The medieval village rests on a small hillside 7 km from Ventimiglia in the Val Nervia dominated by the ruins of the Chateau des Doria. The medieval bridge stretches over the Rio San Rocco river connecting the two sections of the town and is a symbol of Dolceaqua. Terraces (fasce) are carved into the hillside where olive trees, vineyards, flowers and eucalyptus grow. Art and history create a visual fest of beauty that caught the eye of Claude Monet who painted Dolceacqua and who said that it was an “extraordinary picturesque village”.
The sunny Piazza Garibaldi acts as the theater for feasts and events in the village such as the Festa dell”Olio Nuove (Festival of the new oil) and is lined with restaurants where you can enjoy the famous pizza (the best pizza I’ve had in Italy) made with the light olive grown here. Small stone pathways with arches connecting the buildings called “caruggi” (narrow paths) wind upwards through the stone village that protected its inhabitants from the invaders and the weather. Small shops tucked along the caruggi house workplaces of the carpenters, electricians, galleries, small B&B’s and agriturismi that cater to today’s residents and guests. Although the ancient village is slowly being renovated into charming apartments, many rough stone spaces still await a loving owner to bring them back to life. Many French come over the boarder to enjoy the views, the famous pizza at one of the 15 restaurants and cool breezes that provide a naturally cool and pleasant environment during the summer months. This is mountain life and the pace is slow and peaceful. People meet in the café’s and dink cappuccino reading the newspaper in the mornings and socialize with friends in the afternoons. The fish man comes along in a small truck selling fish from the sea and people go about their business working in the shops or greenhouses that are tucked into the hillsides and olive groves that seems almost impossible to reach.
This is part of the Riviera dei fiori where more then 80% of Italy’s flowers are grown. Dolceacqua means “Sweet Water” maybe named after the very nice red wine called “Rosses di Dolceacqua” grown in vineyards where their roots cling to the hillsides has the deep red color of roses. Highly revered by Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Paul III who made sure that casks were shipped home.
Maybe it is the olive oil that is the sweet water of Dolceaqua. The silver green leafed olive trees covering the hills produce light yellow oil perfect for the fish wild boar and rabbit dishes typical of the cuisine of Liguria. Beer is also brewed here, and is deep yellow, served very cold in glasses similar to a Bordeaux glass. The beer is a great accompaniment to the thin-crusted pizza made in wood fired ovens, covered with local dried salumi, porcini and fresh vegetables.
Just up the road about 4km is Apricale (0ne of the Rock Villages), stone houses and alleys lead around the castle housing artist’s workshops and painted murals. Paintings and stone carvings decorate the caruggi and doorways decorated with flowers add color to the cold stone structures. The village is well known for its summer theater. There are a few B&B’s and restaurants in the center of the piazza where there is a washing trough and along the pathways you can see the old village central oven. The village is also well known for its cats that roam around paying little attention to strangers. A local Balu tournament is held in June and July with 16 teams taking part. This is a popular Ligurian game using an elastic ball. Played against the walls of the ancient village, the local players are even more popular then football players.
Sun showers light into the dark covered caruggi during the day lighting the painted and carved murals walls. At night the stars shower light onto the ancient village, which seems to sit just below the sky. The villages were owned by the Counts of Ventimiglia, captured by Grimaldi until Andrea Doria liberated them. Apricale even has an American history as Giovanni Battista Martini fought at Little Big Horn and was the only living survivor.
Both Apricale and Dolceaqua belong to the prestigious “Associatione dei Borghi piu belli d’Italia”, (The Association of Beautiful villages in Italy) and it is no doubt why many foreigners have bought apartments in appreciation not only of the villages but the life style of the mountains yet only 4 km from the sea.
The region has a culture of roses and floriculture with tangerine trees lining the streets and the sweet aroma of the multitude of flowering bushes. Although the region has been deeply affected by difficult economic times, 80% of Italy’s flowers are grown here.
Ventimiglia is 7km, San Remo is 14 km and the French boarder is 16 km from Dolceaqua making this little village a perfect base for visiting the Alpe Liguri – the backdrop of the Riviera dei fiori and a refuge from the crowded beach towns along the Riviera. There are many apartments for rent by the week or weekend. Renting an apartment offers you the opportunity to experience village life and select some of the local cheeses, salumi, wines, foccica, bread and pastries to enjoy at home. The local merchants are very helpful and will recommend specialties you should try. French and Italian are mostly spoken here and even though only a few people speak English you can always find ways to communicate with the friendly locals.
Cars are not allowed into the old villages anywhere along the Riviera so be prepared to walk up hill or sometimes steep steps to reach an apartment of B&B. Villages have parking lots; some are free at the bottom of the village. Summer months are crowded with heavy traffic clogging sometime narrow roads through the towns. The best time to visit the area is in late May to Mid June or from September through the fall.
Pizza Verde Dolceaqua
6 servings
Cook time: 200c (400ºF)
Time: 20-30 minutes
500 g flour (1.1.lb)
5 tablespoons extra virgin ‘Taggiasca” olive oil
250 g water (1 1/4 cup)
40 g yeast (1 1/2 oz.)
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
2 whole eggs
750 g chard (1 lb. 10 oz.)
150 g Parmesan cheese (10 1/2 oz.)
1 1/2 onions
Extra virgin olive oil
Black Taggia olives
Garlic cloves
Dough
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and a teaspoon of sugar and allow it to rest in a warm place.
Pour the flour onto a work surface and add the yeast mixture, and salt to the flour. Bring it together into a ball and knead it. Let it rest under a clean cloth, preferable woolen, of a bowl until in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
Take the risen dough and knead a second time until your have soft dough and let it raise again under the cloth for another 2 hours.
Roll it out and put it onto a pan greased with olive oil and let it rest again before covering it with the greens.
The Greens
Chop the uncooked chard and add the oil, salt, eggs, onion and cheese. Spread the prepared mixture onto the dough and sprinkle olives and whole cloves of garlic over the top. Cook in the oven at 200/300º (400ºF) for 25/30 minutes.
Michetta, The biscuits of Dolceacqua
The story of michetta:
The Marquis Doria sent a young bride who refused to give herself to him to prison to die. The population rose up and forced the Marquis Doria (1364) to stop this abuse of power and on the 16 of August there is a festival to celebrate the event. The women of the village created the “michetta” to celebrate this occasion. It is now the symbol of love and freedom.
Ingredients
1kg flour, (2 lbs 3 oz.)
100g yeast, (3 1/2 oz.)
4 eggs
350 g sugar, (13 oz.)
250 g butter, ( 9 oz.)
Grated lemon zest,
Pinch salt
Warm water and Marsala
Bake time: 200ºc (400ºF). until they puff up and have alight brown color on top.
Dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the warm water and add it to the flour. Add the eggs, butter, lemon zest, salt and Marsala. Let the mixture rise for one hour and knead it. Shape it into an oval or knot shape. Place the michette on an oiled baking sheet and bake in the oven at 200ºc (400ºF).
Dampen the tops with a little water and dust with remaining sugar.
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