Soggiorna
Look for Imperia on a map and you find one name, but on the ground there are two towns. Oneglia to the east, around the harbour and its quays, and Porto Maurizio to the west, on the Parasio headland. They were merged in 1923 under the name Imperia, which is also the provincial capital, and they have stayed two separate centres, a couple of kilometres apart along the sea.
That is the first thing to understand, because it decides where you sleep, where you park and how you plan a day.
Who it suits, and who it doesn't
It suits anyone who wants a real Riviera city that lives all year round and not just in summer: market, arcades, theatre, harbours, museums. It suits anyone looking for a practical base between Sanremo and the Gulf of Diano Marina, and since 2026 it suits cyclists, because the western Ligurian cycle path is finally continuous right through here.
It suits less anyone looking for the postcard village that fits into three alleys: Imperia is a provincial city, with traffic, offices and modern districts between one old centre and the other. Nor is it the place for an endless sandy beach: the sea is there, and it is good, but it is made of very different stretches.
Oneglia: the harbour, the arcades and the oil
Oneglia is the more urban, commercial half. Its heart is Calata Cuneo, facing the harbour between the commercial pier and the Molo Lungo, each with a lighthouse at the end: arcades, restaurants, fishing boats. From there the arcades of Via Bonfante lead to Piazza Dante, the town's main landmark.
Close by is the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista, an eighteenth-century church whose Baroque façade was completed in the early nineteenth century. In Oneglia people still call it "the Duomo", and its bell tower, the tallest in the city, cannot be seen from the square.
Oneglia is also the city of olive oil. The Museo dell'Olivo Carlo Carli, in Via Garessio, tells more than seven thousand years of the olive tree's history in eighteen rooms, with archaeological finds, oil lamps and cruets collected all over the Mediterranean. A quarter of an hour's walk from Piazza Dante is Villa Grock, the home of the famous Swiss clown, now the Clown Museum.
Porto Maurizio: the Parasio and the Duomo
Porto Maurizio is the old half, gathered on its headland. At the top is the Parasio, the medieval core of alleys, arches and sea views, which you explore by following the signposted Gira Parasio route. In Piazza del Duomo stands the Basilica of San Maurizio, an eighteenth-century design: it is the largest and most recent church in the area and serves as the cathedral of the merged city.
Below the old town, halfway up the slope, the Loggiato di Santa Chiara opens like a balcony over the sea, with the Oratory of San Pietro just beyond. Three inclined lifts link the Parasio with the Via Aurelia and with Borgo Marina, the harbour district that is home to the Naval Museum and the Planetarium. Below the headland lies the Spiaggia d'Oro, the city's sandy beach.
The full account of both halves, with opening times and routes, is in the guide to what to see between Porto Maurizio and Oneglia.
The museums: check the calendar first
Imperia has more museums than you might expect, but they are not open on the same days, and this is the easiest mistake to make:
- Villa Grock is closed on Tuesdays; on Mondays it opens only in the morning, on Wednesdays and Thursdays only in the afternoon.
- The Naval Museum is closed on Mondays and Thursdays; on Tuesdays and Wednesdays it opens only in the morning, on Saturdays until 10 pm.
- The Olive Museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Autumn also brings special closures: Villa Grock is closed from 20 October to 13 November 2026 for works, and the Olive Museum on 1 November and from 8 to 26 December 2026. A day-by-day plan is in the guide to Imperia in two days.
The sea
In 2026 Imperia once again has the Blue Flag, for the beaches of Borgo Peri in Oneglia and Borgo Marina in Porto Maurizio. The coastline changes a lot from one stretch to the next: sand below the Parasio, pebbles and rocks to the east, Borgo Prino to the west, where the cycle path arrives. The differences are explained in the guide to the beaches of Imperia.
By bike: what's new in 2026
For years, anyone riding the Riviera dei Fiori cycle path stopped at Imperia, because under Capo Berta, towards Diano Marina, the route was broken off: it was known as "the Incompiuta", the unfinished one. On 20 June 2026 that section was opened, and today the cycle path runs without a break for 45 kilometres from Ospedaletti to Andora, almost always beside the sea. Imperia sits in the middle: westwards you reach San Lorenzo al Mare and Sanremo, eastwards Diano Marina and Cervo.
Sections, tips and the return by train are in the guide to the Riviera dei Fiori cycle path.
Getting there
Since December 2016 the railway no longer runs along the coast: the old Oneglia and Porto Maurizio stations are closed and the city has a single station, Imperia, higher up and set back from the sea. By car you arrive on the A10: the Imperia Est exit leads towards Oneglia, Imperia Ovest towards Porto Maurizio. The Parasio has a limited traffic zone that is active all year.
Trains, motorway exits, car parks and 2026 rates are in the guide on how to get to Imperia and where to park.
When to go
- Summer: the sea and the beaches, but also traffic on the Aurelia between the two halves. At the end of summer comes Vele d'Epoca, the classic boat regatta founded in 1986: in 2026 it ran from 28 August to 6 September.
- Autumn: the best season for the cycle path and the museums. In November there is Olioliva, the festival of the new oil, scheduled in 2026 from 6 to 8 November.
- Winter and spring: the city stays lively. The Teatro Cavour in Porto Maurizio, opened in 1871, has a season running from 22 October 2026 to 21 May 2027.
How long you need
One day is enough to see both halves: the Parasio in the morning, Oneglia in the afternoon. Two days is the right length if you add a museum and a stretch of the cycle path. Families will find ideas in the guide to Imperia with children.
Where to stay: Oneglia, Porto Maurizio or the Parasio
- Oneglia is handy for restaurants, shops, services and anyone travelling without a car.
- Porto Maurizio is more scenic and closer to the Spiaggia d'Oro and Borgo Marina.
- The Parasio is the most atmospheric, but it is uphill and inside a limited traffic zone controlled by camera 24 hours a day: if you come by car, arrange access with your accommodation.
Either way, ask three things before booking: which of the two halves the place is really in, where you leave the car, and how far the bus stop for the station is.
Frequently asked questions
Is Imperia Oneglia or Porto Maurizio?
Both. Imperia was created in 1923 by merging Oneglia and Porto Maurizio, which have remained two separate centres, a couple of kilometres apart along the sea.
How long do you need to visit Imperia?
One day for the Parasio in Porto Maurizio and for Oneglia; two days if you want to add a museum, such as Villa Grock or the Naval Museum, and a stretch of the cycle path.
Does Imperia have a railway station?
Yes, just one: Imperia station, opened in 2016 with the new inland line. It is not on the sea, so you need a bus or a taxi to reach the centre.
Can you cycle from Imperia to Diano Marina?
Yes, since 20 June 2026, when the section under Capo Berta that had stayed unfinished for years was opened. Today the Riviera dei Fiori cycle path is continuous from Ospedaletti to Andora.
Does Imperia have Blue Flag beaches?
Yes. In 2026 the Blue Flag went to the beaches of Borgo Peri and Borgo Marina.
Is Villa Grock still a museum?
Yes, Villa Grock houses the Clown Museum. In autumn 2026 it is closed from 20 October to 13 November for works on the gates.