a body of water with buildings in the background

Ventimiglia

A Riviera town on the Roia river, with a medieval hilltop old town, Roman ruins, a Friday market and direct rail links to France.

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Ventimiglia is a resort town in Imperia province, Liguria, on the Italian Riviera, about 130 km west of Genoa. The Roia river divides the town in two before it reaches a small harbour at its mouth. The French border is under 10 km away, and many people commute across it to work on the French Riviera. The town is often called Italy's western gateway.

Ventimiglia Alta, the medieval old town, sits on a hill above the newer centre. Its Romanesque cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta, stands beside an 11th-century octagonal baptistery, and the 13th-century Porta Canarda marks the old western entrance to the walled town. About 2 km east, on the Nervia plain, the Roman town of Albintimilium has ruins, a small theatre and the Antiquarium museum. The Hanbury Botanical Gardens at La Mortola hold tropical and subtropical plants. The weekly Friday street market along the seafront draws many visitors from France and can bring heavy traffic.

Ventimiglia in five

Change trains here for the French RivieraRegional trains link Ventimiglia with Menton, Monaco and Nice, and Italian trains run east along the coast. Check the connection times, since services are less frequent late in the evening.Is a Eurail pass worth it?
Carry a passport for the French hopItaly and France are both in the Schengen area, but border checks can be reintroduced at short notice and trains are sometimes stopped. Carry your passport or ID card and allow extra time.Schengen 90/180 rule
Go on Friday for the marketThe weekly Friday market by the river sells clothes, leather goods and food and draws many French day-trippers. Go early, and check the current location and hours.
Visit the Hanbury Gardens on the way to the borderThe botanical gardens at La Mortola are a few kilometers west, reached by bus or taxi. Check opening days and ticket rules on the gardens' official page.
Add the Balzi Rossi caves for a short history stopThe prehistoric Balzi Rossi caves and museum sit right at the border, by the sea. Check the opening hours, which can be limited.

Things to do in Ventimiglia

See all attractions in Ventimiglia

Garden · VentimigliaGiardini Botanici Hanbury

Church · VentimigliaCattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta

Sight · VentimigliaNervia

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Need to know

Airport: Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE), about 45–60 min by train and tram or bus
Getting there: Train: Genoa about 2–3 hours, Sanremo about 25 min, Nice about 40–60 min
Getting around: On foot in the old town; buses and trains along the coast
Best base: Near the station for rail, or Sanremo for beaches
Time needed: Half a day or 1 night as a rail stop

Weather by month

Rainy days
Days with storms

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryClear7 rainy daysHigh11°Low7°Mild, quiet
FebruaryPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh12°Low8°Menton lemon fest
MarchPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh14°Low9°Mild, spring
AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Spring, flowers
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh19°Low15°Warm, quiet
JunePartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh24°Low19°Warm sea
JulyPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Hot, busy
AugustPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh27°Low22°Hot, Ferragosto
SeptemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh24°Low19°Warm sea
OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh20°Low16°Mild, quiet
NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh15°Low11°Rain, quiet
DecemberClear8 rainy daysHigh12°Low8°Mild, quiet

Average daily high and low in Ventimiglia, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Ventimiglia

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 13°
Humidity: 44%
Wind: 7 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Ventimiglia

02:34 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+1

Today19°12°0%Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 19°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 0%.
Wed17°12°38%Wednesday: Rain. High 17°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 38%.
Thu16°12°59%Thursday: Rain. High 16°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 59%.
Fri15°10°54%Friday: Rain. High 15°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 54%.
Sat16°8°19%Saturday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 19%.
Sun15°11°39%Sunday: Rain. High 15°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 39%.
Mon16°14°70%Monday: Rain. High 16°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 70%.

Updated 11:40 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Mentonabout 10–15 min by trainA French lemon town with a harbor, old town and gardens.Read the guide
Sanremoabout 25 min by trainBelle Époque casino, a flower market and a long seafront.Read the guide
Dolceacquaabout 30 min by busA medieval village with a stone bridge and a castle above the Nervia river.

Before you go to Ventimiglia

Trains along the RivieraNice, Menton, Sanremo and GenoaRead the guide

Riviera day toursHanbury Gardens and MentonCompare day trips

eSIM for Italy and FranceOne plan across the border hopRead the guide

Travel insurance for ItalyCover for missed connectionsRead the guide

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Rules for Ventimiglia, checked

Many nationalities enter Italy visa-free for short stays, and Schengen rules apply. Check current entry rules on the Italian Foreign Ministry site before you book.Source
Ventimiglia is a border station, so carry your passport or national ID card for every trip to France, as officers may check on board or at the station.
Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
Restaurants often add a cover charge (coperto), and some add a service charge. Check the bill before you leave a tip.

Plan around Ventimiglia

All of Italy

Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs

Read the guide Sanremo

Casino town and flower market, 25 minutes east

Read the guide Menton

The first French town, across the border

Read the guide Nice

The Riviera hub, under an hour by train

Read the guide Vernazza

A Cinque Terre village at the far end of the coast line

Read the guide Schengen 90/180 rule

How border hops count toward your stay

Read the guide

Ventimiglia FAQ

Is Ventimiglia worth visiting?

As a stop, yes: the old town and the Friday market are pleasant, and the Hanbury Gardens are close. It is a border town first, so most travelers stay half a day on the way to France or Genoa.

How do you get from Ventimiglia to Nice?

By regional train, usually in about 40–60 minutes, with a change possible at Menton at times. Check the French and Italian timetables, since services vary by day.

Do you need a passport to go from Ventimiglia to France?

Carry a passport or ID card. Both countries are in Schengen, but checks can be reintroduced, and trains are sometimes stopped at the border.

When is the Ventimiglia market?

On Fridays, by the river in the lower town. Go in the morning and check the current location, since vendors and layouts change.

Should you stay in Ventimiglia or Sanremo?

Sanremo for beaches and evening walks, Ventimiglia only for early trains or the Friday market. Both are on the same rail line.