Liguria Ponente

This is another report I posted on "A Previous Site"



LIGURIA

Just returned from four nights in Sanremo, and I have a few thoughts to offer.
We flew Easyjet from Liverpool to Nice early Saturday, with no problems; hired a car through-

http://www.carjet.co.uk/
This took an hour and a quarter!

Took the Grand Corniche route to Menton and then along the coast, taking lunch on the Lungomare Argentina at Bordighera, arriving late afternoon at –

http://www.hotellabrise.it/en/index.php

A pleasant welcome at a typically Italian family run Hotel. Room basic, but clean, with a balcony overlooking the sea, unfortunately close to the road, with a little noise from traffic all night.

In view of our early (4.00am) start, siesta lasted until breakfast, again typical – limited but good quality.
We'd stay here again – euro90 per room per night b+b.

Sunday we walked into Sanremo along a converted railway line along the coast. Hotel is about a thirty minute walk into the centre. The path is new and naturally flat, so the exercise is good. Spent time around the harbour and then went up into the old town – Pigna – classic medieval hill town with views from the top over the town and the coast.

Back down to the Harbour for a reasonable pasta lunch at - I think - Bar Da Antonio.

I wanted the seafood Risotto, but Milady likes neither, and it's a dish for two. Looked wonderful though. Walked back to the Hotel and needed another siesta.


Managed to wake up for dinner and drove back into town, to Ristorante Tre Pini, on Corso Trento e Trieste; very pleasant and a nice fish dish "Alla Ligure"

Sanremo is pleasant, but I would imagine very busy in the season. The Town itself is busy all the time and driving during the day is very slow. However it's very laid back and we quickly got into the routine of being let into traffic, and letting others in and out – quite laid back really. What it's like in the season may be different. The seafront, Marina, harbour and the bathing stations are very attractive.

As I said, their is a long promenade converted from the former Railway line. At other locations along this coast, the railway separates the town from the sea, except for a narrow strip, with Lungomare and beach clubs and restaurants. At Sanremo, the railway was diverted at some point, and the resulting path is a superb asset. It must have cost a lot of money to divert. Does anyone Know when this was done, and for what reason?

Monday we drove up into the mountains following an itinerary spotted in the Guardian the week previously.

A slow drive into Ventemiglia, then up to a the village of Dolceaqua – another fortified hill town, built on a bend in the river with a Roman Bridge. Very atmospheric in the old town, with bars and restaurants on the opposite side of the river. There's a local wine made here called Rossese which is palatable.

Onwards to Pigne (same name as Sanremo's old town, apparently due to the similarity to a pine cone) where we had a drink and a sandwich. Once again an atmospheric hill village, with a view across to another – Castel Vittorio.

Took the long way back via narrow switchback mountain roads, but with fabulous views.

Dinner once again in Sanremo – can't remember the name, but a super fillet steak, and mixed grille.

Tuesday we drove along the coast to the East, eventually to the town of Albenga, which has a new town on the coast, but a completely walled old roman town, formerly a port, but now silted up. Our biological clocks hadn't adjusted to the Mediterranean so of course we arrived here just as everyone closed for lunch. There's a very aged baptistery which we'll look at on another occasion.

We stopped for a beer at Caffe Carpe Diem, and were given a complementary plate of various bruschetti, so we decided to have another beer and a sandwich – all excellent. We didn't wait until everywhere opened again, but drove back via Taggia, another walled town going back to the Romans. They do all merge into one after a while, unless you can recall individual features. Taggia has a wonderful Dominican convent (Italian convents are monasteries!) with a superb collection of late medieval paintings. We were let in as they opened, by a charming cleaner, who described everything to us, before giving us the English guide to the paintings, principally by Ludovico Brea.

Taggia is a couple of miles from the sea at Arma di Taggia. We parked on the Lungomare and walked a mile or so in each direction until it seemed time for dinner, at Ristorante Pizzeria La Darsena, at the eastern end – two great pizzas and another beer.

Wednesday we spent just getting back to Nice, with a stop off for Lunch in Menton.

The break was just a taster for the Western Ligurian Riviera and was very pleasant and relaxing. We'll be back again, probably to the Savona area to try some different scenery.

We can wholly recommend all the places I've mentioned and I'm sure there are many other good places.


Some photographs here:

[url=https://s976.photobucket.com/user/neil_delph/library/Liguria ponente?sort=3&page=1]https://s976.photobucket.com/user/neil_delph/library/Liguria%20Ponente?sort=3&page=1[/url]

Since the Gallery system here is limited (I know the financial reason - not a complaint)

Sounds like you enjoyed it. We have just spent the last 18 months living in Bordighera and moved this week up to Apricale (you may or may not have noticed I've been a bit quiet!). You may have passed it on your long windy road back to Sanremo. It's between Pigna and Dolceaqua but you need to turn off to get to it.
We love the area very much as there is so much diversity on your doorstep.

We spent about a week in the area, some 7 years ago, when we were looking at property in Italy and we had not quite decided whether we wanted to be in Liguria or Northern Tuscany. We stayed at a B&B in a lovely Liberty villa in Arma di Taggia. Great little restaurants and trattorias. On the other hand I did not like San Remo, but loved Albenga, Pigna, Dolceacqua and other towns in the area. Inspected a few properties, but nothing we particularly liked. We continued our trip to Lucca and found Bagni di Lucca. But, had we found the right property, I think that we may have settled in Liguria, as it is also a beautiful region.

Admin wrote:We have just spent the last 18 months living in Bordighera and moved this week up to Apricale.

I'm sure we all wish you every happiness in your new home.  

Thank you

...yeh enjoy!!!   

I can remember inspecting a property near Apricale. We loved the area, but that particular house had a very difficult access, which prevented us from buying it. We are not getting any younger. 
I am sure that you will love living there. Enjoy!!!!

Waiting for you to wave. Or will you run up a flag? The box of figs, was it you?

Ha ha. No figs from us!!! I will wave now

 Waving now.... Gone on Sunday 

Great travelogue L'uomo and glad you enjoyed the trip.

Second all the congrats on your move admin. Hope the new business takes off well and you had a few glasses of Prosseco fot the housewarming.  

Just catching up as have been in Italy for a few weeks with limited internet and then back in the UK with no internet - arghhh!  So back in the land of telecoms.  The railway in San Remo was diverted underground I think about 12 years ago to allow for faster trains  - the intention as I understand it was/is for more of the track along the coast to follow suit but nothing more has happened in the 8 years or so we have been visiting the area.  The old railway line that is now a pedestrian/cycle route goes from San Remo as far as San Lorenzo al Mare (near Imperia) around a 40km round trip and is fab - we hired bikes this summer a few times and lived it
We considered briefly about buying a house in San Remo - love the buzz of the place but boy is it busy and in season one solid traffic jam.  We reconsidered and bought in Dolceacqua about 5km from Penny   Our house is currently being renovated and the plan is to move there next Spring/Summer.  Can't wait - absolutely love the area  so glad you enjoyed it too

>>>> The railway in San Remo was diverted underground I think about 12 years ago to allow for faster trains  - the intention as I understand it was/is for more of the track along the coast to follow suit but nothing more has happened in the 8 years or so we have been visiting the area.

Thanks for that. At last I know.

We liked Sanremo a lot.

I think it gets quite busy (!) for the song festival.

We chose to go after seeing it on the BBC Italian language series many years ago, and of course, it features in "The Talented Mr Ripley"

I didn't know Sanremo was in the Talented Mr Ripley! Thanks for that - a good excuse to watch it again  

Thank you for the good wishes. We are enjoying Apricale. Our daughter has started nursery there and the plans are slowly coming together.

It's only a short scene, I think, when they go out in a small boat.

Must watch it again!