Imperia
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Imperia

Imperia

Western Ligurian Riviera city split between port-side Oneglia and hilltop Porto Maurizio.

Imperia is the provincial capital of the western Ligurian Riviera, formed in 1923 by merging two older towns — Oneglia to the east and Porto Maurizio to the west — separated by the Imperia river. The two halves retain distinct characters: Oneglia is the commercial and port side, known for olive oil production and pasta; Porto Maurizio is the historic town, perched on a promontory with a medieval centre, baroque cathedral, and views over the Ligurian Sea.

The town is less visited than the Cinque Terre or Sanremo and is the better for it. Porto Maurizio's old quarter — the Parasio — is pleasant to explore on foot, with narrow caruggi lanes leading up to the Cattedrale di San Maurizio and a belvedere overlooking the coast. In Oneglia, the Museo dell'Olivo covers the history of olive cultivation with unusual depth. The surrounding area produces some of the best olive oil in Italy — the DOP Riviera Ligure designation applies here. The Lungomare connects both halves of the town along the coast, and Calata Cuneo at the Oneglia port is where to eat.

Guide

Eating Out

Imperia eats well. The local cuisine is firmly Ligurian — pesto made with the small, sweet basil grown in the coastal valleys, trofie and trenette pasta, farinata (thin chickpea flatbread baked in a wood oven), and fried fish from the local catch. Olive oil is in everything, and it's noticeably better than what you find elsewhere.

Calata Cuneo in Oneglia is the main restaurant strip, with a run of seafood places overlooking the port. For lunch, the trattorie on the side streets off the lungomare offer good-value fixed menus. Porto Maurizio has fewer restaurants but some of the better ones in town are tucked into the lanes of the Parasio quarter.

Guide

Getting There

Imperia has a train station — actually two, one in Oneglia and one in Porto Maurizio — on the coastal line that runs between Genoa and Nice. Trains from Genoa take around 90 minutes; from Nice around an hour. The stations are about two kilometres apart, so check which one is closer to your accommodation before booking. Frequent regional trains stop at both.

By car, the A10 autostrada runs along the coast and exits directly into the town. The drive from Genoa takes around an hour; from Nice about 45 minutes. Driving along the old Via Aurelia rather than the motorway is slower but considerably more scenic — the coastal road passes through a series of small towns and offers sea views throughout.

Guide

Things to Do

Imperia divides naturally between its two halves. Porto Maurizio, on the western promontory, is the place for wandering — up through the Parasio quarter's medieval lanes and down to the seafront belvedere. Oneglia to the east is flatter and more commercial, with the Museo dell'Olivo and a string of good restaurants along Calata Cuneo at the port. The olive oil is worth taking seriously here: the DOP Riviera Ligure delle Alpi designation applies to the oils pressed in the valleys behind the town, and a tour of the Fratelli Carli factory in Oneglia can be arranged.

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