Curated by Clara

It’s only fitting that my first post is a guide to Imperia, Italy, where I’ve spent the past three months au pairing! With plenty of free time, I was able to thoroughly explore this charming town and pick my favorite spots!

Location

Imperia is a small Italian coastal town on the Mediterranean. It has a train station near the town center, making it possible to reach France in under an hour! The train can also take you in the opposite direction, connecting you to both Northern and Southern Italy.

Where to stay?

The town of Imperia is divided into two small sections: Porto Maurizio on the west and Oneglia on the east. Personally, I’m partial to Porto Maurizio because that’s where my host family and I lived. Porto offers two great and affordable hotel options:

1. Hotel Corallo
2. Hotel Croce di Malta

Both of these hotels are in the heart of Porto Maurizio, just steps away from the beach, as well as numerous restaurants and cafes! They are about a 15-minute taxi ride from the Imperia train station.

Where to eat?

Restaurants

1. La Ribotta (Porto): the GO-TO for pizza! Best in town!
2. Portego de Ma (Oneglia): amazing and authentic pizza & pasta
3. STRA (Porto): great aperitivo! You get a board of different breads and snacks when you order a drink

Cafés

1. Il Chioschetto (Porto): they have fabulous espresso/cappuccinos and some of the BEST pastries (I get the pistachio croissant)
2. Bar Seven (Porto): great coffee and even better waterfront views!
3. Il Bastione (Oneglia): such a gorgeous pastry sprea

Gelato

1. Gelateria Corte: the creamiest gelato!

What to do?

Beaches/Beach Clubs

1. Foce Beach: my #1 favorite hidden gem! This beach is always less crowded than the others and has a lot of space to put a towel down if you do not want to purchase a chair.
2. Spiaggia d’Oro: perfect middle price beach club for two chairs and an umbrella- great staff and kid-friendly but gets busy in July-September

Day-Trips

1. Menton, France (1 hour train)
2. Cap d’Ail, France (1.25 hour train)
3. Eze, France (1.5 hour train)
4. Monaco (1.5 hour train)
5. Villefranche-sur-Mer, France (1.75 hour train)
6. Nice, France (2 hour train)

How to get there? Trainline App to easily book train travel!

My hidden gem for those of you who made it to the end!

Logge di Santa Chiara: follow the directions on Google Maps to this location and it will take you to a beautiful covered pathway with stunning architecture. This was my go-to spot for reading and calling friends & family.