Every Friday – Largest outdoor market in Europe

Name: Ventimiglia
Item: Ventimiglia
Author: KarlH

It is believed that the name Ventimiglia derived from the word Liguria Albom « Capitol City » where an ethnic tribe called Intemelion resided, giving it another name: « city of the Liguri Intemeli ».

According to some historical sources the original settlement was founded by the Ligurian Intemeli tribe from the prehistoric era Colla Sgarba in the Valley of the River Nervia. In the 2nd century BC the town was conquered by the Roman Empire army who renames the settlement in Intimilum Album, after restoring a new Albintimilium, a walled city at the mouth of the River Roya.

It was a love of nature that lead an English family to create a botanical garden near Ventimiglia beginning in 1867, in order to acclimatize plants from many different climatic zones of the world which would benefit from the favourable position and in particular the mild climate of what was to become the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
The contribution of botanists, agronomists and landscape designers, the majority of whom were foreigners, led to the creation of a magnificent ensemble both in its botanical aspect (5,800 ornamental, medicinal and fruiting species) and its landscaping aspect, creating a harmony between buildings, garden structures and the terraces under cultivation, which is unequalled in Europe.

Villa Hanbury

The Ventimiglia market is a key feature in the town. From Monday to Saturday the stalls that sit within the indoor food haven groan with fresh and tasty seasonal fruits and vegetables. There is a whole section of produce that is either home grown or prepared, such as bottled and pickled foods and artisan speciality cheeses. There are fresh pasta stalls and patisserie counters, delicatessens selling black and white truffles and truffle oils and tapenades, and other authentic Italian food products. The market also has an impressive selection of plants and flowers, both fresh and artificial

Every Friday Ventimiglia holds an outdoor market. It is situated in the centre of town and along the lungomare, coast. There are around 500 stalls selling clothes to shoes and pans to linens.

The market draws huge crowds, so unless you arrive very early, it is best to avoid taking the car and use the train. The train station is so close to the centre of town and market.

The atmosphere at the market is wonderful and so worth going to. Like most markets the goods are not high end but the choice is vast. If you spend a little time browsing, there are some amazing purchases to be made. The price tags may not be very cheap and it is worth taking advantage of the rest of the town to enjoy the many boutiques close by.

As well as clothing, there is an array of foods to munch on and the delicacies vary from sundried tomatoes to salamis and pasta to parmigiano.

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