Apricale: The Medieval Borgo Suspended in the Hinterland of Ventimiglia

A stone nest among the olive groves of the far western Riviera

There are places that reveal themselves only to those patient enough to leave the coast and climb the valleys. Apricale is one of these: a cluster of stone houses clinging to a hillside three hundred metres above sea level, in the hinterland of Ventimiglia, where the air smells of rosemary and the silence is broken only by the song of cicadas. The name itself, from the Latin apricus, means "sun-drenched", and a single glance at its position — a natural amphitheatre facing south — explains how apt it is.

Listed among the Borghi più belli d'Italia, Apricale preserves an authentic soul that the coastal resorts have often lost. You will not find queuing restaurants or plastic souvenirs here: you will find cobbled lanes climbing through medieval arches, cats dozing on doorsteps, and a community that keeps its traditions alive with quiet pride.

What to see in Apricale

The Castle of the Lizard

The heart of the borgo is the castle of the Counts of Ventimiglia, today known as the Castello della Lucertola. Dating to the tenth century, it was remodelled in later centuries and now houses a local history museum and an exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art. The panoramic terrace offers a view stretching from the Merdanzo valley to the peaks of the Maritime Alps: on the clearest days you can make out the glint of the sea on the horizon.

The murals and open-air art

Strolling through Apricale's caruggi, you stumble upon dozens of murals, works of art that decorate façades and hidden corners. Born in the 1980s on the initiative of local and international artists, these paintings transform the borgo into an open-air gallery. Each mural tells a different story: scenes of peasant life, dreamlike visions, echoes of Ligurian tradition. There is no set route; getting lost is the best way to find them all.

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and the church of the Purificazione

The main square is an intimate drawing room, with its cobblestone paving and coloured façades that seem to close in around a natural stage — in summer it hosts concerts and theatrical performances. On the opposite side of the borgo, the church of the Purificazione di Maria Vergine preserves a sixteenth-century polyptych and a historic organ that rings out again between the naves during music festivals.

Paths and nature

Several hiking trails leave from Apricale, crossing olive groves and holm-oak woods. The most evocative leads to Perinaldo, the astronomers' borgo, in about two hours of walking through panoramas that change at every bend. For those seeking a shorter outing, the circular path around the borgo offers priceless photographic vantage points, especially at sunset when the stone glows with golden hues.

What to eat and drink

The cuisine of Apricale is that of the Ligurian hinterland in its most genuine expression. In the borgo's few restaurants and trattorias — booking is advisable, covers are limited — you can taste dishes that speak of an unbroken peasant tradition:

- Coniglio alla ligure: rabbit slow-cooked with taggiasca olives, pine nuts, and rosemary — the emblematic dish of the area.

- Pansoti with walnut sauce: ravioli filled with wild herbs (the preboggion mixture) dressed with a walnut cream that is pure poetry.

- Stroscia: a sweet cake made with extra-virgin olive oil, typical of the hinterland around Imperia.

- Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC: an elegant, fragrant red wine produced in the surrounding valleys, perfect with rabbit and local cheeses.

Extra-virgin taggiasca olive oil, produced in the local mills, is another treasure to take home: delicate, with notes of almond and artichoke, it is among the finest in Liguria.

Getting there

Apricale is reached by car from the coast along the SP68 from Ventimiglia, climbing the Nervia valley for about twenty minutes. The distance from Bordighera is similar. The borgo is not served by trains; the nearest station is Ventimiglia (Genoa-Nice line), from which you can continue by car or by Riviera Trasporti buses, which run with limited frequency. Free parking is available at the entrance to the borgo; the historic centre is entirely pedestrianised.

From Nice airport the drive is about an hour; from the A10 motorway toll at Ventimiglia it takes just twenty minutes.

When to go

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are the ideal periods. In spring the olive groves blossom and temperatures are mild; in autumn the golden light and the Rossese harvest create a magical atmosphere. Summer can be warm, but evenings are always cool thanks to the altitude. Winter is quiet and evocative, with few visitors and the chance to witness the olive harvest.

The most distinctive event is the Spring Festival (April), with markets, music, and tastings in the caruggi. In August, the Theatre Festival in the square draws enthusiasts from all along the Riviera.