Imperia is a city with two historic centres rather than one old town. Oneglia and Porto Maurizio face the Ligurian Sea a few kilometres apart, divided by the Impero stream and joined administratively in the twentieth century. The difference is still legible: Oneglia grew around its harbour and commercial streets, while Porto Maurizio climbs a headland of lanes, churches and sea-facing terraces. The Comune had 42,594 residents on 1 January 2026, according to ISTAT’s count for the entire municipality. That figure belongs to the whole Comune, including its hillside settlements, not just the central waterfront.
Two centres and a city made in 1923
Imperia’s name is young; the communities that formed it are much older. The town’s civic history records Oneglia and Porto Maurizio as distinct medieval centres with different political allegiances and economic paths. Porto Maurizio developed as a maritime and mercantile commune linked to Genoa. Oneglia passed through the hands of the Doria family before Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1576, seeking a strategic outlet to the sea. Their histories crossed and competed for centuries, and their architecture still tells the story better than a single origin legend could.
A decree of 21 October 1923 united eleven neighbouring communes into the new Comune of Imperia; the municipal history dates its administrative beginning to 1 January 1924. The Impero stream supplied the shared name. The merger followed a long and sometimes contentious discussion, including a joint public appeal for unification in 1908. Rather than erase the older identities, the new city inherited them. A visit makes most sense when it gives time to both centres and to the smaller villages that spread among the olive groves behind them.
Porto Maurizio: Parasio above the sea
In Porto Maurizio, begin in the pedestrian streets around Via Felice Cascione, where shops, cafés and civic life lead toward the Parasio, the medieval quarter on the headland. Its steep lanes and stairways rise between old houses, small squares and churches; frequent openings between buildings frame the coast. The Convent of Santa Chiara, founded in the fourteenth century and altered over later centuries, is known for its white loggias on the seaward slope. The arches and terraces make the convent part of the town’s skyline, while the cloistered community means access to interior spaces is limited and should be arranged respectfully.
At the foot of the hill, the Basilica of San Maurizio is a landmark visible from the harbour and surrounding hills. Construction began in 1781 and was completed in 1838, when Porto Maurizio’s merchants, bankers and entrepreneurs could support a monumental new church. Its neoclassical scale, twin bell towers, great dome and richly decorated interior stand in deliberate contrast with Oneglia’s more ornate Baroque basilica. Nearby, the older Oratory of San Pietro preserves a medieval bell tower incorporated into the later building. Opening times for churches and guided visits vary with worship and local arrangements.
Down by the water, Borgo Foce retains a small fishing harbour and leads into Borgo Marina. The short, pedestrian Passeggiata degli Innamorati follows the shore between the two, with views across the sea and low Mediterranean scrub. Borgo Marina’s quay, beaches and restaurants give the area a lived-in feel beyond the summer season. The promenade is also a useful way to understand how the steep old quarter meets the present-day waterfront.
Oneglia: port, markets and an olive-oil story
Across the Impero, Oneglia’s centre opens toward Piazza Dante and the port. The Basilica of San Giovanni Battista, close to the harbour, is a Baroque counterpoint to San Maurizio. Three cannonballs still set into its outer wall recall the French Revolutionary fleet’s bombardment of Oneglia in 1792. Calata Cuneo and the waterfront invite an unhurried walk among working port activity, cafés and views of the boats; the harbour is part of the city’s daily economy, not merely a scenic backdrop.
Olive cultivation shaped the hills and the trading history of both old centres. Terraced groves, dry-stone walls and mills connect the coast to the inland villages, while the Taggiasca olive remains a defining local product. The Museo dell’Olivo Carlo Carli follows the uses, cultivation and commerce of olive oil through archaeological objects, art and machinery. Oneglia is also associated with the family business Fratelli Carli, founded in 1911; its history illustrates how a regional agricultural product entered a broader market. Seasonal food fairs and local producers offer another way to meet this heritage, but the landscape itself is the best introduction.
Museums, villas and the city’s cultural life
Imperia’s cultural offer is broader than its seaside image suggests. The Naval Museum and Planetarium occupy the former general warehouses at Calata Anselmi, where exhibits trace navigation, maritime work, trade and sailing alongside astronomy programmes. Villa Grock, built between 1924 and 1930 as the home of the Swiss clown Adrien Wettach, known professionally as Grock, is an eccentric architectural composition of theatrical forms and gardens; it now houses the Clown Museum. Villa Faravelli contains the Museum of Contemporary Art, while the Teatro Cavour anchors performances and public events in Porto Maurizio. These institutions provide indoor options when the weather turns, and their opening days and ticket rules should be checked before a visit.
Imperia’s story also reaches beyond the city through its hamlets. Settlements such as Montegrazie, Costa d’Oneglia and Torrazza preserve rural lanes, olive landscapes and religious buildings. Above the coast, the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora delle Grazie at Montegrazie stands amid the groves; its fifteenth-century structure contains a significant cycle of frescoes. The sanctuary’s origin story involving a Marian apparition belongs to local religious tradition, while the surviving building and painted cycle are the documented heritage. Access can depend on opening arrangements, so contact the local association before making the climb a fixed part of a day’s plan.
Beaches, cycling and practical services
The waterfront combines sandy and pebble beaches, bathing establishments, free-access stretches, small marinas and promenades. Borgo Prino is known for beach facilities, water activities and restaurants, while Borgo Peri gives Oneglia a busy coastal walk close to the centre. The city promotes cycling along the coast and into the surrounding landscape; check which sections are open and whether works or event closures affect the route before setting out. Inland, local walking paths rise through olive terraces, so sturdy shoes and attention to gradients are useful.
Visitors can find accommodation, restaurants, shops, cultural venues, beaches and municipal visitor information across the two centres. Because attractions are spread between Oneglia, Porto Maurizio and hillside hamlets, choosing lodging near a preferred area or checking local connections can save time. Some streets in the historic quarters are steep, narrow or stepped; allow more time than a map’s short distance may suggest.
How to reach Imperia and explore the Riviera
Imperia lies on the Genova–Ventimiglia railway. Regional and Intercity services connect the station with Genoa to the east and Sanremo and Ventimiglia to the west; the station is set back from the historic waterfronts, and local buses provide connections into town. Riviera Trasporti’s coastal line 12 links Sanremo, Arma di Taggia, Imperia and Andora, while city services connect the railway station with Oneglia, Porto Maurizio and several inland areas. By road, the A10 and the coastal Aurelia provide access from the Riviera, though holiday traffic can slow the journey.
From Imperia, nearby destinations include Diano Marina and Cervo toward Andora, and San Lorenzo al Mare, Arma di Taggia and Sanremo in the other direction. Those places can be reached by regional train or bus, depending on the exact origin and destination. Check the operator’s current timetable, seasonal service pattern and any works or diversions before travelling. A rewarding first visit pairs Parasio and San Maurizio with Oneglia’s port and olive-oil museum, then leaves time for a waterfront walk or a trip uphill among the groves. Imperia’s appeal lies in that combination: an active coastal city whose two older centres and rural edges remain visible in everyday life.