Visit the La Pigna neighborhood: a tour of Old San Remo

San Remo, famous for its Italian Song Festival and renowned Casino, is home to a sometimes overlooked historical gem: the La Pigna neighborhood. Located in the heart of the city, La Pigna represents the original core of Sanremo, with a history rooted in the Middle Ages. Strolling through its narrow alleyways, one is immersed in an atmosphere of yesteryear, among ancient palaces, historic churches and striking panoramic views. It is a fascinating journey through centuries of history, architecture and local culture, an unmissable stop for those who want to get to know the authentic face of the city.

How to get to the Pigna district[ back to menu ]

Reaching the Pigna district in San Remo is easy and convenient. If you travel by car, the A10 highway (Autostrada dei Fiori) connects San Remo with major Italian cities and France. Exit at the Sanremo toll booth and follow the signs to the city center. For parking, you can choose from several paid parking options and several free municipal parking lots, such as those in Via Isonzo and Via San Francesco.

 

San Remo is also well served by public transportation. The Sanremo train station, located in the center, is connected to the main Italian and French rail lines, and from here the Pigna district is about a 15- to 20-minute walk away. Local buses offer frequent connections to different parts of the city and surrounding towns.

 

For a comfortable stay in western Liguria, our Agriturismo Le Girandole in Diano Marina is an excellent choice. Located a short distance from San Remo, it offers a peaceful and relaxing environment, ideal for easily exploring La Pigna and other attractions of the Riviera dei Fiori. Learn about the farmhouse and the services we offer!

The history of the neighborhood and the origin of the name[ back to menu ]

The La Pigna neighborhood represents the historic core of San Remo, whose origins date back to the year 1000, when the first settlements were built after the expulsion of the Saracens.

 

The name “La Pigna” comes from the characteristic concentric arrangement of its streets, which resemble the scales of a pine cone. This urban structure, typical of the Middle Ages, was designed for defensive reasons, allowing the inhabitants to better protect themselves from raids by pirates and other invaders.

 

The neighborhood stands on a promontory, with the main streets following the curves of the hill and secondary streets branching off from the top. At the center of this conformation was the castle, which was destroyed in 1753 by the Genoese to build a fortress on the sea. The architecture of the neighborhood is characterized by compact tower-houses and narrow alleys, which create an atmospheric maze of covered passageways and hidden little squares.

What to see in the La Pigna neighborhood: the full tour[ back to menu ]

La Pigna, with its medieval narrow streets and ancient buildings, offers visitors numerous points of interest. From historic buildings to striking churches, every corner of the neighborhood tells a story. Here are some of the must-see places to explore during your visit.

Via Montà and Palazzo Sapia Rossi[ back to menu ]

The tour of the La Pigna neighborhood starts from Via Montà, which is located next to Piazza Eroi Sanremesi. The initial path, slightly uphill, is quite pleasant and relaxing. Walking along Via Montà, near Palazzo Sapia Rossi, one comes across a memorial plaque commemorating Count Sapia Rossi, known for hosting Napoleon Bonaparte in 1794 during his stay in San Remo. Liguria retains numerous traces of Napoleon's passage, as also recounted in our articles devoted to the villages of Millesimo and Perinaldo.

Via Palma[ back to menu ]

Continuing the tour, we come across Via Palma, one of the main arteries of San Remo's Pigna district. This place, steeped in history, evokes a unique atmosphere that can be felt at every corner.

Manara Palace[ back to menu ]

Palazzo Manara, located near the entrance to the medieval city, is the result of a complex fusion of medieval building elements organized between the late 15th and early 16th centuries. During the sixteenth century, the palace was considered one of the most elegant and prestigious in San Remo, so much so that Pope Paul III Farnese stayed there in 1538 during a trip to Nice to mediate peace between Charles V and Francis I. The entrance to the palace is decorated with an elegantly carved stone portal, and the spacious atrium recalls the architecture of sumptuous Genoese houses, with large windows and loggias that enhance the link with the Riviera's extraordinary climate.

Porta Palma[ back to menu ]

Passing the first section of Via Palma, one arrives at the ancient Porta Palma, a narrow covered passageway that connected the sea route with the San Romolo valley. The street's name refers to the palm tree, a key botanical presence for San Remo, so much so that it appears in the city's coat of arms. Porta Palma, built at the height of the Middle Ages, was part of the city walls from 1321 and remained incorporated into the district with population expansion from the 1400s onward.

Bottini Chapel[ back to menu ]

Near No. 71 Via Palma is the Bottini Chapel, a private chapel with public access, created in the mid-18th century by the priest Giacomo Bottini. The chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Mercede, is decorated with eighteenth-century paintings depicting saints of the Mercedarian order and complex trompe d'oeil. This Marian devotion is linked to the need to ransom Christians enslaved by Muslims.

St. Joseph's Church[ back to menu ]

St. Joseph's Church is situated in a marginal location but easily accessible from anywhere in the neighborhood. Its construction was first proposed in 1666, but it was not until 1668 that the community authorized its design, which was completed around 1684 under the direction of master mason Gio Martino of San Remo.

 

The church has an elegant façade enriched by a tall mixtilinear pediment and a spacious single-chamber interior with two curved side chapels connected to the chancel.

 

The interior of the church is adorned with remarkable works of art. In the right side chapel is a painting by Giacomo Antonio Boni (1688-1766) depicting the Holy Family with Saints Isidore and Teresa of Avila, delivered in 1733. St. Isidore, patron saint of farmers, was particularly venerated in this neighborhood. In the left chapel, on the other hand, is a 17th-century painting by Giovanni Battista Gastaldi da Triora, which depicts the four crowned saints, protectors of stonemasons and masons, categories of workers very much present in Pigna.

 

This church represents a landmark for the local community, characterized by a strong popular dimension and a lively community life, enriched by the typical and curious characters that populate the neighborhood.

Piazza Cisterna: the heart of the La Pigna neighborhood[ back to menu ]

From the Church of San Giuseppe, the route continues by turning back and crossing Via dei Mille and Via Cisterna, until it reaches one of the main squares of the La Pigna neighborhood: Piazza Cisterna.

 

Piazza Cisterna represents a nerve center for the western La Pigna neighborhood, enclosed between the gates of Santa Maria and San Giuseppe, Via Palma and the Church of San Giuseppe itself. This urban sector began to expand from the late Middle Ages, completing between the 16th and 17th centuries. As a working-class neighborhood inhabited by farmers, artisans and laborers, it was essential to ensure an adequate water supply, made possible by the construction of the large cistern located under the square, which gives the square its name.

 

Built in the 1600s, the cistern collected large quantities of rainwater, crucial to the livelihood of the neighborhood. Under the pavement of this area run several canals connecting various drains and other small cisterns, all covered with waterproof plaster, an ancient but effective technique. Other important historic cisterns in San Remo include the Funtanassa cistern on Romolo Moreno Street and the one in Piazza Nota in front of the Commissioner's Palace, later to become the Public Palace.

 

Water supply has always been a crucial issue for San Remo, and especially for the Pigna district, where the lack of natural springs made a sophisticated system of rainwater collection and storage essential, minimizing waste especially during the drier and hotter summer months.

Santa brigida Square and the Oratory[ back to menu ]

Continuing the tour from Cisterna Square, one ascends to Santa Brigida Square, the largest square in the entire Pigna neighborhood. This square provides a wide open space in the heart of the historic district, serving as a landmark for those exploring the area.

Oratory of Santa Brigida[ back to menu ]

Not far from the square is the Oratory of Santa Brigida, a small but significant place of worship. The history of the oratory goes back centuries and offers an example of local religious architecture. Apart from the Oratory, Santa Brigida Square does not have many other points of interest, but it remains a pleasant place to take a break and enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the neighborhood.

Piazza dei Dolori and the Oratory of San Sebastiano[ back to menu ]

Unlike other areas in the neighborhood, Piazza dei Dolori stands out for its historical and architectural beauty. Located in the heart of La Pigna, this square offers a remarkable visual impact, evoking a strong “wow” effect for those who visit.

 

The square is located in a labyrinth of alleys and covered passageways in the heart of the old city. It is so named because the brotherhood of the same name used to meet there. The square, bordered by the portico of the Oratory of St. Sebastian, converges toward a central fountain, reminiscent of a well in the heart of the invisible city of Pyrrha.

 

Here stands the Oratory of San Sebastiano, built in 1508, after the plague of 1502 spared San Remo, and dedicated to the patron saint against the plague. The original building, part of the Praetorian Palace, fell into disuse in the late 16th century, but in 1762 it was entrusted to the Confraternity of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. Between 1770 and 1860, the oratory was decorated with fine paintings by Maurizio Carrega and Luigi Varese. The interior walls are punctuated by elaborate pilasters supporting a long frieze, and many details were gilded during the 19th century. One curious element is a fake plaque from 1642 that warns against urinating under the palace's portico, under penalty of a fine.

 

Not far away is Via delle Rivolte San Sebastiano, a charming covered carruggio that remained closed for consolidation works from 2016 to 2020. The work was necessary to reinforce the walls of the building above, which were showing signs of subsidence. Today, the passageway is once again accessible, allowing this charming and historic part of the neighborhood to be explored.

Piazza dei Dolori and Rivolte San Sebastiano

The Regina Elena Gardens[ back to menu ]

After exploring the historic part of La Pigna, the route continues uphill through the characteristic caruggi until it reaches the top of the neighborhood. Along the ascent, the Oratory of San Costanzo is encountered.

 

The Regina Elena Gardens, located at the highest part of La Pigna, offer a panoramic view of all of San Remo. This area was once occupied by an ancient castle, destroyed by the Genoese in 1753 after the Matuzian revolt. The area was further expanded following the 1887 earthquake. The gardens are dedicated to the second queen of the Kingdom of Italy and feature a beautiful fountain at the highest part, with a waterfall cascading down to the lower part.

Costanzo amphitheater and cultural events[ back to menu ]

The San Costanzo Amphitheater is a large, modern space located in the heart of La Pigna. Probably conceived as a plaza for the residents of the neighborhood, the amphitheater is decorated with vibrant murals that testify to the popular and creative nature of the area.

 

The amphitheater features modern and functional architecture designed to host a variety of community events. Its spaciousness and versatility make it ideal for holding both musical and literary events, providing a cultural meeting point for residents and visitors alike.

Cassini Square and St. Stephen's Gate[ back to menu ]

Continuing our visit, we arrive at Cassini Square, passing in front of St. Stephen's Church to discover new corners of the neighborhood. In this area is the historic Porta di Santo Stefano, an important gateway to La Pigna.

 

Santo Stefano's gate system is fundamental to understanding the defensive structure of the Pigna. These gates, arranged in rapid sequence, correspond to different circles of walls that followed one another over time as the city expanded. The first access, dating back to 1500, is controlled by a tower, now incorporated into housing. This circle of walls served to defend against raids by Barbary pirates from North Africa.

 

A late medieval access from the 1400s follows, flanked by typical Genoese houses with warehouses protected by porticoes. The last access, the oldest, dates from 1321, as indicated by a plaque above the entrance. This plaque depicts a turreted city with a palm tree, an ancient representation of San Remo.

Next to the gate is a covered burrow called I Vallai. This space, originally left vacant under the walls, was covered with hanging dwellings because of the need for living space. Despite the prohibition to build on it, specific permits were granted for public buildings.

Panorama from the Belvedere of Madonna della Costa

 

Listen to all podcasts published on our official channels:

• Spotify
• Podbean
• Apple Podcasts