The full picture

Imperia

Imperia is actually two towns in one — Porto Maurizio on the western hill, with its ancient caruggi and a cathedral that dominates the skyline, and Oneglia on the eastern side, more modern, with a port and a working harbour feel. Between them, a promenade and a seafront that is genuinely beautiful without being manicured to death. The city has maintained a local identity that many Italian Riviera towns have lost to tourism.

The surrounding landscape is extraordinary. The Maritime Alps drop steeply toward the coast, creating a geography that offers sea and mountain in close proximity. Behind Imperia, the entroterra — the inland hill villages — is one of the least visited and most rewarding parts of Liguria: terraced olive groves, medieval villages, and footpaths that see more locals than tourists. The Taggiasca olive from this area is considered one of the finest in Italy, and the oil it produces is part of daily life in a way that you feel immediately.

The climate is exceptional year-round — the Riviera dei Fiori takes its name from the flower cultivation that has thrived here for centuries thanks to a microclimate that rarely gets cold enough to matter. Winters are mild, summers are warm without becoming oppressive, and the sea is swimmable well into October. For those coming from northern Europe or from northern Italy, the shift is immediate and significant.

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is about an hour away. Genoa's airport is similar in distance. The coastal train connects Imperia to the rest of the Riviera quickly. For the professional who wants to live on the Italian coast but maintain access to France or international connections, Imperia sits in a genuinely useful location — without the prices of Sanremo or the crowds of the Cinque Terre.