Soggiorna
A weekend in Imperia is simple to organise: one day in Porto Maurizio, one in Oneglia. The hard part is something else, and people usually find it out on the spot: the three museums worth coming for — Villa Grock, the Naval Museum and the Olive Museum — are never open at the same times, and two badly chosen days leave at least one of them out.
That is why this itinerary starts from the calendar, not from first thing in the morning.
First of all: which two days
| Pair of days | How it works |
|---|---|
| Friday and Saturday | the best: on Friday all three are open, on Saturday the Naval Museum stays open until 10 pm |
| Saturday and Sunday | good: do the Olive Museum on Saturday, because it is closed on Sunday |
| Thursday and Friday | good: the Naval Museum is closed on Thursday, catch it on Friday |
| Sunday and Monday | the worst: the Olive Museum is closed on both days, the Naval Museum on Monday |
| Tuesday and Wednesday | difficult: Villa Grock is closed on Tuesday, the Naval Museum opens only in the morning |
The opening times, taken from the museums' websites:
- Villa Grock: Monday 10-13, Wednesday and Thursday 14-18.30, Friday-Sunday 10-13 and 14-18; closed Tuesday.
- Naval Museum: Tuesday and Wednesday 10-13, Friday 10-13 and 14-18, Saturday 15-22, Sunday 15-20; closed Monday and Thursday.
- Olive Museum: Tuesday-Saturday 10-13 and 15-18, last entry 45 minutes before closing; closed Sunday and Monday.
For autumn 2026: Villa Grock is closed from 20 October to 13 November; the Olive Museum on 1 November and from 8 to 26 December.
Day 1: Porto Maurizio
Morning: the Parasio
Start at the top, which is the easiest way: one of the three inclined lifts takes you from Borgo Marina or the Via Aurelia up to the Parasio, and from there you walk down. The signposted Gira Parasio route links the main sights: the Basilica of San Maurizio in Piazza del Duomo, the largest church in the area, where Saint Leonard of Port Maurice is buried; his birthplace; the Oratory of San Pietro and the Loggiato di Santa Chiara, the portico halfway down the slope overlooking the sea.
Keep the Loggiato for last: it is the most beautiful spot, and it is on the way down.
Lunch and early afternoon: Borgo Marina
Going down you reach Borgo Marina, the harbour district, the natural place for lunch. In the early afternoon, depending on the season:
- in summer, the Spiaggia d'Oro, the sandy beach below the Parasio;
- on Fridays, the Naval Museum opens at 14: finds, nautical instruments, simulators, and the Planetarium dome above.
Evening
On Saturdays the Naval Museum stays open until 10 pm, and an after-dinner visit works very well. From late October to May there is also the season at the Teatro Cavour, Porto Maurizio's theatre, opened in 1871: in 2026/27 it runs from 22 October to 21 May.
Day 2: Oneglia
Morning: olive oil and arcades
The Museo dell'Olivo Carlo Carli, in Via Garessio, opens at 10: eighteen rooms and more than seven thousand years of the olive tree's history, with archaeological finds, oil lamps and cruets from all over the Mediterranean. To do it properly allow an hour and a half; there is a free car park inside the complex.
Then head down to the centre: the arcades of Via Bonfante, Piazza Dante, the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista with its Baroque façade, and finally Calata Cuneo, the harbour quay with its arcades and fish restaurants, for lunch.
Afternoon: Villa Grock or the bike
Here the itinerary splits in two, and you choose according to the weather and the day.
Villa Grock, a quarter of an hour's walk from Piazza Dante, reopens at 14. It is the house built between 1924 and 1930 for the Swiss clown Grock, now the Clown Museum, with a park, a fish pond and the Circo di Pietra. Full ticket 9 euros, reduced 7. With children, don't skip it.
Alternatively, the cycle path. Since 20 June 2026 you can ride from Imperia to Diano Marina under Capo Berta, on the section that stayed unfinished for years, and carry on towards San Bartolomeo al Mare, Cervo and Andora. To get back there is the train: on Ligurian regional trains marked with the pictogram the bike travels free within the region, if you ask the staff for the free supplement before boarding. All the sections are in the guide to the Riviera dei Fiori cycle path.
If it rains
Imperia copes well with rain, provided you chose the right days: the Olive Museum in the morning, Villa Grock in the afternoon, the Naval Museum and Planetarium in Borgo Marina. The Parasio is still beautiful in the rain, but wet stone is slippery: use the lift and stick to the main streets.
In summer
The plan still works in August, but shift it towards the sea: the Parasio and Oneglia early in the morning, the beach in the middle of the day, the museums in the late afternoon or, on Saturday, in the evening. At the end of summer comes Vele d'Epoca, the classic boat regatta that in 2026 ran from 28 August to 6 September between Oneglia and Porto Maurizio: if it falls on your weekend, the harbour becomes the thing to see.
Without a car
The whole plan works without a car: each day is on foot within one half of the city, and the move from Porto Maurizio to Oneglia is a couple of kilometres along the seafront, on foot, by bike or by bus. How to get in from the station, which is inland, is explained in the guide on how to get to Imperia and where to park.
Frequently asked questions
Are two days enough for Imperia?
Yes, it is the right length: one day for Porto Maurizio with the Parasio and Borgo Marina, one for Oneglia with the Olive Museum and Villa Grock, or with the cycle path towards Diano Marina.
What is the best weekend for visiting Imperia's museums?
Friday and Saturday: on Friday all three main museums are open, on Saturday the Naval Museum stays open until 10 pm. On Sunday the Olive Museum is closed.
What to do in Imperia when it rains?
The museums: the Olive Museum, Villa Grock with the Clown Museum, the Naval Museum and the Planetarium. Check the times first, because the closing days differ.
Can you do a bike trip from Imperia?
Yes. Since 20 June 2026 the Riviera dei Fiori cycle path has been continuous from Ospedaletti to Andora: from Imperia you head towards Diano Marina and Cervo or towards San Lorenzo al Mare and Sanremo, and you can come back by train with the bike.
Do you need a car for a weekend in Imperia?
No. Each day is done on foot within one half of the city, and between Oneglia and Porto Maurizio there are a couple of kilometres of seafront.