Imperia's bike path: a picturesque sea view route

The Imperia bike path is a scenic route that winds along the Ligurian coast, following the route of the former Genoa-Ventimiglia railway line. Completed between 2022 and 2025, it connects Borgo San Moro to Borgo Prino, passing through historic neighborhoods, redeveloped tunnels, and suspended sections overlooking the sea. From here the route continues uninterrupted to San Lorenzo al Mare, connecting to the famous Riviera dei Fiori bike path. Ideal for those who like to ride leisurely, admiring the landscape, this bike path is now one of the most successful examples of urban regeneration and sustainable mobility in Liguria.

The route[ back to menu ]

Departing from Le Girandole Farmhouse by bicycle, it is currently not possible to travel along the Incompiuta, the picturesque road by the sea that connects Diano Marina to Imperia, as the section is closed for consolidation work on the upstream and sea side walls. It is scheduled to reopen in June 2026, when the entire bike path will be inaugurated, joining Diano Marina, San Bartolomeo al Mare, Cervo, and Andora, creating a continuous and scenic connection along the coast.

 

While waiting for the new route, those departing from Diano Marina can reach Imperia by following alternative routes by road.

The Imperia bike path passes through several points of interest:

• Galeazza

• Borgo Peri

• Old Oneglia Station

• Borgo San Moro

• Civic Palace area (headquarters of the Municipality of Imperia)

• Former Porto Maurizio station

• Annunziata Gallery

• Borgo Fondura

• Imperia University Pole

• Prino Gallery

• Borgo Prino

Bicycle path section in the Rabina area

From Galeazza to Borgo San Moro[ back to menu ]

The Levante bicycle path, built between 2020 and 2024 along the route of the former railway, represents a major urban and landscape redevelopment. Connecting the Galeazza area to the city center, passing through the former railway station of Oneglia and Borgo San Moro, the path initially winds through a scenic stretch overlooking the sea and then crosses a dense and inhabited urban context. This itinerary not only enhances the area but also symbolically unites the different districts of Imperia, born from the union of separate municipalities in 1923, offering a fluid and evocative experience between city and nature.

The suspended scenic section[ back to menu ]

One of the most striking passages of this section is undoubtedly the steel walkway suspended over the beach, built in the very first meters of this section of the bicycle path. This footbridge offers a spectacular view of the coast below, providing a truly impressive experience for cyclists and pedestrians alike.

The mini electric bus project[ back to menu ]

In the first 500-600 meters, the route does not follow the old railway track because the Capo Berta tunnel, about 2.4 km long, has been earmarked for an innovative project: a mini electric bus will quickly connect Imperia to Diano Marina, thus expanding local connections. This eco-friendly public transportation is part of a local development project to facilitate tourism and improve the connection between the two municipalities. Currently, the tunnel is being adapted, with lighting and ventilation systems being installed. The project also includes integration with the Tyrrhenian bicycle route.

Continuity with the existing route[ back to menu ]

Past this initial section, the bike path returns to the old railroad track, maintaining perfect continuity with the rest of the bike path in terms of signage, dedicated lanes for pedestrians and bicycles, and equipped parking spaces.

Bicycle path section in Borgo Peri esplanade

From Borgo Peri to the music gallery[ back to menu ]

The bicycle path then continues to Borgo Peri, passing by the Church of Our Lady of Loreto and reaching the only tunnel in the new section. As in the Prarola tunnel, a soundtrack has been introduced here to accompany visitors as they pass through.

First Gallery in Oneglia

The old Oneglia station and the Olio Carli plant[ back to menu ]

The tunnel passes under Via Agnesi and leads directly to the historic Imperia Oneglia station, which opened in 1872 and closed in 2016. The station once served the Oneglia district along the Genoa-Ventimiglia railway. It was a single-track station with three passenger tracks and one trunk track, mainly for services to Cuneo. It was later decommissioned following the opening of a new double-track railroad track.

After passing the old station, the route passes by the Olio Carli plant, one of the city's industrial symbols, before reaching the bridge over the Impero Creek.

The Civic Palace: symbol of the unification of Imperia[ back to menu ]

Overlooking the sea along the Via Aurelia, Imperia's Civic Palace is much more than an administrative headquarters: it represents the historical identity of the city born from the union in 1923 of Porto Maurizio, Oneglia and nine other municipalities.

Constructed between the 1920s and 1930s to plans by architect Armando Titta, the building was designed to meet the new functional needs of a growing city, strategically located between the two main centers.

Cyclable Imperia urban park area

Its architecture, inspired by classicism, is distinguished by its central tower-designed to optimize internal connections-and by the brightness of the rooms, thanks to large windows. At the base of the building today stands Victory Square, created by burying the Rio Baité during earthworks.

The new section of the Imperia bike path[ back to menu ]

In the western section, the bike path runs along the former railroad site skirting the Marina di Imperia tourist port and Calata Anselmi, at the former Porto Maurizio station, now converted into an access point to the route. From here it is possible to reach the Naval Museum, the Planetarium and the Expo Salso spaces, dedicated to sea culture.

After passing through a first tunnel, the track continues to Borgo Fondura, from which one can ascend to the historic village of Parasio. After passing through another tunnel, you reach the university campus and finally Borgo Prino, in a succession of maritime views and evidence of Ligurian tradition. An itinerary that tells the story of the city and enhances its cultural and scenic heritage.

Cyclable Imperia former Porto Maurizio station

From the Savona-Ventimiglia railway to the bicycle path: a new life for the track[ back to menu ]

The historic Savona-Ventimiglia railway line, active from 1872 to 2016, was a strategic infrastructure for the economic and tourist development of the Ligurian Riviera for more than a century. Built in a complex orographic context between the sea and the mountains, the section included 43 tunnels - including five in Imperia alone - and numerous bridges.

Over time, urban growth and the evolution of road transport made it necessary to move it upstream. The last train passed through in November 2016, making way for a new vision of slow and sustainable mobility. The decommissioned track is now the heart of Imperia's cycle and pedestrian path, an urban regeneration project implemented between 2020 and 2025.

The wonderful Imperia bike path seen from above

Borgo Fondura[ back to menu ]

Borgo Fondura is one of the historic neighborhoods crossed by the Imperia bike path, witness to a past of trade, commerce and community life.

Rising in the eighteenth century in a strategic position between the Prino and Caramagna valleys, the village developed along the Fondura road, once traveled by wagons filled with olive oil and agricultural products destined for the city.

The spiritual centerpiece of the neighborhood is St. Joseph's Church, built in the 1930s in neo-medieval style to replace two old chapels. Next to it, the San Giuseppe boarding school marked the growth of entire generations, between school, sports and social gathering. Even today, this corner of Imperia retains a living and deep-rooted identity, which the new bicycle and pedestrian path helps to enhance and make accessible.

The university hub of Imperia[ back to menu ]

The university campus in Imperia, a branch campus of the University of Genoa that has been in operation since 1992, is now a dynamic center of education and research involving students from all over Liguria, lower Piedmont, and even neighboring France. Managed since 2023 by the P.U.PO.LI. Foundation, the hub offers courses in law, economics, English-language computer engineering, and Mediterranean food science.

Its proximity to the bike path makes it an easily accessible destination by bicycle, in perfect harmony with a vision of sustainable mobility and urban well-being.

Imperia bicycle path: from Borgo Prino to San Lorenzo al Mare[ back to menu ]

This section of the path connects to the existing bike path that runs from San Lorenzo al Mare to Ospedaletti. Perfect for both pedestrians and bicycles, the bike and pedestrian path extends along the Riviera di Ponente, connecting with the route from Imperia to Bussana Mare and the next section from Bussana Mare to Ospedaletti.

Borgo Prino[ back to menu ]

At the mouth of the Prino stream lies one of Imperia's most picturesque places: Borgo Prino, an ancient settlement dating back to Roman times. The Via Julia Augusta passed through here, as evidenced by the remains of a Roman bridge from the 1st century B.C., partly visible next to the current bike path.

This stretch of coastline, once further back and known as Pratariola, represented a strategic connection point between Rome and Gaul. It is precisely from this area that the name "Portus Maurici," mentioned as early as the 6th century, originates.

Cycling Imperia to Prino

Today Borgo Prino retains the authentic charm of a seaside village, with its colorful little houses, mixed sand and rocky beaches, and a lively atmosphere between sports, relaxation, and Ligurian cuisine. The bicycle path makes it easy to reach, making it an ideal stop to enjoy the sea, an ice cream in the park, or a sunset view dinner.

Cyclable Imperia Galleria Prino

The Prarola Tunnel[ back to menu ]

The Prarola Gallery owes its name to the tower of the same name. A special feature of the gallery is that, in addition to being perhaps the coolest spot on the entire bike path, background music is played inside.

 

The Prarola Tower, a symbol of Imperia and recently restored, is what remains of an ancient defensive system from the 1500s to defend against raids by Barbary pirates.

In the vicinity of the Barbarossa locality the panorama opens up, providing striking views of the sea. It is possible to stop in the designated rest areas, equipped with benches and informative signs about the local flora and fauna.

 

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