In this pretty Italian port town, you’ll find many ways to discover your new favorite cocktail, lose your wages and discover Italy’s next pop-music sensation.
New Opening
Combine dining with shopping at the Food Lounge by AdHoc, a recent addition to The Mall Sanremo. The mall sits uphill from the port on Via Armea, and the lounge’s floor-to-ceiling windows mean you get a view with your meal. Suitably girded with commerce-minded food energy, hit the luxury shopping center to find all the brands you’d expect in a yachting destination; shop (or window shop) for Armani, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Balenciaga and more.
Where to Eat
On the waterfront, Victory Morgana offers wow factor thanks to its panoramic Med views. Inside there’s excellent food largely derived from the body of water in question as well as quality cocktails and, as the night progresses, DJs and a party atmosphere. And yachties can’t beat the convenience — it’s next door to Portosole Sanremo.
For quieter Italian charms, turn down a narrow alley off the main pedestrian shopping and dining thoroughfare, Via Giacomo Matteotti, to find Gambero Rosso Ristorante. Predictably, the seafood is excellent, but it would be tough to go wrong anywhere on the menu.
Where to Drink
Elegant Casino Sanremo offers several bars, a rooftop terrace, restaurants and the sort of fun that can relieve you of an entire paycheck if you’re not careful. If you’re looking for an excuse to get into your swankiest outfit, you’ve found it.
For more laid-back vibes, the eclectically atmospheric Piña Social Club offers tasty cocktails and equally tasty beats.
What to Do
Eurovision fanatics, stop by the Teatro Ariston. The theater and cinema, which is easy to spot thanks to its cool mid-century façade, is the longtime home of the Sanremo Music Festival, the competition that helps select Italy’s Eurovision entrant. For those who like their landmarks with more greenery and less cheesy pop, Villa Nobel and its expansive gardens are a quieter treat. Named for Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel, who lived there for five years, the Moorish villa and sloping, valuable-plant-filled garden sit just up from the water and yet far away from the bustle.
Classic Crew Haunts
At Sottocoperta Lounge Bar in Piazza Bresca, they mix good local food and a selection of not-too-pricey drinks with a laid-back nautical vibe. (The words “pirate-themed” sound too gimmicky; the place wears its seafaring theme lightly.)