Ventimiglia, The Closest Italian Town from the French Riviera Border

Spend a day in Ventimiglia and enjoy the beach, the visit in the old town, don’t forget to do shopping and to bring back wonderful ham and cheese, and even two bottles of alcoholic beverage.

Ventimiglia is a town in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It sits by the sea, just over the Italian border, about 45 minutes by rail from Nice.

The town divides into two parts : The ancient medieval city center which is perched on a hill overlooking the new town, and the modern commercial and seaside resorts. The Church of San Michele Archangel was erected in the 10th century by the Counts of Ventimiglia on the foundations of a pagan temple. In the 11th-12th century, i twas remade in a Romanesque style.

Ventimiglia is a very popular destination during the summer for tourists spending their vacations along the French Riviera.
The Friday market runs the length of the town and sea front and draws ten of thousands of shoppers eager to snap up Italian fashion good and bargain price : shoes, handbags, sunglasses, watches, silk ties, cigarettes at very low price. Most of them are copies and fakes. Be careful not to be catch by the Customs when you go back to France !

There are also plenty alcoholics beverage shops (drinks are a bit less expensive than in France), on their full selection of cheese, ham, and fruit and vegetables, exquisite and half price compared to the ones sold in Nice.

These make so many reasons to spend a day in Ventimiglia.

written by azurblue on 2009-09-05 #places #shops #train #church #drinks #station #border #location #azurblue #markets #city #beach #italy #ventimiglia #beverage #italia