Castello dei Doria

The history of the castle

The castle was built at the start of the 11th century as a defensive structure: a square ring of walls with a round tower in the middle, replaced in the mid-13th century. Its position was strategic, on a rocky spur above the Nervia stream, controlling the valley.

In 1270 it was bought by Oberto Doria, the Genoese admiral who a few years later, in 1284, would lead the Genoese fleet to victory over Pisa at Meloria. From then on Dolceacqua was the centre of the Doria domain, which lasted until the end of the 18th century.

From fortress to residence

Between the 15th and 16th centuries, under Enrichetto Doria in 1442 and Stefano Doria in 1563, the castle was turned into a noble residence, with rooms decorated with rich stucco and frescoes. Between the mid-17th and early 18th centuries a tower was added on the east side.

The 1744 siege and decline

On 27 July 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession, Franco-Spanish troops badly damaged the castle. From then on it fell into decline, and by the 19th century the building lay in ruins. Restoration began in 1986: the castle opened to the public in 2007, and further work completed in 2018 made almost the entire structure accessible.

Inside the castle: rooms and walkway

Today the castle is a small multimedia museum devoted to the history of the village and the surrounding area. The visit includes:

• Multimedia rooms: the history, landscape and traditions of Dolceacqua and the Val Nervia.
• Doria-Grimaldi rooms: interactive content on the history of the two families.
• Historic images: a projection of late 19th-century photographs of the valley.
• Monet in Dolceacqua: a film about the painter’s visit and his letters.
• Panoramic walkway: views over the valley, the Rossese vineyards, the olive groves and the sea.

A 3D virtual tour is also available. Throughout the year the castle hosts exhibitions, concerts and cultural events.

The castle and Monet

In 1884 Claude Monet, staying in Bordighera, came up to Dolceacqua and painted three views of the bridge with the castle in the background. One, “The Castle of Dolceacqua”, is in the Musée Marmottan in Paris; another, “The Bridge at Dolceacqua”, is at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, in the United States. In 2019 the Marmottan painting was displayed for a few months inside the castle itself. To discover the painter’s spots on the coast, see the guide to Monet in Bordighera.

Opening hours and tickets

The castle is open for most of the year, with hours that vary by season. Broadly speaking:

• Winter: open all day from 10am to 5pm, closed on Mondays (except public holidays).
• Spring: morning and afternoon with a lunch break on weekdays, open all day until 6pm at weekends.
• Summer: morning and afternoon until 6pm; in July and August open all day until 7pm.

Last admission is 30 minutes before closing. There is an admission charge: check prices and the exact dates when hours change on the Dolceacqua tourism website or by phoning the castle, as online sources give different hours.

Tips for your visit

The castle can only be reached on foot, climbing the carruggi of the Terra after crossing the Ponte Vecchio. The climb is short but steep, with steps and cobbles: you need comfortable shoes and the route is not suitable for pushchairs. Allow about an hour for the visit.

In summer it is best to go up early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when it is cooler and the light on the walkway is at its best. Leave your car in one of the car parks along the valley road: the San Filippo car park, behind the Ponte Vecchio, is the closest to the entrance to the Terra. In the second half of August the castle is the backdrop for the fireworks display linked to the michetta festival.