Sun-drenched stone village in the val Nervia: the Castello della Lucertola, murals, a theatre-like square, pansarola and the Teatro della Tosse in August.
Welcome to Apricale
Apricale is a medieval stone village perched on a steep south-facing slope in the val Nervia, one of the valleys that climb inland from the coast between Bordighera and Ventimiglia. It sits at just under 300 metres above sea level, about 13 kilometres from the sea, and has just under six hundred inhabitants. It is one of the Borghi più belli d’Italia (the most beautiful villages in Italy) and holds the Touring Club’s Bandiera Arancione (Orange Flag).
The name comes from the Latin “apricus”, meaning exposed to the sun: all the houses face south and get light from morning to evening. The castle was built around the year 1000 by the Counts of Ventimiglia; the village is first mentioned in 1092, and its Statutes of 1267 are among the oldest in Liguria. At the end of the 13th century it passed to the Doria family and the marquisate of Dolceacqua.
It is worth a visit for its stepped carruggi (narrow lanes), the square that looks like a theatre, the murals and the Castello della Lucertola. You can explore it on foot in half a day, and it pairs well with Dolceacqua and Perinaldo. In summer its streets become the stage of the Teatro della Tosse, and in September the village celebrates the pansarola.
Apricale is in Liguria (Riviera di Ponente, Riviera dei Fiori, province of Imperia).
What to see
The village is small and you discover it by climbing up and down lanes and steps: wear comfortable shoes and leave the car at the entrance to the village.
This is the heart of Apricale, a sloping square framed by churches, the town hall and porticoes. The Touring Club describes it as a theatre with two facing stages: on one side the churchyard of the parish church, on the other the castle looking down from above. The carruggi that wind down the hillside start from here.
The castle stands on the rock above the village and dates back to the 10th century, when it was built by the Counts of Ventimiglia. It later passed to the Doria and the House of Savoy, and in the early 20th century it was turned into a private residence, with a hanging garden inside.
Today it houses the Museo della storia di Apricale (Museum of the History of Apricale), with seven rooms of documents, statutes and archaeological finds, as well as exhibitions and events. It is closed on Mondays; from Tuesday to Saturday it opens in the afternoon, and on Sunday from late morning. There is an admission charge and an audio guide is available. Check the opening times before walking up, as they can change.
The parish church looks onto the square. It was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century and restored again after the earthquake of 1887. Look up at the 16th-century bell tower: at the top a bicycle juts out into thin air, a work by the artist Sergio Bianco and one of the most photographed sights in the village.
Next to the parish church, the oratory preserves 18th-century stuccowork and a polyptych from 1544 showing the Madonna between Saint Lawrence and Saint Bartholomew. If you find it open, go in: it is one of the village’s artistic treasures.
Since the 1960s the walls of Apricale have been painted with scenes of rural life and landscapes of the Ponente, the western Ligurian Riviera. This is why it is known as the artists’ village. The murals are scattered through the lanes: the best way to see them is to wander aimlessly between the houses.
The village is a tangle of stone lanes, arches, covered passageways and steep steps. The Doria built three pointed-arch gates into the walls, which were the only ways into the village. Near the old drawbridge you can still see the 19th-century wash houses under barrel vaults.
At the foot of the village, near the rio San Rocco stream, stands this 15th-century fortress church. Its walls and cross vault are covered in frescoes ranging from the 15th to the 18th century; the oldest depict the Assumption and the Evangelists. It lies on the footpath to Perinaldo.
Near the cemetery, this is a Romanesque church with a 13th-century apse and a Baroque façade dated 1793. Inside it holds 15th-century frescoes of Christ and the Evangelists.
Outside the village stand the ruins of a single-nave church from around 1230, one of the oldest in the valley. It makes a good goal for anyone who enjoys walking among olive groves and woods.
Where to stay
In the village you will mostly find B&Bs, holiday homes and apartments created in old stone houses, often with views over the valley. In the surrounding area there are agriturismi (farm stays) among the olive groves, handy if you are travelling by car and looking for peace and quiet. Bear in mind that many houses can only be reached on foot via steps: ask in advance where to leave the car and how much luggage you will need to carry.
If you would rather have the sea close at hand, you can stay in Bordighera or Ventimiglia and come up to Apricale for the day. In August, during the Teatro della Tosse, and in September for the sagra, rooms in the village sell out: book early.
Nearby alternative
Looking for more choice? Bordighera is 17 km away, by the sea, with hotels, B&Bs and apartments and trains along the coast and to France.
Getting there
From the A10 Genoa–Ventimiglia motorway, exit at Bordighera (or Ventimiglia), take the val Nervia provincial road to Isolabona and from there climb up to Apricale. From Bordighera it is about 16 kilometres and around twenty minutes; from Sanremo about 26 kilometres and 40 minutes. The last stretch is narrow and winding.
There is no railway in Apricale. The nearest stations are Bordighera and Ventimiglia, on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line; from there you continue by bus or taxi.
The val Nervia is served by Riviera Trasporti buses departing from Ventimiglia. Services are few and mostly run on weekdays: check the current timetable on the company’s website before setting off, and check whether the bus goes all the way up to Apricale or stops at Isolabona.
The nearest airport is Nice Côte d’Azur, about 62 kilometres away: by car it takes about an hour via the motorway to Bordighera.
The historic centre is made up of lanes and steps and cannot be driven through. You park at the entrance to the village, in the via IV Novembre area and along the access road, and continue on foot. On summer weekends and during events, spaces fill up quickly: arrive in the morning.
By car
A10, Bordighera exit, then the val Nervia road to Isolabona (about 16 km, 20 minutes)
By train
Bordighera or Ventimiglia stations, then Riviera Trasporti bus (few services) or taxi
By plane
Nice Côte d'Azur (about 62 km); about 1 hour by car
The guide
With a second day you can walk the trail to Perinaldo or head up the upper val Nervia towards Pigna.
The cooking in Apricale is that of the Ponente hinterland: vegetables, herbs, olive oil, rabbit and a few traditional sweets with old roots.
Dates change every year: check them on the Riviera dei Fiori events calendar before you set off.
Apricale is surrounded by olive groves, woods and old mule tracks that once linked the villages of the valley. The best-known route is the trail to Perinaldo, the neighbouring village on the ridge towards the sea.
In summer, walk early in the morning: the sun-facing slopes get very hot.
Weather
Spring and autumn; August for the Teatro della Tosse, September for the sagra
Forecast: MET Norway (Yr), CC BY 4.0 licence. Updated hourly.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea | Off season | Off season | Off season | Off season | Possible | Good | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal | Good | Off season | Off season |
| Sightseeing and hiking | Good | Good | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal | Good | Good | Good | Ideal | Ideal | Good | Good |
| Crowds | Few people | Few people | Few people | Busy | Busy | Busy | Very busy | Very busy | Busy | Few people | Few people | Few people |
| Don't miss | Teatro della Tosse | Pansarola Festival (Sagra della Pansarola) | ||||||||||
IdealGoodPossibleOff season
Crowds:QuietFew peopleBusyVery busy
Gallery
FAQ
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, the Castello della Lucertola with its museum, the parish church with the bicycle on its bell tower, the Oratorio di San Bartolomeo, the murals in the lanes and the frescoed church of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
Half a day is enough for the village and the castle. With a full day you can add Dolceacqua or walk the trail to Perinaldo.
At the entrance to the village, in the via IV Novembre area or along the access road. The historic centre cannot be driven through.
By train to Bordighera or Ventimiglia, then on the Riviera Trasporti buses of the val Nervia, which run only a few services, or by taxi.
Bordighera, about 16 kilometres and around twenty minutes away by car. Ventimiglia is also close.
It is a sweet fritter dusted with sugar, eaten dipped in warm zabaione. A sagra (food festival) is dedicated to it in mid-September: in 2026 it took place on Sunday 13 September.
Every summer in August, since 1990. In 2026 the travelling show “Il grande ballo di Venere” ran from 5 to 15 August.
Yes, it houses the Museo della storia di Apricale. It is closed on Mondays, open in the afternoon from Tuesday to Saturday and from late morning on Sunday; there is an admission charge.
The name comes from the Latin “apricus”, meaning exposed to the sun: the village is built on a south-facing slope.
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