Just before arriving in France, on the edge of western Liguria, we can find the riviera border town of Ventimiglia. This stretch of coastline is wild and rich in mediteranean vegetation: The Hanbury Gardens, a botanical garden for naturalizing exotic plants, extending on a surface of 18 hectares to the Spiaggia delle Uovo , a sweep of rocks and crystal clear water around the Grotto of Balzi Rossi where traces of the pre-historic man were discovered.
A must is a visit to Bordighera, an elegant small town whose colours have been a source of inspiration to a group of impressionist painters. with its Roman road and its hotels immersed among the vegetation, its palm trees and a historic centre which is among the most cared for along the coast.
However, the appeal to this part of liguria is above all due to its magic hinterland with its historic medieval hamlets sheltered by the mountains and their maze of cobbled streets and alleys that steep down towards the sea.
Val Nervia, Val Rioja and Valle Argentina: exploring in the valleys one can run into uncontaminated landscapes and medieval centres of remarkable interest like Dolceacqua, dominated by Doria Castle; Pigna with its thermal baths, Isolabona and Apricale.
The Val Nervia, already inhabited during the Bronze Age and defended by the impervious castillians, in the middle ages it was an important road for merchants and travellers. The river delta, near the sea, is a WWF sanctuary were you can walk or do bird-watching.
On the high ground of Bordighera there is Dolceacqua, a village and the home of the famous Rossese wine of Dolceacqua DOC which goes well with the "pissa cun e erba", a foccacia filled with rice, kale,olive oil, and grana cheese. The gastronomic glory of Dolceacqua is however , the "Micheta"
small oval- shaped knotted brioches bequested from a legend of love and power.
Carrying on along the country road 64 and rambling more and more among the hills of the valley we come to Apricale: cobbled streets, steps, stone walled houses and Lucertola Castle which hosts the Theatre of the Tosse and its travelling shows every summer.
The high up Val Nervia is located inside the Regional Natural Park of the Ligurian Alps together with the Argentina valley and the Arroscia valley. Even though it is very near the sea it still offers one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Ligurian Alps. The part nearest to the sea has mediteranean vegetation with olive trees, vines, and flower plantations. Then, suddenly there is the Alpine zone with pine ,oak, fir and beech woods. It is one of the most varied environments in the world. Mounts Toraggio (m.1973)and Pietravecchia (2038) where groundhogs live and rhododendrons grow, have been nick-named the "Little Dolomites".
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