Things to do on the Italian Riviera: Ventimiglia, Sanremo and Dolceacqua

The French Riviera ends at Menton. A short train ride of about an hour from Nice crosses into Italy, and the change is immediate: same euro, different language, different food, different pace on the street. Ventimiglia's outdoor market runs every Friday, sprawling along the seafront with clothing, leather and produce stalls.

Sanremo adds a grander seafront promenade and a casino town feel, while Dolceacqua, inland, is a medieval village of stacked stone houses under a ruined castle, split by a single-arch bridge Monet once painted. 50 for an espresso and a noticeably different rhythm the moment you step off the platform.