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Not so in Liguria where the weather remains stable and summery from May through to September and sudden drops in temperature are unheard of. From the beginning of May, you can expect the temperature to reach a pleasant 28° C and it will pretty much stay like this for the whole duration of the summer. Early May is therefore the time, when the swimming season is officially declared open.

All around Sanremo on the Riviera di Ponente are a number of seaside resorts, nestling at the foot of the Maritime Alps. There are the more exclusive resorts such as Alassio, Menton and Sanremo where the rich and famous tend to put down their beach towels. But there are also more quiet resorts, hidden off the beaten track. Not every village has a sandy beach and as a rule of thumb it is fair to say, that the larger a sandy beach, the more visitors it attracts. This has not only an effect on the beach itself but also impacts on the roads getting very congested and parking spaces being over crowded. The coastal road Via Aurelia sometimes has terrible traffic jams and one is well advised to arrive by a motor scooter rather than by car. The train, which usually stops close to the beach, is an attractive means of transport too and might save you plenty of time and hustle if you want to enjoy a stress free day on the beach.

Like in so many other aspects, San Remo is the most regal of seaside resorts. The beach is long and wide and wave breakers installed out in the sea, protect the beach and keep it safe. There are water slides, water islands, sun lounges, sun umbrellas and everything else you can wish for on a sandy beach. Every possible water sport can be pursued: Water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, paragliding, swimming, fishing and pedal boots and sea excursions of all kinds. The town also has a wide and very tempting selection of exclusive fashion shops to offer; an open invitation to shop ‘til you drop.

Alassio, situated on a bay half way between Imperia/Porto Maurizio and Albenga, is even more ‘posh’. All along the beach promenade, you will find lidos with bars, terraces and ice cream parlours. The town itself offers plenty of pretty cafés and stunning restaurants and along the Corso Dante Aligheri and the Via 20th Settembre, a number of very elegant fashion shops. The combination of the historic old town with its baroque churches and the bay with a view on the rocky island Gallinara, makes Alassio a very attractive place to spend a perfect summer day. If you are romantically inclined, you can fit a little locket to the Muretto di Alassio on the Corso Dante and polish her feet. Legend has it, this will bring you good luck in all matter of love. On the stone-wall next to the brass statue are a number of tiles bearing the names of well known personalities of the 20th century, such as Alberto Tomba, Fausto Coppi, Adriano Celentano and even Ernest Hemmingway.

A ten minutes drive away to the south, is the much more quiet Laigueglia. The beach here is totally natural rather than man-made. The village is a real jewel as it is not as crowded as Alassio and because it managed to keep the genuine charm of an old fishing village. The remains of the old fortress still exist and the towers of the pretty Chiesa di San Matteo stand high above the village. If you feel like indulging in a bit of culture, the village Cervo, known for having one of the most beautiful medieval village centres, awaits you in the next bay along the coast. Here, the international chamber music festival takes place during July and August.

Another highlight of the region is Menton, right behind the French border. The beach is mainly pebble stone beach but one look at the sea is enough to appreciate the meaning of the name, Côte d’Azur. The turquoise blue of the sea is so intense it will take your breath away. Menton has a number of stunning hotels and a pretty old town centre with a selection of cafés and bistros right next to the beach promenade. A number of attractive shops invite you to indulge in French lifestyle at affordable prices and on a clear day, you have a view all the way to Corsica. 

All along the coastal road, there are more attractive seaside resorts. Bordighera, a more pleasantly quiet coastal town and situated between Menton and Sanremo, is worth mentioning. The new and wide tarmac promenade Lungomare Argentina, stretches over a number of kilometres and is ideal for some relaxing inline skating. If you are an ice cream lover, you should pay a visit to the Gelateria Cocos on Via Vittorio Emanuele, right behind the promenade. This ice cream parlour has every kind and taste of ice cream you can imagine and the variety of flavours will be an unforgettable experience. As soon as the sun comes out, the Italians start queuing up for this ice cream.

Imperia/Maurizio does not have a very nice beach but the rocky coast offers a number of places, where surfing is possible. In fact, these are the only spots in Italy where to go surfing. If the conditions are right, you can see numerous surfers trying their luck right under the historic remains of the old Porto Maurizio.

Diano Marina, which awaits you right behind the next peninsula, is again totally different. Here you can experience everything a typical Mediterranean seaside resort is known for; with beach towels, sun lounges and sun umbrellas being lined up as close to each other as possible. But the beach is child friendly and right behind the coastal road, running parallel to the beach, is a pretty town with plenty of shops and market stalls. The neighbouring village San Bartolomeo al Mare on the other side of Cervo, is very similar in style.