Italy - Apricale

The first written documents about Apricale date back to 1267. The history of Apricale, however, officially begins about two centuries before with the foundation of the castle, wanted by the accounts of Ventimiglia. The place, chosen as a defensive outpost, is called Apricus; around the castle the village develops.

In 1270 Apricale entered the fiefdom of the Doria of Dolceacqua, passing definitively into the sphere of influence of the Republic of Genoa. In the 18th century, Genoa’s difficulties are reflected in Apricale: wars and economic crisis, but also frosts, droughts and famines make it the darkest century in the history of the village, until the French occupation in 1794. In 1815, according to the dictates of the Congress of Vienna, it became part of the kingdom of Sardinia.

Apricale comes from “apricus”, which in Latin means “exposed to the sun”, and in fact, the village is all built on the southern side of the hill. Coming from the Nervia Valley the village seems to be a waterfall of houses surrounded by forested hills. The little mountain village itself is a labyrinth of houses and alleyways.