San Remo (pop. 53,154) is a resort town in the Liguria region in northwestern Italy. It lies on the coast of the Ligurian Sea, a portion of the Mediterranean Sea. The town is the center of the Riviera, a strip of land that runs from Hyères in southern France to La Spezia in northwestern Italy (see Riviera). San Remo stands at the head of a shallow bay and has a network of steep and winding streets overlooking the water.
With its mild climate and coastal location, San Remo attracts many tourists. Golf, horseback riding, sailing, and swimming are popular tourist activities. San Remo is famous for its casino, built in 1905, and for its festivals, fashion shows, and sporting events. The annual San Remo Song Festival, first held in 1951, is one of Italy’s most popular national spectacles. The town has a number of buildings built in the Baroque style of architecture, including the Madonna della Costa (Our Lady of the Coast) church. San Remo also has fashionable villas and beautiful gardens and parks. It grows a variety of flowers and plants, including begonias, camellias, carnations, and roses.
The Romans had a settlement at what is now San Remo about 2,000 years ago. The town grew significantly in the years following the unification of Italy, which began in the 1860’s. During this period, the town built wide boulevards and grand hotels along the coast.
