Pista ciclabile della Riviera dei Fiori (San Lorenzo al Mare - Ospedaletti)

The Riviera dei Fiori cycle path follows the former coastal railway alignment between San Lorenzo al Mare and Ospedaletti, preserving an important piece of Liguria's transport history.

Why it matters

The railway's relocation inland in 2001 left a sea-facing corridor that municipalities converted into a public route. The project helped reshape how the western Riviera's towns relate to the coast and is an early example of railway reuse in Italy. Its tunnels, former stations and shore-hugging alignment preserve the character of the old rail line.

What to notice

The former railway tunnels and station structures punctuate the coastal landscape. The path links San Lorenzo al Mare, Santo Stefano al Mare, Riva Ligure, Arma di Taggia, Sanremo and Ospedaletti. The rebuilt railway corridor runs beside beaches, rocky shore and small harbours, illustrating how infrastructure can be reused without erasing its original form.

Context and history

The single-track coastal railway carried trains for more than a century before traffic moved to a doubled inland line in 2001. Area 24 oversaw the conversion, with the initial sections opening from 2008 and the continuous route completed by 2014. The project included paving, lighting, planting and restoration of former tunnel entrances. It forms part of the broader development of cycle routes along the Ligurian coast.