A Day at the Beach in Northern Italy

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Italy has miles of coastline and naturally miles of beach. Not all coastline in Italy is amenable to a beach because some is more amenable to harbors or jagged cliffs. I had the good fortune to be able to enjoy some of the best beaches in northern Italy and they were in San Remo, Levanto, and Rimini.

San Remo is in the northwestern area of Italy, in an area considered to be the Italian Riviera. Very near to France, San Remo has a temperate climate and wonderful beaches. In the month of June the Mediterranean Sea was warm enough for me to swim there. Known as a resort city, San Remo has wonderful beaches and hotels, and many of the hotels have private beaches. Use of these beaches, which are called lido, usually is included with the price of a hotel reservation. This typically includes two lounge chairs and a beach umbrella, and sometimes a cabana as well. A public beach area is always available in addition to the private beaches.San Remo, Italy Beaches

Levanto is a family friendly town which makes a good base for visiting the Cinque Terre in Liguria. The train runs through Levanto and it makes for easy access, while not as expensive as staying within the Cinque Terre villages. The beach at Levanto is great not only for swimmers but for surfers as well. Its length is a plus and the sand at Levanto is not full of stones. The clean water and the giant waves make Levanto a favorite for surfers. Recently a world surfing championship was held in the waters of Levanto. I found the crescent shape of the beach to be a perfect spot for sunset photos, and I enjoyed watching the surfers as they rode the waves in to shore.

I visited this beach just before the summer season began, so things were fairly quiet. In season the beach is filled with chairs and umbrellas as sunbathers soak up the hot sun. Above the beach is a promenade and shops and restaurants are easily accessible.Levanto, Italy Beach

Rimini has long been considered one of Italy's favorite beaches. In the summer months it is also one of the most crowded. Rimini is located on Italy's eastern coast, and its beaches sit on the Adriatic Sea. Because of its nine miles of sandy beaches, Rimini attracts Italians and European travelers all summer.  When I spent an afternoon on the lovely beaches of Rimini, I spent four euros for a beach chair and an umbrella. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

Italy has many other beaches, some smaller and some larger. These are just a few of the beaches in the northern part of Italy. A day at an Italian beach was the perfect reprieve for me after walking around in the hot sun exploring ancient ruins and architecture.Rimini, Italy Beach

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Follow Margie on her blog at margieinitaly.wordpress.com

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Visit the San Remo Casino

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

The San Remo Casino was built in 1905 in the Art-Nouveau style and centrally located in the city center. Gambling tournaments, Miss Italia competitions and performances by the local symphony orchestra have taken place here, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to San Remo. The casino is a popular venue for gambling as well as culture.San Remo Casino, Liguria, Italy md

History

The Casino San Remo has served as the entertainment center for the Italian Riviera for over one hundred years, first opening its doors in 1905. The 1951Miss Italia and more recently the European Poker Tournament  was held here in October 2011.

Designed by the Parisian architect Eugene Ferret, the San Remo Casino takes up the entire city block in the center of San Remo with its grandiose Art Nouveau and Baroque style. Some of the most people in the world have graced the halls of the San Remo Casino, including kings, actors, famous singers and other VIP’s.

Gambling

With 27,000 square feet of casino space, the San Remo Casino is quite a bit smaller than its American counterparts in Las Vegas, such as the Monte Carlo which has three times as much floor space. This makes for a much more intimate gambling experience and the slots machines are for the most part separated from the table games.

Featuring 470 slot machines which are located in what is known as the Slot Machine Hall, the San Remo Casino also has five other rooms where you will find French and American table games at five euro minimum bets. The San Remo Casino is well known in the European poker community for hosting world poker tournament events. A sixth private room for high rollers features 500 euro minimum tables in a private and refined setting.

Unlike American casinos the San Remo Casino is only free during the week and charges an entrance fee of 7.0 euros on weekends and holidays. So not only can you look forward to losing your money playing the slots or table games, but you are paying for the privilege!

San Remo Opera Theatre

Housed within the San Remo Casino is the San Remo Opera Theatre which is the home of the renowned San Remo Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra has been conducting performances on a regular basis for many years, drawing crowds from all over Europe.

With a philosophy of encouraging and developing young talent, the music includes not only classical pieces abut also romantic and contemporary repertoires. Many famous conductors and soloists have performed with the San Remo Symphony, and the symphony orchestra has recorded five CD’s and has also been broadcast on RAI media.

The San Remo Casino is very important to the city of San Remo as well as a fun place to visit. If you are a gambler, a music lover or just want to admire the Art Nouveau architecture, don’t miss the San Remo Casino on your next visit to Italy!

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas Follow Margie on her blog at margieinitaly.wordpress.com

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San Remo, Italy – Seaside Resort and So Much More

San Remo Beaches, Liguria, ItalyGuest Post By: Margie Miklas

Known as the City of Flowers, or la Cittá dei Fiori, San Remo is one of the most popular seaside resort towns in Italy. Located on the northern Italian Mediterranean coast in the region of Liguria, San Remo is a beach lover’s paradise.  The temperate climate and beautiful coastline draw millions of tourists here every year.

Besides its beautiful beaches and boardwalk, San Remo  is the home of the San Remo Music Festival,  the annual flower festival, the Milan San Remo Bicycle Race and the world famous  Casino Municipale. San Remo’s historic old town, called La Pigna, is also a draw especially for architectural and history buffs.

Beaches and Boardwalk

San Remo Boardwalk, Liguria, ItalyThe beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean beckon visitors to San Remo’s famous beaches and many of them have accompanying restaurants and bars, along with cabanas and changing rooms for a price. A lot of San Remo’s waterfront hotels have arrangements with different beach areas and access is included for hotel guests at no fee. There are also some public access areas as well.

High above the sand and surf is a beautifully designed boardwalk, making for romantic evening strolls or just enjoyable daytime walks.  Along this multi-colored boardwalk made of marble, at one point is the famous Primavera statue, which is a sculpture of a beautiful girl facing the sun with outstretched arms. All colors of flowers are planted at the base of her and you can just feel spring in the air at any time of year.

La Pigna

San Remo in La Pigna, Liguria, ItalyI loved walking around the old part of San Remo where the cobblestoned streets and inclined walkways present a surprise around every corner. Called La Pigna, the locals live in old houses built almost on top of one another in small alleyways and very steep streets. I felt like I was walking in a place just as it existed hundreds of years ago.  The local people carry on life here taking the steep staircases in stride because this is their way of life and has been for centuries.

San Remo Music Festival

The oldest music festival in Europe is the Sanremo Music Festival, which occurs annually in February in the Ariston Theater and attracts music lovers from all over Italy as well as other places throughout Europe.  The festival celebrated sixty years this year and is a venue for new talent with original compositions to attempt to make it to the celebrity status.

San Remo flowers, Liguria, ItalyThe San Remo Flower Festival

San Remo, with its mild climate in the winter, has earned the name, “the city of flowers” because of all the horticultural growing locations nearby. I could see the greenhouse coverings from above the city in the distance of all around the neighboring towns. So many varieties of flowers bloom very early in the year allowing the San Remo Flower Festival to be held in late January every year. It   is broadcast on Italian TV throughout Italy with processions and floats for all to enjoy.

Milan San Remo Bicycle Race

This race is held every spring and is the longest one day pro cycling race, at 298 km or 185 miles.  Since 1907 the Milan San Remo Bicycle Race has been held every year  with three exceptions due to wars. Avid cycling enthusiasts train for this competitive race not only for the prestige of the win, but also the 20,000 Euro prize money. The race begins in Milan and ends in San Remo, with the top speed achieved as high as 45.8 km an hour, and that record was set by Gianni Bugno in 1990.

San Remo Casino, Liguria, ItalySan Remo Casino

The Casino San Remo was built in 1905 in the Art-Nouveau style and centrally located in the city center. The casino has a lot of history including hosting the 1951 Miss Italia competition, and more recently the European Poker Tournament  was held in October 2011. Its grand style takes up an entire city block and is a symbol for San Remo.

San Remo is the resort town in the Italian Riviera and offers so much more. I am glad I had a few days to enjoy the town as it is worth more than a day trip.

 

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

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