Sanremo · Go deeper
Where to live
Sanremo stacks up the hillside in three layers: the medieval old town of La Pigna at the top, the elegant Belle Époque seafront and centre below it, and the residential hills and coast spreading out on either side. Every layer up the hill trades convenience for quiet.
The old town
La Pigna (Sanremo Vecchia)
lower, atmosphericThe medieval heart of Sanremo, a maze of alleys spiralling up the hill like the scales of a pine cone, which is exactly what 'La Pigna' means. It's atmospheric, tightly packed, and the most affordable central area, drawing those who want history and character. It's steep, car-free, and its old tower-houses can be dark and awkward, so the exact spot matters.
Best for: those who want to live inside the medieval old town and don't mind the stairs
Learn more about the historic heart
La Pigna is the oldest part of Sanremo, built up the hill around the year 1000 after the coast was cleared of Saracen raiders. Its alleys wind in tightening rings up to the summit, a shape deliberately made for defence, easy for residents to hold and hard for pirates to storm, and it’s that concentric, layered form, like the scales of a pine cone, that gives the quarter its name. Tower-houses, covered passageways, and hidden little squares climb to the gardens at the top.
Below it, Sanremo grew into something quite different in the 1800s: a glamorous winter resort for the crowned heads of Europe. Russian nobility wintered here, which is why an onion-domed Orthodox church stands near the seafront, and the town gave its grand promenade the name Corso Imperatrice for a visiting empress. The Belle Époque casino opened in 1905, and in 1951 the town launched the Festival di Sanremo, the song contest that still fills it every February and gave Eurovision its blueprint. The ‘City of Flowers’ has been in the business of glamour for a very long time.
The seafront and centre
The centre & Corso Imperatrice
most expensiveThe elegant heart of the resort: the palm-lined seafront promenade of Corso Imperatrice, the grand Belle Époque hotels, the casino, and the main shopping streets. It's the most desirable and priciest place to live, with the sea, the cafés, and the Festival all on the doorstep. The trade is cost and, in season, crowds.
Best for: those who want the elegant seafront life and the centre of everything
Marina & the port (Portosole)
mid to premiumAround the marina east of the centre, a lively, practical strip of harbourside life: restaurants, the yacht port, and everyday shops, close to the sea without the full premium of the Corso Imperatrice frontage. A good balance of coastal living and value.
Best for: those wanting harbourside life and the sea nearby at a gentler price than the prime seafront
The hills and coast
Poggio & the hills
mid, residentialThe residential hillsides rising behind the town: quiet, green, and dotted with villas and gardens, with wide views over the sea. Calmer and more spread-out than the centre, popular with families and long-term residents who want space and a view. The trade is that you're above the town, so a car or the bus becomes part of daily life.
Best for: families and residents wanting quiet, greenery, and sea views above the town
The coast toward Ospedaletti & Bordighera
mid, coastal calmThe gentler stretches of coast west of Sanremo, toward Ospedaletti, offer a quieter, more residential seaside life still within easy reach of the town by train or the coastal cycle path. Relaxed and less resort-intense, with the same mild Riviera climate. The trade is the remove: you're outside the buzz of Sanremo itself.
Best for: those wanting a calmer coastal base near, but not in, the resort centre
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