Ospedaletti: cycling paths, gardens and historic sites by the sea

Between cycling paths, sea and culture

Ospedaletti combines a long coastal route with historic buildings, gardens and fascinating insights into art and local history. Today, the Ciclovia Riviera dei Fiori can be cycled without interruption from Ospedaletti to Andora for around 45 kilometres. This gives you an extensive route to plan individually, without having to limit yourself to a short circuit around the town.

Cycling by the sea

The cycling path from Ospedaletti to San Lorenzo al Mare is around 24 kilometres long, almost entirely flat and runs along the sea. The route from Ospedaletti also passes through the illuminated tunnel at Capo Nero. Information panels there share historical anecdotes about the famous Milan–San Remo cycle race. This allows you to combine the route, landscape and cycling history when planning your trip.

The history of motorsport also regularly comes to life on the streets of Ospedaletti itself: every two years, historical re-enactments for motorcycles and automobiles take place there. This recurring event schedule is a useful point of reference if you would like to arrange your stay around a special date.

Villas, collections and historic gardens

Villa Sultana on Corso Regina Margherita is a monumental building with three domes and a large garden. Until 1924, it housed Italy’s first casino. Casa e Collezione Laura offers another way to experience culture, with a collection of around 6,000 works of art and decorative arts objects. Admission is only possible as part of a scheduled guided tour; all tours take place at set times and are included in the admission price.

The gardens also tell the story of Ospedaletti’s development. The Giardini della Société Foncière Lyonnaise were designed in 1892 by the plant breeder Luigi Isnart from Nice on behalf of the Société Foncière Lyonnaise. Giardino Regina Margherita is located in the town centre and is a public garden with old trees, flowers and fountains. The park was home to numerous wild and exotic plant species introduced from all over the world.

Altitude and trails on Monte Nero

The elevated Santuario della Madonna delle Porrine offers views over Ospedaletti. The church was built between the middle and end of the 16th century and elevated to the status of a sanctuary in 1858. From the panoramic Santuario, trails lead through the Mediterranean vegetation of Monte Nero. This allows historic sightseeing and a route through the landscape to complement each other, without requiring both experiences to feature the same townscape.

Getting there and choosing your hotel

From France, you can reach Ospedaletti via the A8 motorway towards Genoa; possible exits are at Bordighera or Sanremo. Daily train connections to Ospedaletti are available from Nice and Monaco, with a change in Ventimiglia. When choosing your hotel, you can therefore first decide whether cycling routes, historic sites, gardens or trails on Monte Nero should be the focus of your trip.

More places for your trip to Italy

Dolcedo, Cosio Di Arroscia, Vallecrosia, Piani Paorelli, Trucco, Ville San Pietro, Borgo D'oneglia, Chiusavecchia

For the higher-level travel overview: Imperia.