Soggiorna
Getting to Alassio is easy; parking, in high season, is the one thing worth planning before you set off. Here is how to arrive, the list of car parks with measured walking distances, and where you can park for free.
By train
Alassio is on the Genoa–Ventimiglia coastal line, with frequent regional services. The station is inside the town centre: the Budello is 200 metres away, the town-centre beach 390, and both ends of the shore just under a kilometre. In high season the train is nearly always the better choice, because it removes the parking problem altogether.
By car
The reference motorway exit is Albenga on the A10, then the Aurelia coast road westwards. Coming from the west you can leave at Andora. On summer weekends the Aurelia gets busy: allow more time.
One habit solves half the problem: set your navigation to the car park, not to the address of your accommodation or the beach. The centre of Alassio is built around the Budello, which is pedestrian, and the surrounding area has traffic restrictions: aiming at the final address often leads you into narrow streets or up to a restricted-access gate.
Where to park: the table
Distances are measured along the real walking route, not as the crow flies, and times are calculated at a normal pace (4.5 km/h). "From the sea" means the stretch of beach nearest that car park, which is hardly ever the town-centre one.
| Car park | Area | From the sea | From the Budello | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viale Daniel Hanbury | east | 100 m, 1 min | 880 m, 12 min | free | white bays; the free parking closest to the sea |
| Corso Europa | west | 240 m, 3 min | 870 m, 12 min | free | white bays; handy for lungomare Ciccione |
| Via G. B. Pera | western hillside | 950 m, 13 min | 1.1 km, 15 min | free | multi-storey; far, but almost always has space |
| Via Adelasia (former hospital) | centre | 340 m, 5 min | 330 m, 4 min | free | white bays; watch for the time disc |
| Piazza Partigiani | centre-east | 35 m, 1 min | 260 m, 4 min | paid | covered, 108 spaces, open 24 hours; max height 2.10 m |
| Via Elgar (ex piccola stazione) | centre | 240 m, 3 min | 330 m, 4 min | paid | zone A |
| Piazza Sant'Ambrogio | centre | 260 m, 3 min | 350 m, 5 min | paid | right in the centre |
| Piazza Stalla | east | 220 m, 3 min | 560 m, 8 min | paid | useful for the eastern beaches |
| Parcheggio Don Bosco | centre-west | 370 m, 5 min | 470 m, 6 min | paid | |
| Stadio Alassio Parking | west | 660 m, 9 min | 1.3 km, 17 min | paid | 160 covered spaces, motorcycles allowed, 24-hour CCTV |
One clarification about the Stadio Alassio Parking (via San Giovanni Battista 27): the operator describes it as "about 300 metres from the beaches", but the actual walking route to lungomare Ciccione measures around 660. It remains convenient if you want a covered, supervised space without hunting for one, less so if you expect to be on the sand in three minutes.
Where to park for free in Alassio
Free parking in Alassio does exist and is marked by a white line. The municipal tourist board lists four areas:
- Viale Daniel Hanbury, to the east. The best of the group: a hundred metres and you are on the passeggiata Cadorna beach. The trade-off is that the Budello is twelve minutes away.
- Corso Europa, to the west. Just over two hundred metres from lungomare Ciccione.
- Via G. B. Pera, above the centre, where there is also a free multi-storey car park. It is the furthest from the sea, but also the one most likely to have space in mid-August.
- Via Adelasia, by the former hospital, a few minutes from the centre.
Two warnings that make the difference between a fine and a quiet holiday. First: some of these streets use a time disc, so parking is free but limited — always read the sign. Second: white bays in Alassio fill up early; on July and August weekends, if you arrive after nine in the morning, assume you will be paying.
Holders of the European disability parking card (CUDE) may park free of charge in the blue bays when the reserved spaces are unavailable, displaying a valid card.
What paid parking costs
The blue bays are managed by Gesco. The rate is €1.80 an hour in every zone, with hours that change by season:
| Period | Charging hours |
|---|---|
| 1 April – 30 September | 8am – 11pm, every day |
| 1 October – 31 March | 8am – 8pm, every day |
Zone A covers via Roma, passeggiata Cadorna and via Elgar (the former small station); the rest of the paid parking falls in zone B, at the same hourly rate.
You pay at the meter, by cash or card, or from your phone using the EasyPark, PayByPhone and Cicero apps. The reduced rates (€0.25 an hour for residents, €0.30 for workers holding a pass, and a suspension of charges between noon and 2pm) do not apply to visitors.
Getting around once you are there
Once you have parked, the car is of little use. The centre is compact, the seafront promenade runs the length of the bay, and Laigueglia can even be reached on foot. Coastal buses along the Aurelia link the nearby towns, and the train reaches Albenga or Laigueglia in a few minutes: for a day out it is quicker than joining the queue on the Aurelia again.
If your accommodation is in the upper part of the centre, check the gradient before booking: some streets climb steeply, and with luggage it makes a difference.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you park for free in Alassio?
In the white bays on viale Daniel Hanbury, corso Europa, via G. B. Pera — where there is also a free multi-storey car park — and via Adelasia by the former hospital. Some of these areas use a time disc. Viale Hanbury is the closest to the sea: about a hundred metres.
How much does parking in the blue bays cost?
€1.80 an hour. Charges apply from 8am to 11pm from 1 April to 30 September, and from 8am to 8pm from 1 October to 31 March.
Is there a covered car park in Alassio?
Yes, two. The one at piazza Partigiani, 108 spaces, open 24 hours, with a maximum entry height of 2.10 metres, practically on the beach. And the Stadio Alassio Parking on via San Giovanni Battista, 160 covered spaces with continuous CCTV, further out.
Can you drive into the Budello?
No, the Budello is pedestrian and the central area has traffic restrictions. If your accommodation is there, ask in advance how loading and unloading works: it is usually allowed, but with set times and conditions.
Is the station close to the centre?
Yes. The Budello is 200 metres from the station and the town-centre beach 390: about three and five minutes on foot.
Is it worth driving to Alassio in summer?
Only if your accommodation has a parking space or an arrangement. Otherwise the train avoids both the traffic on the Aurelia and the search for a space at peak times.