Like in fairy tales

Elisabeth de Wittelsbach, commonly known as Sissi, was born in Munich on 24 December 1837 to Duke Max and Ludovica of Wittelsbach. Wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I, she is also known as "the Wandering Empress".

Her story begins like a fairy tale. The beautiful princess marries her Prince Charming ... but the story is sad and has a tragic ending.
This woman's life was like a flooding river, which overwhelms everything but is swallowed up by its own waves.
Her path is tortuous, contaminated by sad omens, sorrows and pains.

On 30th January 1889 her only son, Prince Rudolf, heir of the Habsburgs, dies suicide in Mayerling with his mistress, Baroness Marie Versera.
Since then, the inconsolable Empress has been travelling to "lose her mind". She throws herself into what she calls "the flight of the seagull".
She must go away, far away, to the sea. Leave Vienna for a long cruise across Europe and the Mediterranean.
Finally, the curtain closes, obscuring the stage: Sissi dies in Geneva on 10 September 1898 at the hands of an Italian fanatic, a certain Luigi Lucheni.

In her long wanderings around Europe and the Mediterranean, Empress Sissi visited Sanremo twice, in 1890 and 1898.

We have some official findings:

Official Gazette n. 247 of 21 October 1890
. Telegrams - Stefani Agency - 20 October 1890
- MENTON - The Empress of Austria-Hungary has arrived here on board the Chazalie and has left for San Remo, where the yacht will join her to take her to Genoa.
SANREMO - At noon the Danish yacht Chazalie arrived, which the owner put at the disposal of the Empress of Austria-Hungary. The Empress went today to visit Archduke Louis Salvatore, who lives with his family in Villa Rambaldi (a villa that will be purchased in 1887 by the Entrepreneur Louis Ormond from Geneva). Tonight at six o'clock, S.M. boarded the Chazalie, and will spend the night on board.

The note of the time does not specify that Archduke Louis the Saviour was the Empress' son-in-law, having married the youngest of her daughters Maria Valeria on 10 May 1881.

The second time he came to Sanremo was at the beginning of 1898 and he arrived with his imperial yacht "Miramar", on the advice of his personal doctor Metzger to take a holiday in a temperate climate.

The Hungarian countess Irma Sztáry (companions and lady of company of the Empress) writes in her memoirs:
"We stayed three days in the harbour. Her Majesty felt worse again and did not dare to face the turbulent sea. In the end the waves calmed down, and on the fourth day we reached San Remo happily. The long-awaited warm ray of sunshine welcomed us to the Italian shore".


Thanks to the Countess' meticulous notes we learn that the Empress had committed herself to buying a house in the city: "I would like to buy Villa Rosa but this Irma won't let me", so the Empress jokes by writing to Countess Trani.
She followed a strict and particular diet but in Sanremo the Empress strengthened herself with sweet cognac.
Or during her visits to the countryside the shepherds would give her fresh goat's milk, "which Her Majesty drank with great pleasure" of course from her silver cup which she always had with her.

During this period she stayed at the Hotel Royal (where a few years ago they transformed the Royal suite - "presidential" room with living room and terrace - into the Sissi Suite, in honour of the Empress of Austria).

In a handwritten document dated 18 February 1898, the Countess ordered that Villa Ormond be well ventilated before the Empress' imminent visit.
The waters of Sanremo were to be the last waters that the Miramar with Sissi on board sailed in the winter of 1898.

(text by Alberto Ammirati; repertory images)