Favorable weather and a natural environment ranging from the sea to the mountains make this part of Liguria a genuine open-air gym all year long. If you are into sports, all you have to do is choose: from the recently created bike trail running along the old railway line from San Lorenzo al Mare to Sanremo, Pian di Poma, 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) down the coast in this extraordinary section of the Riviera. You can come without your own bike, there are a lot of places where you can rent one. You can also jog on the bike trail and in Summer, park your bike and swim in one of the hidden small bays.
The area offers much more than the sea on its sandy or pebbled beaches; visitors preferring freshwater to seawater, peace and quiet and cooler temperatures can swim in some of the torrents of the inland. There are also various swimming pools in the area, some public and some only for hotel or seaside resort customers. One of the nicest swimming pools of the Province is in Imperia, it is an Olympic size modern pool. That the Flower Riviera is on the sea and offers thousands of possibilities to engage in sports on the beaches is a known fact: from beach volley to beach soccer, the beach resorts are well equipped to cater to sports buffs.
Sailing and windsurfing are the favorite summer sports and in these recent years, kite surfing has become popular among the more adventurous wind lovers. The sea is an open playground for scuba divers offering some of the most interesting and picturesque dives in the northern Mediterranean.
There are two golf courses, an 18-hole course in Sanremo and a 9-hole one in Castellaro; a horse arena in Sanremo where international equestrian tournaments are held and horse riding facilities in many places of the Riviera: the sports offer is quite ample.
The wonders offered by the inland areas and its mountains that encircle the coast are not well known. The hills nearest the coast offer trekking and mountain bike itineraries all year long: Via della Costa, Coast Road, close to the shore, follows the great pilgrimage itineraries while the Balcone Path connects the villages of the middle inlands.
The Alpine area is covered by a spectacular itinerary which allows for unique experiences: the High Liguria Mountains Road unwinds for 90 kilometers (55 miles) in the Province of Imperia on the divide between Liguria and Piedmont and it is marked by a red-white-red flag with the writing AV.
In the higher valley you can practice the typically Alpine sports like rock climbing in Triora, free climbing in Cosio d’Arroscia, bouldering and canyoning on the great rocks of the Argentina torrent. Incredibly so because of the southern latitudes, the mountains become white in Winter and the ski lifts begin functioning in Monesi. The offer is completed with cross country skiing in Melosa and snowshoeing in groups. Come on sports lovers of all ages: the Flower Riviera is waiting for you!