“Smell the Sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly”, - Van Morrison
This is a place where the sky touches the Sea…
It was my first feeling when I entered Sanremo- the city of music and the Sun, the city where the world-famous Sanremo Musical Festival is being held every year, starting from 1951.
Nestled in a beautiful Ligurian landscape, Sanremo is where the sounds of sea waves and heartfelt musical notes connect with one another and inspire the world to be as one. “Nel Blu dipinto di Blu, felice di stare lassu” – “Blue painted in the Blue, happy to be up there”… Domenico Modugno sang in his greatest of songs “Volare”- “To Fly” (the winning song of Sanremo Festival 1958). This is how you feel, when in Sanremo… The blue of the sea makes you feel like flying.
I travelled to the city of music and flowers, filled with great intentions and determined to fulfil some of my deepest wishes. My visit encompassed in itself various plans, one of which was surely a travel that I am so passionate about.
How the Touring Part of My Visit Began
In the wake of a melody, I walked through the lovely streets of the city. Later on, my eyes gazed towards the seafront. Ruled by the desire to feel closer to the sea, my feet took me towards the Porto Vecchio - the Old Harbour. The harbour is something spectacular that pleases your eye sight with inspiring colour play. As a creative soul, I might say this scenery is an exciting spot to produce artworks for painters and photography amateurs.
A breath of fresh marine air calmed my mind and elicited a sense of tender nostalgia… To seek some joyful inspiration, I went in the direction of the Centro (the Centre) and Teatro Ariston (the venue of Sanremo Song Festival). Then I wandered around the mesmerizing park named after the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel and collected memories by the help of the camera.
Whilst distancing from the seafront, I still could find myself smelling the subtle fragrance of the sea and hear delightful singing of the seagulls. I have to confess that from what I experienced in Sanremo, some of the most intriguing sounds were played by the seagulls, intensifying their sounds during the night time.
Sanremo first and foremost is known for its Song festival and the Casino Municipale, but that is not all this sunny city represents. Located in one of the most picturesque regions of Italy- Liguria, Sanremo boasts with spectacular sceneries and corners one could ever imagine. Wandering around the narrow alleys will surely lead you to something attractive. Cobblestone streets, colourful window frames, ornamental balconies are there to charm you endlessly:
Herewith, you will find suggestions on what you should not miss when in Sanremo:
The grand Casino of Sanremo- Casino Municipale was constructed in Art Nouveau style and is nowadays one of the major landmarks of the city. It does not matter whether you are an ardour gamer or craving to get rich in one go, this building will entice you with its majestic architecture. While being an icon of wealth, the Casino Municipale may absolutely be named as an icon of architectural grace. Due to its central location, the Casino of Sanremo will also give you the chance to explore other well-known adjacent sites of interest combining with a shopping in the Corso Matteotti- the main shopping street in Sanremo.
Continue your way back towards the Casino to reach the Russian Orthodox Church in Sanremo, which has an interesting story: It is believed that Russians migrated to Sanremo by following the Russian Tsarina (Queen) Maria Aleksandrovna- the wife of Alexander II. The church attracts visitors by its interior design enhanced with Russian icons. Maria had a great significance for the city of Sanremo: according to belief, she loved spending winters in Sanremo and hence, created a tradition of Russians visiting this city during the winter time. Later on, she donated Sanremo palm trees that are still adorning the promenade. The city wished to thank her by naming the promenade “Corso Imperatrice”.
Get a taste of luxury through Corso Degli Inglesi with its glamorous villas and enchanting gardens.
Cycling route in Sanremo (Cycling Riviera) is a beautiful way to explore the seafront. It is believed that this cycling path is the most picturesque cycleway in Liguria that runs from San Lorenzo al Mare till Ospedeletti and passes through Sanremo. The cycleway is worth 24 kilometres. The starting point of the cycling route in Sanremo is at the old train station Belle Epoque.
Perhaps widely known, Sanremo is also called La Città dei Fiori- a City of Flowers, due to its fame for cultivation of flowers and exporting them all over the world. This aspect of the city brings an extra profit to the economy of Sanremo. To relish in the scent of blooming roses, camellias and begonias, the best time to visit Sanremo is during the Flower Parade that surprisingly was taking place in January (till 2010) thanks to the mild climate of Sanremo. Since then, there have been shifts in the date and presently, you can watch the Flower Parade every year in March.
Parco Alfredo Nobel- oasis of tranquillity, exotic charm that gives you a sense of immensity embracing one whole world of fantasy… Whenever you are in Sanremo, this lovely park should be a must-see in your touring spots. Interestingly, Alfred Nobel lived in Sanremo during 1891-1896.