Sanremo, Bussana and Taggia

Sanremo

A town in western Liguria considered the capital of the Riviera dei Fiori, Sanremo is elegant, famous for its Italian music festival, an annual event that mobilizes the entire country. It is the most-watched TV show in the country.
Tourism and the construction of luxurious villas developed there from the end of the 19th century, with the grand bourgeoisie – Russian and English in particular – coming to enjoy its pleasant climate.

Nowadays, traffic is quite chaotic, and at first glance the city is not very attractive, although prestigious villas and monumental hotels are interspersed. It is nonetheless the main tourist and popular destination of this riviera, thanks to its gardens, villas, the casino, its seafront promenade with its palm trees, etc.
However, stairs lead to La Pigna, the historic heart of Sanremo which is full of charm and authenticity, with stairs and alleys climbing the hill and passing through small squares and covered passages. This old upper town is dominated by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Costa and its superb panorama.
In the modern lower town, via Matteotti is a long pedestrian shopping street, with haute couture boutiques and jewelers. Its famous casino is at the western end of the street, and near the beautiful Russian Orthodox church.
To the east, facing the tourist port, Villa Nobel dates back to the 19th century and Villa Ormond has a lush garden.
On the coast, a 24 km cycle path is a converted former railway line.

Bussana vecchia

Panorama

Dating back to at least the 9th century, Bussana Vecchia is a medieval village that remained a ghost town for a long time after the devastating 1887 earthquake that largely destroyed it. It came back to life from the middle of the 20th century, restored thanks to the interest of internationally renowned artists. The village has regained its fascinating maze of paved medieval streets, with its beautiful stone houses enhanced by the artists.
Nowadays, Bussana Vecchia is home to artists, craftsmen and small shops. The heart of the village gathers the workshops (paintings, ceramics, sculptures, jewelry, etc.), offering souvenirs and genuine works of art. One can also discover the remains of the castle at the top of the hill or those of the Sant’Egidio church (late 14th – 17th century) which has never been restored, but whose bell tower is still standing. A picturesque garden has been laid out among the ruins, with terraces and pretty views. The social heart of the village is the Osteria degli Artisti which also has a beautiful terrace.
A few kilometers away, on the coast, Bussana has an equipped pebble beach.

Taggia

Near the mouth of the Argentina valley which leads to Triora, the medieval village of Taggia, with its old castle and its beautiful churches, preserves the monumental Ponte Antico 275 meters long and supported by 15 arches. This one dates back to the 13th century, and was lengthened in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The old village is a food and wine and cultural destination, while on the coast at Arma di Taggia there are in particular the tourist port and the fortress.
Developed between the 10th and 15th centuries, the village has cultivated the taggiasca olive for centuries, the origin of a fragrant and prized olive oil.
The Villa Curlo and an elegant 18th-century residence with a lush garden.
The defensive castle of Taggia was built in the middle of the 16th century on a 12th-century fort. In the historic center, one can discover alleys and arcades and historic churches. Among these, Our Lady of Canneto dates back to the Middle Ages with its Romanesque tower, the Convent of the Dominican Fathers dates from the 15th century, and let us also mention the Basilica of Our Lady of Miracles. The Sanctuary of the Annunciation occupies the Grotte d’Arma between Arma di Taggia and Bussana.
Taggia – Arma di Taggia more precisely – is also a stop on the Ponente cycle path, a 24 km route along the route of the former railway between the outskirts of Sanremo and those of Imperia.

Map

Information

• Sanremo: en.wikipedia.org, www.italia.it, www.liguria.info
• Bussana vecchia: en.wikipedia.org, www.lorenzotaccioli.it
• Taggia: en.wikipedia.org, www.liguria.info