Ventimiglia: A Bit Of Heaven

The plan was to venture to the province of Piedmont near The Alps, where my grandfather had spent the first 20 years of his life before immigrating to America. But even the best laid plans of mice and men go astray, and we missed the last morning train from Genoa to Turin.

So having seen the eastern portion of the Italian Riviera, Jory and I instead purchased train tickets to Ventimiglia (above) near the French border on the Riviera di Ponente. This stretch of the Ligurian coast provides a more down-to-earth experience compared to the opulent Riviera di Levante of Portofino and Portovenere to the east of Genoa.

The train ride offered spectacular views of the Mediterranean in between stops at Savona, Noli, Finale Ligure, Albegna, Alasio (a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway), Imperia and San Remo. Except for San Remo, perhaps the liveliest city along this stretch of coast, most towns feature a more low-key paradise of their own.

Arriving at the westernmost edge of the Italian Riviera, we had about five hours to explore this delightful town of about 55,000 people. Located on the Roia River as it empties into the Mediterranean, Ventimiglia is best known for its outdoor market, with hundreds of booths with vendors peddling everything under the sun.

After purchasing our return tickets back to Genoa, we immediately proceeded to the beach, which can only be described as a little bit of heaven. Sunbathers and surf swimmers were in abundance, and the water was quite warm. After taking a few pictures, Jory and I stopped at the Stella Marina Ristorante for lunch.

Sampling a real Italian calzone, the large pocket of bread was stuffed with prosciutto (dry-cured ham), mushrooms and cheese, with only a hint of marinara sauce the size of an Italian postage stamp. The calzone was “eccellente,” and the view from our table at the Stella Marina (above) wasn’t too shabby either.

Between the road and the railway line on its eastern edge, Ventimiglia features Roman ruins, including an amphitheater and public baths dating to the 2nd and 3rd century A.D., when the Roman town was known as Albintimulian. Ventimiglia itself is primarily residential, and the city center is alive with tourists and retirees.

After lunch, we ambled through a beachfront park (above) and watched some of the locals play bocce ball. Toward the end of our stay in Ventimiglia, we checked out the shops, as well as yet another medieval church before taking the train back to Genoa.