Sanremo is a city with about 56,000 inhabitants and lies on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in northwestern Italy.
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  Comune di {{{name}}} Location of {{{official_name}}} in Italy  Comune di {{{name}}} Comune di {{{name}}} (Liguria) | |
| Coordinates: 43°49′N 7°47′E / 43.817°N 7.783°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Liguria |
| Province | Imperia (IM) |
| Area | |
• Total | 55.96 km2 (21.61 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 54,529 |
| Demonym | Sanremesi or Sanremaschi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 18038 |
| Dialing code | 0184 |
| Patron saint | Saint Romolo |
| Saint day | October 13 |
| Website | comunedisanremo.it |
The name
The official spelling is Sanremo, a fonetic contraction for the name San Romolo (Saint Romolo), official saint and protector of the city, which in the local dialect sounds like San Rœmu. The wrong spelling San Remo was by introduced (for unknown reasons) in 1924 by the City Major and used in official documents during fascism. San Remo is actually a nonsense because ther is no saint called Remo in the catholic tradition. The name is however still mispelled in some road signs and turist information. Apparently the version San Remo is very common in English.
History
Once a Roman settlement (Matutia or Villa Matutiana), it has expanded in the Early Middle Age when the population moved to the high grounds and built a castle and a walled village (La Pigna) to protect the city from [Saracen] raids. At first subjected to the countship of Ventimiglia, it passed later under the dominion of the Genoese bishops, who in 1297 sold it to the Doria and De Mari families. It became a free town in the second half of the 15th century and spread on the Pigna hill and at San Siro, near the Cathedral. The old village remains almost perfectly conserved nowadays.
Sanremo was independent from Genoa for a long time, but in 1753, after twenty years of strong contrasts, it rose against the hegemonical attempts of the chief town. The Genoese built against the town the fortress of Santa Tecla (a prison until 2002 now being transformed into a museum) situated on the beach near the historical port.
After the French domination and the Savoy restoration (1814), it was annexed to the Sardinian reign. The town increased beginnig from the middle of the 18th century with the development of tourism: the first Grand Hotels were built and the town extended along the coast. In that period famous personages sojourned in Sanremo, such as the Empress Maria Alexandrovna, whose reminder is still in the homonymous promenade on the sea and in the suggestive Orthodox church of San Basilio, erected in 1912 on the will of the Russian Community present in the town.
Turism
Sanremo enjoys peculiar weather condition throughout the year due to its vicinity to the Mediterranean Sea and the presences of Maritime Alps right behind the town, the highest top (Monte Bignone) being some 1300 m. above the sea level. Temperatures range from an average of 10°C during winter (the chilliest month being January) and 23°C over the summer. Such conditions make Sanremo one of the most attractive turist destinations of the Italian Riviera. There are plenty of tourist attractions in Sanremo that are open all year round and can boast numerous and well-equipped sports facilities, such as a golf course and a riding ground. There are two tourist harbour: Porto Vecchio and the modern PortoSole. Many boutiques and local shops can be found in the town centre. Very famous among the people living in the Italian and French riviear is the colorful market held on Tuesday and Saturday mornings Piazza Eroi Sanremesi.
Transports
The city is connected to Genoa (Italian Genova) and to the border with France by the freeway A10, whose last part is also known as "Freeway of Flowers" (Autostrada dei Fiori) and gives a panoramic view of the coast. The closes airport to Sanremo is Nice Côte d'Azur airport, only 45 minutes from the freeway entrance. The railway also passes through the city and connects it to the other Ligurian cities as well as Nice, Milan, Turin and Rome. Once located right on the coastline, very close to the sea, allowing travelers to admire the beauty of it, the tracks have now moved further north and underground. As an effect, the main train station has also been relocated and it is now next to the City Hall. Today an ongoing project, carried by [Area 24], is dealing with the task of refurbishing the old area once occupied by the tracks and converting it into a biking route and a pedestrian area.
Economy
Besides turism, the city is active in the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, whose regional denomination is protected (D.O.P., Denominazione di Origine Protetta) and makes it one of the main production activity in western Liguria and in particular within the province of Imperia. Sanremo is also known as the City of Flowers (la Citta' dei Fiori), this being another important aspects of the economy of the city together with the near towns of Arma di Taggia, Bordighera and Ospedaletti.
Cultural Events
The town's Casino together with the Ariston theatre, offer annual series of concerts, operas and theater exibitions. Sanremo's Symphony Orchestra is one of twelve symphonic orchestrae recognized by the state and it performs some 120 concerts throughout the year, most of which in the Municapl Casino's Opera Theater. The Ariston Theater hosts the annual San Remo Music Festival, a very popular song contest held in the city since 1951. Internationally famous song "Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu", also known as "Volare", was performed at this festival for the first time by Domenico Modugno in 1958. The festival is so popular amongst Italians that it is often reffered to as "Il Festival" (The Festival). Other events include the Tenco Prize (Autumn), a song contest for authors dedicated to the memory of Luigi Tenco, the Flowers Parade held in January/Febraury in which every city of the Italian Riviera presents an original composition of flowers displayed on a Carnival/Mardi-Gras style moving car, and the summer Firework International Contest held dureing the second week of July.
Sport events
The Sanremo Car Rally Race that used to be part of the FIA World Rally Championship takes place every Spring. Sanremo is also the arrival of the classical cycling race Milan-Sanremo stage of the cycling World Cup.
Famous People
Maria Alexandrovna, consort of Alexander II of Russia, spent the winter of 1874 in Sanremo and as a gift to the city she later donated the palms that now decorate the seaside walk of Corso Imperatrice (Empress Avenue). Alfred Nobel bought a house in Sanremo in 1891 and died here in 1896. The house is since 2002 the place for a permanent exhibit on the most important discoveries of the 19th century including the research interests of Nobel himself.
Italian writer Italo Calvino spent his youth in Sanremo and many of his novels, including Il Barone Rampante remind of his attachment to the city.
External links
 | This Italian ___location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.