Songs return to Sanremo where it's worth a weekend all year round

Not just songs and floodlights in February: Sanremo unveils its true essence all year round amidst the restored alleyways of La Pigna, imperial promenades, a cycle path suspended over the sea and the timeless charm of its botanical villas. Alongside a Sanremo that thrives on flashes, cut flowers and the adrenalin rush of Italia's most famous stage, there is another, one that for over a century enchanted the European aristocracy, from the Romanovs to the Nobels, and is now rediscovering its most authentic dimension. The "City of Flowers" is not just a TV set, but a microcosm where the most sumptuous Liberty style coexists with the medieval rigour of the carruggi and the modernity of sustainable mobility. Here are five must-see stops to discover the city's profound face.