Holiday houses in San Remo

Located about 125 kilometres south of Melbourne, San Remo was originally developed as a working port town. Following in the footsteps of the Italian Riviera resort town it was named after, it soon earned its stripes as a leisure destination. Today it’s popular for its picturesque coves, boating activities, and the nearby wildlife sanctuary of Phillip Island, which sits glittering across the water on the other side of the town’s landmark bridge.

San Remo is also home to a number of working fishing fleets, whose vessels bob alongside the floating walkways of the San Remo Jetty in the town’s main watery vista. If you linger here around the middle of the day, you’ll probably witness flocks of resident pelicans waddling up the sandy shores for their daily feeding ritual. Marine Parade runs parallel to the beach and is the main thoroughfare, where you’ll find restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and gift shops. Wander out of town and you’ll stumble across one of the many scenic coastal paths and some of the more enviable seafront accommodations in San Remo.

The most popular time for booking accommodations in San Remo is during the summer months, when temperatures are at their highest and visitors can enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, and boating at the beach, and the local campgrounds, coastal trails, and conservation areas. If you visit during the more temperate winter months, you may well be rewarded with whale sightings. In January San Remo plays host to a custom car and hot rod event. Visit in February and you could take part in the San Remo Channel Challenge, where contestants swim over a stretch of water — known locally as the Narrows — from San Remo to Newhaven, and then run back across the 700-metre bridge. There’s also live music, food stalls, children’s activities, and a fashion show.

Coastal Walk

The seven-kilometre walk between San Remo and Kilcunda through the Punchbowl Coastal Reserve follows the original route of one of the area’s historic explorers from over 200 years ago. Expect stunning, panoramic sea views from the coastal path that meanders past sandy beaches and rises up to the clifftops. This four-to-six-hour walk is predominantly rural in nature, so it’s wise to pack a picnic and take supplies, then stop and enjoy the view on the way.

Penguin spotting

During sunset on Phillip Island, you can witness dozens of tiny penguins making a dash across the sand to reach their burrows before the night falls. After dark, you can wander through the boardwalks and listen for resident wildlife, including local marsupials such as swamp wallabies and the eastern barred bandicoot, as well as native geese.

Whale Watching

Visitors keen to spot whales typically come between May and October, when these majestic mammals are active in the area. Take a whale cruise or simply wander the Whale Discovery Trail on Phillip Island. There are plenty of viewing points from which to spot up to nine species of whales, including humpbacks, southern right whales, and the occasional killer whale.