Baia Salata, Borgo Prino: A Roman Bridge From the 1st Century BC Is Partly Visible From the Cycling Path Above

Italy | Borgo Prino | Imperia, Liguria

The cycling path that runs above Baia Salata follows the route of the old Genoa–Ventimiglia railway line, decommissioned in 2016, and underneath it sits something considerably older: Borgo Prino is a Roman-era settlement, the Via Julia Augusta — the same ancient road I’d walked near San Lorenzo al Mare — running directly through here, with the remains of a Roman bridge from the 1st century BC still partly visible from the path beside the current route. The name Portus Maurici, which scholars think originated specifically from this stretch of coast rather than from the elevated promontory most people associate with Porto Maurizio, appears first in written records in the 6th century, suggesting this small bay at the mouth of the Prino stream carried strategic significance long before it became a neighbourhood of a unified city.

That city, Imperia, only came into formal existence in October 1923, when Benito Mussolini merged Porto Maurizio, Oneglia, and nine surrounding village communes by decree. The Prino stream running down through the hills behind this beach feeds into a valley known locally as the Val d’Oro, the Golden Valley, for the quality and abundance of its olive groves — the famous Taggiasca olive, producing one of Liguria’s finest extra virgin oils, comes from these same hillside terraces. I found something pleasing about the combination: a beach with Roman origins at the foot of a valley still producing olive oil the same way it has for centuries.

Borgo Prino itself sits between Oneglia to the east and Porto Maurizio to the west, a residential neighbourhood with colourful houses running up the hillside, a local promenade along the water, and a character noticeably quieter and more genuinely local than the busier stretches further toward the city centre. The beach here has a genuine sports culture attached to it — surf, windsurf, and kitesurfing are all actively practised on the more dynamic days, and Dolla Wellness runs outdoor fitness classes directly on the sand through the season, from group cycling to circuit training.

Getting There: A10 Motorway to Imperia Ovest, or by Bike Along the Old Railway

I drove the A10 from either direction and exited at Imperia Ovest, which puts me into the Porto Maurizio and Borgo Prino side of the city directly. Three free car parks sit within 100 metres of the beach entrance — a genuine rarity on this coast, and one of the specific practical advantages of this beach over some of its neighbours. A city bus stop also sits close by for anyone arriving by public transport.

By bike, the newly completed Imperia cycling path connects from the city through Borgo Fondura and onward to Borgo Prino, then links directly with the Riviera dei Fiori path running east toward Bagni U Nustromu San Lorenzo al Mare Italy and all the way to Koko Beach Spianata Borgo Peri Imperia Italy on the other side of the city. I’d treat the whole path as a single coastal day rather than separate trips — the infrastructure finally exists to make that genuinely easy.

The Beach: Pebble and Stone, Restaurant on the Water, a Genuinely Well-Run Setup

The shore at Baia Salata is dark pebble and smooth stone rather than sand, the kind of beach I’d bring water shoes for rather than expecting to walk barefoot without wincing. Wooden boardwalks and sun terraces run across the stone platforms, and sunbeds and umbrellas are available to rent, with the restaurant and bar serving directly onto the terrace overlooking the water.

Fresh seafood, pasta with pesto, grilled fish — the kitchen leans hard into Ligurian seafood rather than trying to cover everything, which I find more reliable than a menu covering every possible request. Three hundred metres of free car park means the beach is accessible rather than precious, and the yoga and fitness sessions running on the sand throughout the summer morning give the place an energy during the earlier part of the day that a purely passive sunbed beach doesn’t have.

Baia Salata, at Via Nino Lamboglia 1, Borgo Prino, sits above a Roman settlement where the Via Julia Augusta once ran, with a 1st-century BC Roman bridge still partly visible beside the cycling path above the beach. The name Porto Maurizio itself is thought by scholars to originate from this exact stretch of coast, first recorded in the 6th century. The Val Prino behind the beach produces the Taggiasca olive oil for which this part of Liguria is known. Pebble and stone shore, restaurant and bar on the water, outdoor fitness classes through the season, and three free car parks within 100 metres — easier to reach than most beaches on this coast. Connecting by bike east toward Bagni U Nustromu in San Lorenzo al Mare or west through the city.

Take the A10 to Imperia Ovest, or cycle the new Imperia path and connect through to the Riviera dei Fiori. Bring water shoes for the pebble and stone. Eat at the restaurant on the terrace rather than heading into the city first.