The New Italian Cycling Riviera

LONDON March 19, 2009

Sample the best of the Italian Riviera – delicious wines, pasta al pesto, and world-renowned olives – at this gourmet event to launch the grand opening of the Italian Riviera’s first cycling path: Cycling Riviera, Liguria, Italy.

Hosted by Claudio Burlando, president of Regione Liguria and Tullio Russo, president of Area 24, developer of Cycling Riviera, the event promises to be a fantastic introduction to the delights of the Italian Riviera, including an overview of the new eco-friendly cycling path.

The spectacularly beautiful cycle-pedestrian path hugs the picturesque Ligurian coast between Tuscany and the south of France. The first 24km stretch, from Ospedaletti via Sanremo to San Lorenzo al Mare, which opens this year, offers a truly unique Italian Riviera holiday for cycling enthusiasts and families alike.
“With the Mediterranean on one side and the Alps on the other, this new cycle-pedestrian path is one of the most beautiful in Europe, the first on the Italian Sea” says Mr. Burlando, “Almost 2 centuries after the English first discovered this coast, the cycle path will introduce a new generation of UK holiday makers to the delights of Liguria.”

The route, which follows an old railway line, wends through eight historic fishing villages and the glamorous town of Sanremo. It provides access to five kilometres of previously unreachable beaches and an 444.000 sq metres ecological coastal sea park that protects a whale sanctuary.

When finished in 2010, the new Cycling Riviera will stretch for 74km. “This is the first time in Italy we are replacing an old railroad with a cycle/pedestrian path that will create a protected natural environment, car free, and tourist friendly,” said Tullio Russo of Area 24, the Euros30 million public-private partnership that developed the project.

Riviera Cycling offers something for everyone:
* For nature lovers there is the sea park sanctuary with a unique microclimate and flora.
* For those also seeking the glamour of the Riviera, Sanremo is the quintessential destination with its famous casino and designer shops.
* For sports enthusiasts, the path leads you to scuba diving and sailing schools and a new 18-hole golf course.
* For foodies, Liguria produces unique local wines and food, including the famous Taggiasche Olives, Albenga purple asparagus, and Ligurian red prawns.

The path is a cyclist’s dream. Flat and wide, it is perfect for families. For experienced cyclists it offers a gateway to the world-renowned Milano-Sanremo route, and mountain bikers can explore the nearby Maritime Alps.

The English first established this stretch of the Italian Riviera as one of the most fashionable holiday spot in the early 1800s. The extremely temperate climate made it the ideal destination for Europe’s wealthy aristocrats seeking a warm place for winter, a spa cure, or simply a beautiful location with luxuriant vegetation and subtropical gardens.
Queen Victoria and later Winston Churchill holidayed at the Villa Hanbury, 20km from Sanremo. Alfred Nobel spent the last years of his life here.
Today the Italian Riviera takes a new lease of life with the opening of the New Cycling path. It is easy to reach with low-cost airlines flying from the UK to Genoa at one end and Nice at the other. Cycles are available to hire for as little as Euros 5 an hour, and accommodation of all types is offered on the routes.

With universal worries about recession and climate change, the popularity of cycling holidays has increased by 30% (Mintel research on Tourism Trends). This is not only out of respect for the environment but also because it¹s a perfect activity holiday for all ages and especially families.

Western Liguria – the very accessible area between the French border and Genoa- is a relatively undiscovered region of Italy. It offers spectacular coasts and beaches, lots of Italian culture and history, and great local wine and food. It has a unique “eternal spring” micro-climate, which earns it the nickname of the “Costa dei Fiori”and now with the addition of the best cycle path in Italy, it’s a all year round, irresistible new destination.

western riviera

liguria cycling promenade

Sanremo - Ospedaletti : area24

A place in the sun in Italy?

If you are looking for a place in the sun in Italy, Western Liguria is the right place:

  • Here you get more than the sunshine – Liguria makes you smile.
    Liguria’s people are happy people, provide you with good Mediterranean food and the best climate in the world.
  • If  for instance, you settle near the town of Sanremo you get more than good food, sunshine, sandy beaches and wonderful climate, here you have the best of both worlds: beautiful shops, nice cafes, but also Theatre, Casino and of course the close proximity of Monte Carlo with its racing circuit and all the sophistication of the world of their discerning residents.
  • The Italian Rivera has been the summer residence of European Royalty for centuries, they appreciated the advantages of a healthy climate long ago and this has not changed. Many of the old palaces and Villas, once occupied only by one Royal family, have now been converted into apartments, with all the old charm and glamour, yet with modern living in mind. Beautiful parks and wonderful views abound. Also, lovely villages full of charm and history are scattered throughout the hinterland.
  • Western Liguria is famous for its unique climate (the mildest in Italy all year round)
  • The nearest airport is the International Airport of Nice (France) at only 40 min drive, with dozen of flights to London and connections worldwide (it is the 2nd hub in France). In Italy, Genoa airport is at 1 h drive while the private airport of Villanova “Clemente Panero” is just  20 min away.

Take a look to our website, focussed on Liguria, www.liguriahomes.com  and feel free to contact me again if you need more assistance or to fix a visit here.

Matteo

Sanremo Festival

Sanremo is ready to turn into the capital of Italian music once again. From 17th to 21st February at the Ariston Theatre – the temple of music and entertainment – Paolo Bonolis will host the 59th Italian Music Festival. Considered the most important Italian music show, the Festival is a unique opportunity for both famous and emerging singers. As always, the music will be inspired by the flowers of Sanremo and the Bouquet specially created by designers with Riviera flowers.

Sanremo “Corso fiorito” Flower Show

“Sanremoinfiore”, the new edition of the “Corso Fiorito” Flower Show of Sanremo, will be back on 25th January 2009. The theme of this year’s edition will be “Television”.

Fourteen floats dedicated to TV programmes which have made the history of television will take part. The float of the Municipality of Sanremo will be dedicated to its most famous event: the Festival of Sanremo.

2009 Festival of Flowers

From Friday 23rd to Monday 26th January 2009, the Festival of Flowers, the most important Italian display of Riviera flowers and of the best national and international floral designers will be held at Palafiori of Sanremo. The event will offer flower arrangement competitions, shows and standing exhibitions, meetings with floral designers, conventions, in-depth sessions and moments of fun and entertainment where the protagonists will be the Flowers of the Ligurian Riviera. A flower arrangement show where typical features, novelties, research and experimentation will prevail.

Next events on Sanremo

  • 50° Rallye di Sanremo

The 50th edition of the Rally of Sanremo, valid for the Absolute Italian Championship, the South-West Europe Cup and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will take place on 25th to 27th September 2008 as usual in the hinterland of the Province of Imperia. With its 12 special races covering 258.51 km for a total distance of 646.79 km, the rally will use the promenade and the ex-railway station located in the heart of Sanremo as its logistic centre, where visitors will be able to view the village and the vehicles.

  • Sanremo International Volley Cup

The 24th edition of the Sanremo Volley Cup, 16th Dado Tessitore Memorial, will be held from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September. Some of the most important international volleyball clubs will take part in this traditional female volleyball competition. The Nuova Lega Pallavolo Sanremo has invited three Italian teams (Bergamo, Novara and Pavia) for the 2008 edition, as well as the French volleyball team of Cannes, the Russian volleyball team of Saint Petersburg and the Chinese champions of Liaoning. The event will take place in the Volley Arena of the Flower Market of Valle Armea, especially transformed into an authentic indoor stadium for the event.

  • XII International Festival of Musical Bands

The XII edition of the International Festival of Musical Bands returns to Sanremo from 3rd – 5th October. This international event will give visitors the chance to see Sanremo dressed with the colours of historical and folkloric uniforms and to be greeted by the fascinating sounds of national and international bands, gathered to amaze both young and old alike!!!

  • World coastal rowing championship

From 16th to 19th October, 2nd World Championship, 8th coastal rowing international show that will take place in Sanremo after three editions of Italian International Championship. It represents a rowing competition with fixed and movable seat with crews coming from all over the world and will give rowers, who have taken part in the Olympic Games of Beijing, the opportunity to enter the competition.

  • Sanremo PGA Championship

11th Championship of Italian PGA masters – The Maestri Championship of Italian PGA got to its 11th edition. It represents an important event of the national professional calendar and is played according to a particular playing system where a PGA professional master is paired up with an amateur.  22/23 October

  • Great wing shooting competitions

1st round of the 10th Grand Prix Nations Cup 2008. A shooting contest with its usual fantastic location and flawless organization.  31/10 and 1st November

  • “Premio Tenco 2008”

From 6th to 8th November, as usual, many important Italian singer- songwriters will be participating, in this event. The Tenco Awards will be assigned. During the 3-day event there will be exhibitions, record and book previews and a convention about the “art song”.

  • Jubilmusic 2008

Founded in 2000, the year of Big Jubilee, the Sanremo Soul Music Association presents the “Jubilmusic – International Festival of Christian Music”. Every year, the event involves some thousand people and several Artists and Witnesses coming from all over the world, from 20th to 23rd November

  •  Marathon by the sea

The Marathon by the Sea will take place on the next 7th December. It is the first marathon in the world running along the seaside within the Coastal Park of the Ligurian Ponente (Western Riviera). A completely flat route, which will also captivate the most disenchanted people.

In Sanremo every day is a special day…

The new walking & cycling promenade is now open!

The re-use of the railroad (closed in september 2001) had been promoted already to the beginning of the 1999 from the territorial Plan of the coast, in parallel with the movement to mount, of the railway line from Ospedaletti to San Lorenzo al Mare Area24 was constituted in 2002 as a society of scope for the purchase of the areas of the former railroad. In December 2003 the property of the railroad passed from Ferrovie Real Estate spa to Regione Liguria and subsequently in January 2004 to Area24 and to Comune of Sanremo for the sites situated in its own territory .The re-use of the freed areas is an important strategic occasion for the urban requalification.
Between the previewed initiatives the greater plan is a cycling track.
Currently the jobs of the cycling track are going to be completed between San Lorenzo and Sanremo, beyond the construction of Inter parkings in Taggia and Santo Stefano al Mare. Some features of the track between San Lorenzo and Sanremo was opened in July 2008.

The other proposals, public that private, contemplate the realization of:
sport systems and green public areas

recovery of the access to the sea

the defence and the increase of the surface of useful shoreline to the bathing

realization of structures for the tourist hospitality

trade spaces

improvement of road conditions and local transports