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Famous for its song festival and casino, San
Remo's Liberty façades and luxuriant flower gardens
hide traces of the Tsars and Mr Nobel himself.There's
much more to San Remo than music. Famous for hosting
the Italian Song Festival, San
Remo offers a wide range of attractions to
the visitor. From Italy's flower capital (città
dei fiori) in February to songville at the
start of March, as well as hosting a Rally and
the famous Milan-San Remo cycle race. And when
the sun goes down the casino opens and the fun
starts all over again.
Flower Power
San Remo is one of the most popular tourist resorts
on the Mediterranean. Its importance as a resort
goes back to the 19th century when
the town was favoured by European aristocracy
and eminent figures of the time. Thanks to its
mild climate San Remo has an almost tropical look
to it and its flowers are in bloom all year round.
Indeed San Remo is one of the Mediterranean's
most important centres for the production of flowers.
As well exporting blooms throughout Europe it
is internationally renowned for the high standard
of its growers and hybridists. To find out more
contact:San Remo's is synonymous with flowers. Its emblem is a flower and
flowers are the focus of one of its most famous
events "San Remo in Fiore" (San Remo
in flower). All laid out on its floral Liberty
backdrop of elegant villas and scented gardens.
For a glance at San Remo visit this
site
High Life
The town's history is teeming with eminent historical
figures, all of whom left their own particular
mark on it. The Russian empress the Tsaress Maria
Alexandrovna, resided here for three months during
the winter of 1876. Frederick III of Russia found
out that he has become Emperor of Germany during
a prolonged stay in San Remo (today his villa
hosts the Tourist Office). Alfred Nobel lived
in San Remo during the last years of his life
where he got the inspiration for his world-famous
Prizes.
Tsaress Maria Alexandrovna, Alexander II's wife,
started off the fashion for Russian aristocracy
to spend their winters in the sunnier climes of
the Riviera. She donated a series of palm trees
for seafront as a sign of her gratitude to the
town. And San Remo reciprocated by naming one
of it's main streets, Corso Imperatrice,
after her.
San Remo can thank the presence of the Russian
aristocracy for its splendid Orthodox Church with
its wonderful bulbous domes. Yet another of the
many surprises that San Remo has in store for
the visitor.
A Safe Bet
San Remo's
Casino is another of the town's main attractions
and gamblers flock from near and far to stake
their bets on its baize tables. It was designed
and built in Liberty style in 1905 by the French
architect, Eugenio Ferret, who also was its first
manager.
The casino has played an important role in the town's
history, hosting in 1951 the first edition of the
San Remo Song Festival. The Casino complex also
includes a theatre, Teatro dell'Opera,
where Italy's major touring companies regularly
perform. The theatre's programme includes a selection
of the best classic and modern plays - always a
safe bet for a good night's entertainment. Look at photos from past performances: and also this
or this,
the last two are the English and Italian versions
of the San Remo council web site.
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