Dolceacqua bridge and castle

Dolceacqua lies in western Liguria, not far from the French border. The Nervia stream divides the village in two, linked by the 15th-century Ponte Vecchio, whose steep ramps and pronounced arch make it a local landmark. Claude Monet visited in 1884, and his painting "The Bridge at Dolceacqua" now hangs in the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. Above Terra, the older half of the village, rises the Doria castle, built in the mid-12th century by the Counts of Ventimiglia.

Oberto Doria bought the castle in 1270; in 1744 it was badly damaged by artillery during the War of the Austrian Succession. Its present form, a rectangular plan with two corner towers, dates from 16th-century alterations. The lanes of Terra wind in concentric rings up the slope, and covered passages are known as Scasasse. It is best to park outside the centre, as the lanes are too narrow for cars. The red wine Rossese is sold in the village.

In the Terra, the Baroque church of Sant’Antonio Abate with a polyptych by Ludovico Brea is worth a look, as is the Romanesque church of San Giorgio from the 11th century near the cemetery. The best time to visit the castle is late afternoon, for the view over the village and valley. Routard names spring and autumn as the best seasons, and the village combines well with the hill villages of Apricale and Pigna. Waymarked paths lead through olive groves and vineyards.