Such famous resort towns as Menton, Monte Carlo, Cannes and, finally, Nice are located on the French Riviera.
Between Nice and Sanremo there are only 55 km, which means that Nice can be a great idea for a day trip from Sanremo. There are several ways to get from Sanremo to Nice. Firstly, these are trains. Both regional (2 hours with a change in Ventimiglia) and high-speed trains (1 hour or so; direct routes) run between the resorts. Trains travel along the route every half an hour during the day, so there are no problems with going to Nice and returning to Sanremo the same day. You can check the current train timetable in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I love this online planner and I totally recommend it for using when you are going to the Liguria region and French Riviera.
Another option is to rent a car. Between Sanremo and Nice there are the # A10/E80 and A8 highways (see on the map). The roads have very good quality and coverage and pass through picturesque areas surrounded by mountains. In my opinion, such a trip can be not only the fastest in time compared to trains, but also very interesting. As far as I know, there are a couple of rental offices operated in Sanremo.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase 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: Kent Wang
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…