Basking on the Riviera dei Fiori – so named for the area’s flower-growing industry – SanRemo is known as the ‘City of Flowers’. Hothouses surround the city, exporting carnations, roses, buttercups and other blooms across Europe and beyond.
San Remo (locally spelt Sanremo) flourished in the 19th century as a resort for Europe’s high society, particularly from Russia. Tsarina Maria Alex-androvna (mother of the last tsar, Nicholas II) once held court here, and the remarkable onion-dome church remains as a reminder of San Remo’s halcyon days.
The town swarms with high-spirited locals and holidaymakers, especially during its many festivals. It also swarms with scooters. Allegedly, San Remo has more scooters per capita than anywhere else in Italy (which is really saying something). Renting one to chicane along the coast and up into the hinterland is a fun – if hair-raising – way to explore the area.
The ancient heart of San Remo, La Pigna (meaning ‘Pine Cone’), is a tight cluster of streets just north of Corso Matteotti, San Remo’s main strip.
.... of course we only come here for the food at the Lido La Fontana - and because our Home town "San Remo" on the Indian Ocean coast in Western Australia is named after this spot on the Italian Riviera.

To the east of Monaco, the pastel-shaded, palm-lined seaside town of Menton is within walking distance of the Italian border.
Bordered by lush gardens and lemon groves, Menton has a pretty pebbled beach and a charming old town.
Overall, it’s a lot less touristed (and, hence, generally less expensive) than other spots on the Côte d’Azur. And it’s warmer. Thanks to the surrounding hills, which trap the warm air from the Mediterranean within the town, Menton is said to have the highest temperatures on the coast; it’s not unheard of for it to be snowing in Ventimiglia a few kilometres away while the sun’s shining in Menton.
Menton’s mild subtropical microclimate makes it ripe for cultivating lemons, which take centre stage during the town’s exuberant annual Fête des Citrons (Lemon Festival).

... is perfect for a good old mosey.
Nestled around the northwestern end of Lake Annecy against a pretty backdrop of Alpine peaks, the town is crisscrossed by ancient canals, geranium-covered bridges, medieval houses and arched alleyways perfect for meandering.
A cycling path snakes along the lake’s southwestern shore and pedalos, canoes and cruise-boats pepper its water in summer.
This is the hot spot to kick back and relax after the high-altitude and attitude-fuelled Alpine resorts – except in summer when bumper-to-bumper traffic makes it a tad taxing.