Tom`s travels: Perinaldo, Apricale, Rocchetta Nervina & Dolceacqua (06/08/2021)

After one full day at the beach to have a break from traveling around, we decided to do another day trip, and visit some towns around the Val Nervia. Our first stop was the town of Perinaldo which we reached after nearly one hour's drive from Riva Ligure. Located at about 572m above sea level on a hilltop surrounded by mountains, it is included in the club of the most beautiful villages in Italy. After parking the car right outside of town we headed on foot. We walked through the typical narrow streets with stone architecture and pastel-colored houses. We then reached the central square where the church of San Nicola is located. Rebuilt in 1660 in the baroque style over a pre-existing church, its bell tower was also rebuilt later, in 1768. Once inside we admire the nice baroque decorations and the columns from the previous romanesque building. As we strolled around we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the narrow streets of the old town and then found a beautiful viewpoint from which we could see the town of Apricale on a hilltop down the valley to the north and the peaks of the Ligurian Alps on a fine sunny day. Once we got back in the car, we then drove along what seemed to be a provincial road, but which was so narrow and filled with vegetation covering most of the asphalt that it seemed a lesser country road. I was worried I would encounter another car coming from the opposite direction and then there would be no way for either to pass. Luckily I didn't encounter any until right at the end when an SUV with a french car plate came driving from the other way. I signaled him that there was no way I could back up, so luckily the driver spotted an entrance to a house right behind him and backed there to let me pass. After a short drive, we then reached the town of Apricale which we had spotted before from Perinaldo. We parked the car outside town along the road and then headed on foot. Also part of the club of the most beautiful villages in Italy, it sits on a hilltop surrounded by mountains. As we strolled through its pretty historic center characterized by the typical stone architecture, we then ended up at the town's main square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Surrounded by the main buildings in town, the town hall and the baroque Oratorio di San Bartolomeo on one side, and the church of the Purificazione di Maria Vergine, and the Castello della Lucertola on the other. The latter is a 10th-century castle dominating the main square which was later turned into a private residence with a garden during the 20th century. From the square we then continued our stroll through the meandering narrow streets and admired the beautiful historic architecture, coming to the opinion that Apricale was much nicer than Perinaldo and wondering why the latter had been included in the list of the most beautiful towns in Italy, as it was rather plain and unappealing. Once we retraced our steps and reached the car once again, we then drove on, down the valley, and up another one to reach the town of Rocchetta Nervina. Unfortunately, as we approached it we found out the parking lot was full and so the police started sending cars back down the way they came and found a spot further back. We had to then drive quite a bit past many cars parked alongside the road. We eventually found a spot but that meant walking back uphill for about 10 minutes to reach the town once more. After reaching it we thought to immediately look for a place to have lunch and opted for the restaurant on the main square, Rio Barbaira. We both took gnocchi, with tomato sauce for me, and with mushrooms for Ania, and then opted for a side dish of grilled vegetables. The gnocchi were tasty but the portions were really small and we were rather surprised and annoyed by the side dish which cost 5 euros and consisted of half a bell pepper, two slices of aubergine, and half a zucchini. At the moment of paying, I let the owner know that next time maybe they should either charge less for the side dish or at least put a few more pieces in to which she just responded with a shrug. After the rather disappointing lunch, we then walked around the old town admiring the beautiful stone architecture sided by the Barbaira river which creates a picturesque contrast with the buildings and the nice stone bridge crossing over it. From the town, we then followed a path wandering through the woods along the river until it brought us to a beautiful area filled with water holes among the rocks created by the river itself. There were many tourists enjoying the sunny day and cold crystal clear refreshing waters of the Barbaira, but we decided to just stay a few minutes. We then headed back to the car and after a short drive reached the last town of the day, Dolceacqua. After parking the car right outside town we then continued on foot and entered the nice quaint historic center. Like the previous towns, it was characterized by typical stone architecture and pastel-colored houses. Dolceacqua is made up of two parts, a more modern part from the 15th century onwards on one side and the older part from the early middle ages on the other on a low hill. The river Nervia divides the two parts of town creating a picturesque setting. We first decided to visit the older part, up the hill, and began by passing by the large church of Sant'Antonio Abate, located right next to the river, and featuring an interesting bell tower built in 1621 by raising one of the two towers of the city walls. From there we started our ascent of the hill, wandering through the typical narrow streets, the caruggi, until we reached the top where the most known landmark in town is located, the Castello Doria. To enter it though an entrance fee was required so Ania decided to wait for me outside while I headed in to visit it. The castle was originally built during the 12th century and was later expanded and turned into a fortified residence by the famous Doria family, before then being partially destroyed by French and Spanish troops in 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession. It later suffered further damage during the earthquake of 1887, which also destroyed the town of Bussana which we had seen a few days before. Because of that most of the castle is still in ruins but can still be visited, with the surviving rooms turned into exhibition halls on the castle's history. Despite its state, it was rather nice to visit and included beautiful views from the top of its ruined walls and towers. After the visit to the castle I met up again with Ania and we headed back down through the old town. We reached once more the river and here viewed the beautiful 15th-century stone bridge, which with the old houses built on the hilltop and crowned by the castle created an unforgettable view. After one last stroll around the lower part of the city center and along the river we then finally headed back to the car and to Riva Ligure to end the day.