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Alassio is an elegant beach town in the Italian region of Liguria.
Pastel-coloured villas overlook a long sandy beach with green hills beyond. The pedestrianised streets close to the beach feature upmarket shops and are lined with orange and palm trees.
It’s an ideal spot to combine beach relaxation with hiking or biking in the surrounding hills. There’s even one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy.
This part of the Italian Riviera, the Riviera di Ponente, is popular with Italians for its sandy beaches, but it’s less well known with foreigners.
Even though Alassio’s English heritage is an important part of its history, Brits seem to have forgotten about it. They are missing out.
We loved our four days here at the end of April (perfect for avoiding the summer crowds).
In this Alassio travel guide, I share our picks for the best things to do in Alassio, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
At the end, you’ll find an Alassio map with all our recommendations.
Contents
- Where is Alassio, Italy?
- The British Heritage in Alassio
- Best Things to Do in Alassio
- Our Favourite Places to Eat in Alassio
- Where to Stay in Alassio
- How to Get to Alassio
- Alassio, Italy Map
- Is Alassio Worth Visiting?
- More Italian Riviera Tips
Where is Alassio, Italy?
Alassio is located on the coast of Liguria, a region in northwest Italy between Tuscany and France.
The coastline is known as the Italian Riviera, which is divided into two parts. The Riviera di Levante (“the coast of the rising sun”) lies between Genoa and the Tuscan border and includes some of the best-known spots, such as Portofino and Cinque Terre.
See my Italian Riviera travel guide for more information on the Riviera di Levante.
Alassio is located on the other side of Genoa, on the Riviera di Ponente (“the coast of the setting sun”), which stretches all the way up to France.
The nearest major city (and international airport) is Genoa (Genova in Italian), which is 95 kilometres (59 miles) northeast along the coast.
I include details on how to get to Alassio below.
The British Heritage in Alassio
Alassio was once a popular spot with the British, who were attracted by the mild winter climate and quieter vibe than the increasingly cosmopolitan French Riviera.
British colonisation began in 1875, when Scotsmen George Gibb and General McMurdo visited the town with their wives. They enjoyed their winter in Alassio so much that they purchased land and built elegant hillside villas.
McMurdo’s villa, Villa della Pergola, is now a luxury hotel, and the gardens he created are still thriving.
Following the men’s example, more foreigners arrived, including the influential Hanbury family (who later bought Villa della Pergola). They were known as the English, but the community included Scots, Irish, Canadians, South Africans, and New Zealanders.
Over the years, the colony built an Anglican church, an English Library, and the Hanbury Tennis Club for the growing community, which peaked in the 1920s with around 2000 British residents.
However, World War II forced the Brits to leave Alassio, and only a few families returned afterwards.
While the library and tennis club still remain, Alassio fell off the radar for British travellers, and we only heard Italian (and a few French and German) voices during our stay.
Best Things to Do in Alassio
1) Take a Garden Tour at Villa della Pergola
Villa della Pergola was built in 1875 by General McMurdo, one of the first Brits to settle in Alassio.
After changing ownership to several Brits and then an Italian family, the villa is now a luxury hotel with one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy.
If you’re not a hotel guest, you can only visit the gardens on a guided tour.
We were lucky to be visiting in April—wisteria season! The villa has a stunning collection with more than 40 varieties of the purple and white hanging flowers.
We also saw cacti, citrus trees, an ancient fern, beautiful ponds, and more. There’s a beautiful view down to Alassio, too.
The tour is in Italian, but we were given an information sheet in English, and the guide translated key facts. She spoke English, so we could ask questions.
The 80-minute guided tour costs €19 for adults. They take place four times a day from spring to autumn, and it’s best to book in advance on the Giardini di Villa della Pergola website.
The villa is up a hill, with no on-site parking for garden visitors. It’s a 10-minute walk from Alassio train station, and you can find a shortcut underpass at Via Gibb 30.
Be sure to wear covered shoes–heels and flip flops aren’t allowed.
Even though we’re not usually fans of tours, this one is well worth doing if you enjoy gardens.
2) Relax on Alassio Beach
Sandy Alassio Beach is 3km (1.9 miles) long, with shallow, usually calm water (waves pick up when it’s windy).
Unlike many beaches in the area, it has no road running along it, but it’s lined with hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs (bagni).
In summer, expect rows and rows of sun beds (and be sure to book them in advance), but at the end of April, only some of the beach clubs were set up.
We had a mix of cooler, cloudy days when the beach was empty, and sunny weekends when it was much livelier. Some of the beachfront restaurants had live music on the weekend.
This is a great beach for a long walk. Look out for Il Torrione Saraceno (Saracen Tower), a defensive bastion from the 16th century, in the middle of the beach.
3) Stroll Along Il Budello
Via XX Settembre, known as Il Budello (the gut), is a narrow street in the old town parallel to the sea.
On this shopping street, you’ll find clothes, jewellery, foodie souvenirs, bakeries, and gelaterias. I’ve listed our favourite food stops below.
Look out for Baci di Alassio (Kisses from Alassio), the local chocolate hazelnut biscuits filled with chocolate ganache. The light, chewy cookies are similar to macarons. You’ll find them in lots of places—we enjoyed ours from Il Fornaio Alassio.
Il Budello is particularly lively during the pre-dinner passeggiata.
4) See the Muretto di Alassio
Opposite Caffè Roma (a classic cafe that was an artist hotspot in the 1950s), you can find a wall covered with colourful ceramic tiles with the signatures of famous people who have visited Alassio.
Ernest Hemingway was a regular at the cafe and was one of the first to sign in 1953. You can also find the signatures of Louis Armstrong, Eric Sykes, Michael Schumacher, Carlo Levi, and many famous Italians.
The wall also features artwork such as The Lovers, a bronze sculpture by Eros Pellini.
5) Walk the Seafront to Laigueglia
Laigueglia is a neighbouring fishing village south of Alassio. The towns are connected by a pleasant promenade next to the beach, and it’s an easy, flat walk that takes about 45 minutes (3.5km/2.2 miles) each way.
In Alassio, the promenade starts near Marina Restaurant.
Laigueglia is one of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia (most beautiful towns in Italy) and was founded by the Romans.
It has some attractive backstreets for wandering and a series of piazzas that open up to the sea–ideal for a meal or drink. We had a drink at Maggie’s Bar & Bistrot next to the beach.
It also has a surprisingly spectacular 18th-century Baroque church, Chiesa di San Matteo.
Squeezed in next to the train tracks, it’s hard to get a sense of its size close up, so approach it from the lane opposite (where Ristorante La Sosta is) and then take the underpass under the rail tracks to visit the church.
You could take the train back to Alassio, but it isn’t very frequent (every two hours on our visit), so we walked back.
6) Enjoy the View at Santa Croce
Santa Croce is a tiny stone church with a magnificent location overlooking Alassio.
It’s around a 2km (1.2 mile) or 35-minute walk from Alassio Station.
We started by walking along the beach, and then just after the Diana Grand Hotel, we moved inland, crossed the train tracks, and began the 15-minute trek up the quiet but steep Strada Romana Santa Croce.
A slightly longer way up is the Solva Track via an old mule track and Solva village.
You could also drive or take the hourly bus 92 up to Santa Croce (ask for the timetable in the IAT information office).
The Romanesque church was originally built in the 11th century by Benedictine monks from nearby Gallinara Island.
After centuries of neglect, it was restored and reopened for worship in the 1970s. Now you are free to go inside to see its simple wooden-roofed interior.
The highlight is the terrace below, with benches to enjoy panoramic views of the marina, Gallinara Island, Albenga in one direction, and Alassio in the other. On a clear day, you can even see the mountains of Tuscany and Corsica.
It’s a peaceful spot to relax under the pine trees.
The Via Julia Augusta trail starts here, so you could continue on for the 1-hour walk to Albenga, as we did (see below).
Want to visit Gallinara Island? It isn’t open to the public, but you can take a boat tour around it with Mola Mola Dive Team. This is best done in summer when you stop for a snorkel.
7) Walk the Via Julia Augusta Trail to Albenga
Via Julia (or lulia) Augusta is an ancient Roman road dating to 13 BCE that connects Alassio to the neighbouring town of Albenga. It was part of a larger road from Rome to southern Gaul.
The hardest part is the climb up from Alassio seafront to Santa Croce (see above), where the trail starts through a stone arch to the left of the church.
After that, it’s a gently undulating route, partly on a quiet road and partly on a stony, dirt track. There are even some original cobbles towards the end.
You’ll pass a few ancient ruins, including family tombs, but for us, the highlights were the sea views, Mediterranean trees, and wildflowers.
Once in Albenga, walk down the hill and take the red bridge (Ponte Libero Emidio Viveri) across the river to enter the stunning historic centre.
We loved strolling the narrow lanes past charming piazzas and medieval towers. It’s a delightful, uncrowded place.
We had a good value lunch at Rattopenugo Bistrot on a pretty piazza with views of the Cathedral. We’d hoped to eat at Puppo, known for its farinata, but we couldn’t get in without a reservation.
The Cathedral has a Baptistry with Byzantine mosaics (there’s a fee to enter), but it was closed at lunchtime.
Even if you don’t want to walk the Via Julia, I recommend taking the train to explore Albenga.
Our one-way route from near Diana Grand Hotel in Alassio to the historic centre of Albenga was 6.7km (4.2 miles) with 143m (469 feet) of elevation gain. It took us 1.5 hours.
From Alassio Station, add another 15 minutes, and Albenga Station is 10 minutes from the historic centre. So it’s around 2 hours of walking from station to station.
The actual Via Julia Augusta section is 4.5km (2.8 miles) and took us just under an hour. There are no facilities on the way.
See the Via Julia Augusta Trail on AllTrails (we have the Plus membership to save maps offline).
8) Hike in the Hills Above Alassio
There are lots of options for hikes in the hills above Alassio, but you should expect steep climbs.
You can find ideas on the Visit Alassio website or pick up a trekking leaflet from the IAT.
We were looking for a moderate walk and chose a loop hike from Alassio to Torre di Vegliasco (Vegliasco Tower).
We downloaded the GPX data from the Visit Alassio page and imported it as a custom route on AllTrails; you can find it here—Alassio to Torre di Vegliasco on AllTrails.
We would have got lost without the map (saved offline), as there are some hidden turns.
The route starts near Villa della Pergola with an ascent up a very steep cobbled path that was once a mule track.
We climbed up for about an hour, past olive groves with sea views behind us. It was tough going but manageable with short breaks.
At the top, we walked on a quiet road past a mural of Italian presidents by street artist Robico.
We passed through the hamlet of Vegliasco (no amenities) and up to the 16th-century Torre di Vegliasco (we reached it after 1 hour 20 minutes). It’s a real Rapunzel-esque stone tower.
On the way back down, there were more sea views, a forest trail, and then it was back down the mule track.
This hike is not a must-do, but it was lovely to see a different side of Alassio and get some exercise. It was very peaceful up in the hills, and we didn’t see any other hikers until the very end, even on a Saturday.
The whole hike, starting near Alassio train station, was 8km (5 miles) with 430 metres (1411 feet) of elevation gain. It took us 2.5 hours (plus a break at the tower).
Our Favourite Places to Eat in Alassio
Seafood is, of course, a major focus in Alassio, so as vegetarians, our options were more limited (although pesto pasta is always on the menu).
All these food spots are in central Alassio and easy to walk to. See the map below.
Casual Spots
- Pasticceria Gelateria Bread Butter And Jam – Simon’s favourite breakfast spot with good brioche (croissants) and coffee.
- Il Fornaio Alassio – This bakery on the Budello has a large selection of focaccia, plus farinata (tasty but cold) and delicious Baci di Alassio. It’s good for a quick snack or light lunch, but it closes from 1-4pm.
- Pizza Al Volo – Decent takeout pizza slices and farinata on the Budello. You can also order a whole pizza made to order, which is good value (we ate ours on a bench on the pier).
- Alberto Marchetti – Excellent gelato on the Budello. The mango was especially delicious.
Restaurants
- Mani Pizza – The pizzas at this seafront pizzeria have puffy crusts and unique toppings. They were pretty good, especially the Bordighera pizza with vegetables and a yellow cherry tomato sauce.
- Osteria Mezzaluna – This quirky restaurant has a cave-like interior with live music, or you can sit outside overlooking the beach. For foreigners, it has the advantage of opening at 6pm and offers the best vegetarian selection we found. We enjoyed a delicious goat’s cheese salad and a platter of grilled vegetables and cheeses, and it felt so good to eat some veggies.
Other Restaurants We Didn’t Try
Osteria I Matetti looked great for traditional Ligurian food (with a few veggie pastas), but it can be difficult to get in without a reservation, and we weren’t organised enough to make one.
I was tempted by Nove, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Villa della Pergola, which has a vegetarian tasting menu, but it costs €200 per person.
Where to Stay in Alassio
Casa d’Artista
We stayed at Casa d’Artista, an elegant beachfront guesthouse with just three rooms in a historic apartment full of art, books, and antiques.
We loved the sea view from our room and listening to the sound of the waves.
We can honestly say we’ve never stayed in a hotel room with a chandelier, model ships, and guns on the wall before!
The rooms don’t have balconies, but there’s a cosy shared living room with tables on a balcony right above the sand. Breakfast is served here on request, but it wasn’t included in our room rate.
It’s a unique and beautiful place, but it has some quirks, and it’s probably not for you if you want all modern luxuries.
The location can’t be beat as it’s a 3-minute walk to the train station, less than a minute around the corner to the beach, and it’s right on the main shopping street.
This does mean you can hear music from the beach bars below. It wasn’t much of a problem in April, but don’t expect a quiet stay in summer.
Overall, we loved its location and charm. Do book well in advance as it fills up (and only two rooms have sea views—our room with the blue decor has the best view).
Check the latest availability for Casa d’Artista on Booking.
Other Alassio Hotels
- Villa della Pergola – I really wanted to stay at this gorgeous historic villa, but it was out of our budget. It’s up a hill, so it’s less convenient for the beach, but it has a pool.
- Grand Hotel Alassio – This beautiful hotel is right on the beach with its own beach club with very comfy-looking sun loungers (a huge advantage in summer). The rooms with seafront balconies looked especially enticing.
Check Booking for other hotels or Airbnb for holiday rentals.
How to Get to Alassio
Arriving by Plane
Alassio’s nearest airport is Genova City Airport (GOA), which is a 1-hour 15-minute drive east or around 2 hours by public transport (airport bus plus train).
We flew into Pisa International Airport (PSA), which is much further east, as we stopped in Levanto (for Cinque Terre) and Camogli (our favourite Italian Riviera town) on the way.
Another option is Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) in France, which is 115 km (71 miles) west, a 1 hour 45 minute drive away.
Train Travel in Italy
I recommend visiting the Italian Riviera by train, as parking can be difficult to find and expensive.
Check schedules on Trenitalia (make sure to use the Italian place name, i.e., Genova, not Genoa).
We took the Intercity train from Genova to Alassio, which took 1 hour and 5 minutes.
We prefer the Intercity rather than the regional trains when travelling with luggage, as we can book a seat and there’s more luggage storage.
First class on Intercity trains is often not much more expensive and is worth it to us.
We use the Trenitalia app to book trains. You don’t need to book regional trains far in advance (just at least five minutes before they depart).
It’s cheaper to book the faster Freccia trains a few months in advance, but you’ll only use these if coming from elsewhere in Italy.
Train to France
After Alassio, we travelled onwards to France. We took the Intercity from Alassio to Ventimiglia on the border, which took 1 hour.
Then we switched to the French regional TER train (no advance booking needed) to continue to Nice Ville, which also took 1 hour.
The TER train stops at several other towns on the French Riviera, including Monaco, and continues on to Cannes before ending in Grasse.
We booked the French train with the SNCF Connect app. Or you could buy tickets at Ventimiglia station.
Read more about travelling from Italy to London by train.
Alassio, Italy Map
Is Alassio Worth Visiting?
Alassio is definitely worth visiting!
In summer, it’s ideal if you want to laze on a sun bed on the beach, swim in calm seas, and enjoy a lively restaurant scene in the evenings. Just expect crowds in July and August.
Spring was the perfect time for us to visit. It was much quieter (although lively on weekends), and the weather was warm enough for swimming but cool enough to hike the coastline and up into the hills.
Plus, the April wisteria at Villa della Pergola was stunning.
We loved rediscovering the seaside haven that the English once adored.
More Italian Riviera Tips
We’ve visited the Italian Riviera many times. Read our other posts for more tips:
Riviera di Ponente
- Finale Ligure, Italy: The Quiet Side of the Italian Riviera (only 30 minutes from Alassio).
Riviera di Levante
- Levanto, Italy Travel Guide: A Quiet Base Near Cinque Terre
- Hiking Corniglia to Manarola in Cinque Terre
- 11 Stunning Things to Do in the Italian Riviera
- Rapallo Travel Guide: The Best Italian Riviera Base?
Camogli
- Camogli, Italy Travel Guide (Our favourite town).
- Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi Review (Our favourite hotel in the region).
- Hiking Camogli to San Fruttuoso: The Perfect Day on the Italian Riviera
- Camogli Fish Festival (Sagra del Pesce): What to Expect
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