Travel Guide Ospedaletti

The origins of the coastal village date back to the 14th century, when a ship of the Knights of Rhodes on its way to the Holy Land ran aground on its beaches. Thankful to God for saving their lives, the knights erected a chapel and a hospital to treat pilgrims at the site of the shipwreck. Ospedaletti therefore comes from ospedale, "hospital".In the 19th century, the town became an important city, thanks in part to the Société foncière lyonnaise, which from 1881 onwards contributed to its development by financing large hotel structures. From 1911 to 1925, Ospedaletti hosted Italy's first casino in Villa Sultana, an elegant villa Liberty, a social gathering for rich holidaymakers. The city was also the seat of a Fiat colony and an international automobile circuit between 1947 and 1972. Surrounded by a green pine forest, Ospedaletti is today a seaside resort very appreciated for its fine sandy beaches.