The versatility and quality of life to be found in the historically rich area surrounding Dolceacqua, San Remo, Imperia and Albenga is quite unique.

The coast is famous for its elegant coastal resorts such as Bordighera, Ospedaletti and of course San Remo. Here, the glamour of days long gone by, is still all too evident. Further along the coast, the sandy beach of Diano Maurizio invites for a swim in the Mediterranean Sea and the province town of Imperia, the romantic towns of Porto Maurizio Cervo, Alassio and finally Albenga invite you to take a stroll along the narrow mews of the historic town centres.

Further inland, the dramatic silhouette of snow-capped peaks of the Maritime Alps create an impressive background for the many olive groves and vineyards the region is so famous for. The beautiful hinterland is dotted with numerous romantic and picturesque villages such as Apricale where the village houses seem to cascade down into the valley or Perinaldo, situated majestically high up on a ridge, overlooking the valley below. And finally there is Dolceacqua, the prime example of a truly medieval Ligurian town.

The area invites to choose between the elegant shopping streets and the buzz of the coastal towns and the peace and quiet to be found in the rural Ligurian hinterland. For those wishing to explore a bit further, there are literally four aspects of Mediterranean culture to discover: The Italian Riviera of flowers, the rural Ligurian hinterland, the elegant Cote d'Azur with Menton, Nizza, Monte Carlo and the Provence with St. Paul, Vence and Grasse.

Wining and Dining. the Ligurian cuisine plays a dominant role in Mediterranean cooking. After all, the best Italian pizza comes from Dolceacqua. The many villages and coastal towns have every restaurant category to offer, from local trattorias to elegant first class restaurants.

The olive oil produced in western Liguria called Taggiasca, is known to be one of the most refined olive oils worldwide. The local wines,the Rossese wine from Dolceacqua and the light Vermentino from Albenga and Diano Marina are wines best to be enjoyed with the local cuisine.

Swimming. The Mediterranean Sea invites for a swim on the many sandy beaches between Diano Marina and Alassio or in Bordighera on the Cap Sant'Ampelio. The French Cote d'Azur with its many elegant seaside resorts is not far and for the more adventurous, the hinterland has many fresh water rivers waiting to be discovered.

Museums, Art Galleries, Historic Sites. The region is known to have been one of the first settlements in Europe and has therefore many historic sites to offer. Prehistoric finds, churches, castles, palaces, the Doria Castle and the medieval bridge in Dolceacqua, once painted by Monet, are only a few of the many sites worth visiting. Then there is Ventimiglia with it's Roman amphitheatre dating back to the 2nd century, the San Michele church from 1100 AD, the fortress San Paolo the 13th century and the archaeological museum and the famous gender towers of Albenga.

In the more recent past, many artists have worked and lived in the area around Cote d'Azur and Provence and their work can be admired in the many museums and art galleries the region has to offer. To mention only a few, there are the Picasso Museum in Antibes, the museum Léger in Biot, the Renoir Museum in Cignes-sur-mer, the Chagall museum, the Matisse museum in Nice and the Maeght Foundation in St. Paul de Vence.

Sport. Tennis courts can be found in any of the larger villages, San Remo and Garlenda have well-kept and exclusive golf courses to choose from. The mountains, ravines, olive groves and vineyards can be discovered on the regions' numerous hiking tracks and are ideal to be explored on a mountain bike. All kinds of water sport can of course be pursued in the many coastal resorts and the nearest skiing resorts, Limone on the Colle die Tenda and Monese, are only one hour away from Ventimiglia.

Shopping. Ventimiglia, Bordighera and Diano Marino are typical Italian market towns with plenty of colourful market stalls and San Remo and Oneglio invite to stroll along the many elegant shopping streets and malls. The chic resorts of the Cote d'Azur and Provence, are in easy reach and offer more opportunities to shop.

Festivals, Concerts, Theatre. All major cities and villages regularly feature historic costume processions, there is the festival of classical music in Ventimiglia, the international chamber music festival in Cervo, contemporary theatre in Apricale and Dolceacqua and many religious festivals being celebrated in style.

Parks. Worth a visit are The Hanbury Gardens in Ventimiglia displaying a wide spectrum of exotic plants on terraces seemingly cascading down to the sea, the Villa Rothschild on Cap Ferrat and the cactus garden in Eze, just above Monte Carlo.