Liguria: Apricale and the bridge painted by Monet

Apricale is the town of artists and cats.

With less than a thousand inhabitants, it is a village surrounded by greenery at 291 metres above sea level, less than 15 km from the sea and only 30 km from the border with France.

Its name means “exposed to the sun” and in fact, thanks to its enviable position, this small medieval village is always kissed by the sun.

Behind it are the green peaks of the Maritime Alps who contributed to rewarding him with the Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club.

The scenic historic center is full of stone houses, churches, arches, and washhouses that hark back to a life of times gone by.

Torracca Square and the Church of the Purification of Mary

La Torracca is the central square of Apricale from which the little streets that descend along the slopes of the hill on which the village is perched radiate in a circle.

The two symbolic buildings of Apricale overlook the square: the Church of the Purification of the Virgin Mary and the Lizard Castle.

Church of the Purification of the Virgin Mary was built in the Middle Ages and renovated several times over the centuries; the current appearance of the entrance dates back to the eighteenth century.

The original structure is in Gothic style, but it has many decorative elements of Baroque architecture while the pink and grey stone facade is neo-Romanesque.

Le The stained glass windows on the facade depict Saint Louis and Saint Agnes and the mosaic rose window above the main door depicts the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation at the temple. 

Inside the church is decorated with early twentieth-century frescoes by Leonida Martini.

On the roof of the bell tower, an ancient square tower, there is a bicycle, a work of art entitled “The Force of Non-Gravity” created by Sergio Bianco in 2000.

The Lizard Castle

Always in Piazza Torracca there is the Castle of the Lizard, a defensive fortress perched on the rock in the center of Apricale, built in the 10th century by will of the Counts of Ventimiglia, at the time feudal lords of the area, and then became the property of the Doria family, the lords of Genoa.

The origin of the name It is not certain, but the most fascinating hypothesis says that the castle was called so because its position reminds of a lizard enjoying the sun.

The Castello della Lucertola originally consisted of two towers, one of which is the current bell tower. The Cassini family moved in, furnishing it with fine furniture and frescoes and embellishing the hanging garden overlooking the main square.

The building currently belongs to the municipality and is used for cultural events and performances.

The Lucertola Castle hosts the Apricale History Museum, a small museum that tells the history and traditions of the village. Inside there are archaeological finds, photos and historical documents, relics donated by local families.

By visiting the Museum you can simultaneously the most beautiful rooms of the castle such as the Room of the Countess of the Tower Cristina Bellomo, the Room of the Statutes, the Room of the Risorgimento, the upper hall and the underground.

From the castle you can enjoy panoramic views of the village.

The parish church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the murals on the houses

Worth the visit Parish Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Apricale, a small architectural jewel at the foot of the village that houses some precious paintings.

Particularly interesting are the murals painted on the facades of the houses, about fifty, built by Italian and international artists, almost all in naive style and depicting people engaged in daily life activities, thanks to which Apricale has earned the name of Artists' Village.

Apricale is also the home of Rossese wine, a black grape variety present in Liguria, but coming from the south of France following the Doria family and settled in the Verbone valley, in the province of Imperia, in the territory of Dolceacqua, Camporosso, Perinaldo, San Biagio della Cima, Soldano, Vallecrosia and Ventimiglia.

This small, welcoming and lively village has, every year, a busy calendar of Exhibitions, cultural events, village festivals and tasty local gastronomic specialties to try such as pansarola, a pancake-like dessert to be dipped in hot zabaglione.

In Apricale, the main attractions are all concentrated in the historic center and can be easily visited in half a day, but it's advisable to stay longer to experience the timeless atmosphere of this romantic village.