Ventimiglia is a city on the border between Italy and France, in which French influence plays an important role. It is a popular holiday resort on the Italian Riviera, and its advantage is sandy, nice beaches.
The city is part of a larger resort that also includes the neighboring Bordighera, Vallecrosia and Camporosso. The boundaries between their buildings are blurring, and the buildings smoothly move from one city to another. In summer, all four are a destination for many tourists from Italy and other European countries.
Due to its location on the French border, Ventimiglia has been a place where cultural influences have crossed for centuries. Many of the locals speak French fluently, and in the streets you can meet a lot of French who come here to shop or to restaurants that are cheaper than on the other side of the border. On the other hand, Italians like to go to France, where there is more freedom of behavior on the beaches.
Ventimiglia is divided into two parts by the Rola River. On its right bank is the well-preserved Old Town, one of the most important historic centers in Liguria. Narrow streets, high tenement houses and small squares dominate here. From the highest point of the Old Town, you can see Monte Carlo in good weather.
On the left bank of Rola there is a new district with hotels, bars, holiday apartments and wide sandy beaches. Nightlife flourishes here until the late hours, and in high season the beaches are filled with a multinational crowd. The big attraction of Ventimiglia, located a little further from the center, is the Hanbury Botanical Gardens, managed by the University of Genoa.
