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It is hard to imagine an area richer in its diversity of scenery, culture and activities. With the coast just 8 miles to the south, visitors can sample the extraordinarily beautiful rocky coastline and sandy beaches of the Italian Riviera (known as Riviera dei Fiori or coast of flowers), and the equally beautiful, but more cosmopolitan French Cote d'Azur (blue coast) with its famous resorts. All manner of water sports and other marine activities are offered. The sea fishing here is particularly good: mainly for Tuna, with numerous companies offering boat trips. The area from Nice to Genoa is designated as a National Marine Park, with trips to see whales, dolphins and porpoises available. At Genoa there is one of the largest marine aquariums in Europe. Or just sightsee by helicopter from Monte-Carlo.
Moving inland from the coast, the area surrounding Airole is just a small part of the ParcoNazionale del Mercantour (National Park) - designated an area of outstanding natural beauty stretching from Nice to Ventimiglia in the south, to Tende in the north, straddling the French / Italian border. Within the natural woodland, rivers, ravines, valleys, lakes and mountains are preserved, but offer the vision for ample opportunity for walking, fishing, rock climbing and more.
About 40 miles inland from Airole is the internationally renowned skiing of Limone Piemonte. This pretty town is the main resort in the south-west Italian Alps, and offers downhill and cross-country skiing as well as snow boarding, ice-skating and paragliding. Here, visitors can also enjoy rock-climbing, rafting, canoeing, bicycle rides, horse riding and golf to mention but a few.
If golf is your passion, you will be spoilt for choice. There are 25 golf clubs on the Cote d'Azur and many more along the Italian Riviera, most notably at San Remo. More can be found inland as far as Limone Piemonte.
The entire area is rich in natural features with caverns at Bergetto, Balzi Rossi and Monaco. The climate is so temperate, that botanically, the area is the most lush in all Europe. Botanical gardens are situated at Monaco and Villa Hanbury.
Rich too in local products, the visitor will find olives, olive oil, truffles, wild mushrooms, cheeses and a wealth of fruit and vegetables at the many street markets. Wine production is an important local industry - most notably at Dolceacqua where DOC Rocese di Dolceacqua is produced. Adjacent is the world-renowned Barolo district. The entire area is well served with restaurants and bars specialising in typical, local dishes using only fresh, locally grown produce, meat and fish.
Local events are numerous; carnivals, flower, food and wine festivals, Vespa scooter festival, Monte-Carlo rally, Milan-SanRemo bicycle race, etc. We can give you more details.
In short, a wonderful, warm climate all year round, breathtaking scenery, museums, historic buildings, fantastic food and wine coupled with a vast diversity of things to do make this area idyllic paradise!
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