Villa Nobel

Villa Nobel is the house where Alfred Nobel — inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes — spent his final years and died in 1896. The Neoclassical villa, set in a park in the eastern part of Sanremo, is now a museum dedicated to his life, his scientific work, and the legacy of the prizes that bear his name.

The interior has been partially restored to reflect the period of Nobel's residence, with period furniture, scientific instruments from his laboratory, and correspondence on display. The garden is planted with plants typical of the period. It is a quieter and more thoughtful attraction than most Sanremo sights — less visited than the casino or the old town, which makes it all the more worth seeking out. The museum is reachable on foot from the town centre in about 20 minutes along the seafront road.

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A story
Alfred Nobel spent his last years in Sanremo partly to escape Swedish winters and partly because the mild climate suited his deteriorating health. It was here, in the laboratory attached to the villa, that he continued experiments with explosives even in his final years. He died at the villa on 10 December 1896 — the date that the Nobel Prizes are now awarded each year.

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