Page 170 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

168  THE IT ALIAN RIVIER A AREA B Y AREA

f San Remo the English were, and
the seafront Corso
Imperia. Road Map A5. * 59,000.
V @ n IAT Riviera dei Fiori, Largo Imperatrice was named
Nuvoloni 1, 0184 590 59. _ Festival in honour of Maria
della Canzone Italiana (late Feb or Alexandrovna, wife of
early Mar); Milano–San Remo cycle Tzar Alexander II and a
race (Sat closest to19 Mar); Rally di San frequent visitor to San
Remo (early Oct). ∑ rivieradeifiori. Remo. This seafront
org ∑ comunedisanremo.it boulevard is a favourite
place to stroll, and
Defined, in the eyes of many provides a wonderful
Italians, by its thriving flower taste of the old
industry and its Festival of Italian aristocratic resort. San Remo’s famous casino
Song, San Remo is also one of Beyond Lungomare
the Italian Riviera’s best-known Vittorio Emanuele II and Santuario di Nostra Signora
and most atmospheric resorts. Lungomare Italo Calvino, della Costa, remodelled in the
The city is divided into three where the streets are broken up 1630s. There is a fine pebble
distinct areas: Corso Matteotti by lawns, the road continues to mosaic outside and four statues
and the surrounding area (the the modern marina, Portosole, by Maragliano on the high altar.
heart of the shopping district), La and the old, (or town), port. As well as shops, there are
Pigna (the old town), and the At the end of Corso Trento e some interesting palazzi on
west end of the seafront, which Trieste, beyond the Giardini Corso Matteotti. One of these
was the heart of the resort during Ormond, stands Villa Nobel, is Palazzo Borea d’Olmo, a
its heyday. where Alfred Nobel, the curious mix of Mannerism
Tourism, mainly English, famous Swedish scientist and Baroque. As the
boomed in San Remo from the lived, and where he Museo Civico, it houses
mid-1800s to the early 1900s, a died in 1896. a mix of archaeological
period of great expansion when The other part of San finds, Garibaldian relics
all manner of grand hotels and Remo that no one and 18th- and 19th-
villas were built, including should miss is its century paintings.
various Art Nouveau palazzi. medieval “città Finally, for a
There is no better Belle Epoque vecchia”, fortified fascinating insight
monument than the splendid in the 11th century into the local flower
and still-thriving Casinò in order to keep out the trade, visit San Remo’s
Municipale, built by Eugenio Saracens. The area is famous wholesale flower
Ferret in 1904–06. known as La Pigna, market, which lies
Another unmistakable San or pine cone, Statue of Spring, on the San just east of the
Remo landmark, with its onion because of its layout: Remo seafront city centre in the
domes, is the Russian Orthodox the maze of alleys, Armea valley.
Church, built in the 1920s. steps, arches and covered
The Russians were almost as walkways are spread out in con- E Museo Civico
passionate about San Remo as cen tric circles from the top of Corso Matteotti 143.
the hill. The main Tel 0184 531 942. Open 9am–7pm
monuments, including the Tue–Sat. &
cathedral and the Oratorio
dell’Immacolata Concezione Environs
(1563), are found in the About 10 km (6 miles) east
central Piazza San Siro. of San Remo is the suburb of
The Cathedral of San Siro, Bussana Nuova and, beyond,
founded in the 12th is Bussana Vecchia, one of the
century, has two fine side most charming spots on the
doors featuring bas-reliefs Riviera di Ponente.
in the lunette: the one on Destroyed by the 1887
the left, which dates from earthquake, which left only
the 12th century, represents the bell tower of the Baroque
the Agnello pasquale, or church of Sacro Cuore intact,
paschal lamb. Inside, there Bussana Vecchia was partially
are three aisles and three restored in the 1960s, when
apses, extended in 1600. an artists’ colony moved in.
There are good works The artists opened up studios
of art including a 15th- and crafts workshops, but took
century Crucifixion. care to change the original
At the top of La Pigna appearance of the village as
The harbour at San Remo is the sumptuous little as possible.
The medieval village of Dolceacqua

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