France is fun, but there is something about Italy that resonates with us in a way no other place in the world comes close to doing. On an especially hot day in July, 2019 we drove from Nice to Milan and all we had time to do, due to our commute, was eat lunch and eat dinner. But being that we were in Italy, we knew both of these experiences would possess extra flair. We stopped for lunch in Sanremo, a city that resides on the Italian Riviera, less than an hour east of the French border. Our stop? “La Porta Verde” (Address: Via Francesco Corradi, 86, 18038 Sanremo IM, Italy), owned and operated by Chef Francesco and his wife Katie (with the smiling assistance of their three month old baby Olivia). This is a place that just oozes “local” and to be honest, they were surprised and elated that we not only found them but also made this stop our singular mission during our brief afternoon visit to town. The meal began with an offering of octopus and burrata before the main course, which was a homemade tagliolini with sausage ragu. Sooo good.
Not only did we dine on wonderful Italian cuisine, we engaged and befriended the proprietors who welcomed us into their establishment in a way that it felt like they were welcoming us into their home. All it took on our part was to have smiling faces, an appreciation for our surroundings, and an eagerness to engage them in conversation. In Italy, we have found that we get what we give, and the warm embrace we so often feel in this country is truly incredible.
As an aside, we have noticed the city is often spelled one of two ways: San Remo and Sanremo. The clearest definition I have found is that when written in Italian, it’s Sanremo and when written in English it’s San Remo. Do with that as you will. We are going to be rule breakers and present it in its Italian form of Sanremo.
We enjoyed our visit to “La Porta Verde” and consider it a worthy stop whether staying in Sanremo or driving E80 past town. Street parking in the area can be tricky, so we found an inexpensive parking garage within a five minute walk (Garage address: Via Martiri della Libertà, 25, 18038 Sanremo IM, Italy).
As for the drive from Nice to Milan, it was pretty easy, especially with a relaxing lunch stop along the way. Scenic along the coast, nondescript heading north to Milan from Genoa, the drive was a win-win in that we kept costs down not having to fly to a smaller city like Nice and it allowed us to do the things we love like exploring the countryside and stopping in random places. These little moments are the ones we remember and romanticize long after the trip has come to an end.
