My husband and I are considering staying for 3 nights in the small town of Apricale during our trip to Italy in June 2014.We have been to Italy 3 times previously. We will be using public transportation. We would end our trip here (after 4 nights in the CT) and fly home to Portland OR from Nice. I am looking for insight from people who have been. Specifically how connected the town is to public transportation to the other small towns in the area and to Nice (for the flight home). Is the time allotted too much? Not enough? Recommendations for lodging would also be appreciated. We enjoy having apartments, but do not limit our options. We are a 50 something couple who love Italy, the people, the language, good food, good wine, piazzas and historic sites.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32405 posts
Jeanine,
Apricale seems to be some distance off the beaten track. Could you elaborate on why you chose that location?
It would probably be a good idea to start your research using tourism websites for the town such as THIS one or THIS one. For lodgings, Trip Advisor would be a good place to start.
There appears to be Bus transport to Apricale, but no rail links. That's one location where a rental car would probably be the best option.
Be sure to post a Trip Report when you get back from there, as I'm sure the information would be helpful for others.
Happy travels!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
I've never been to Apricale, but it's a famous medieval village.
I suggest renting a car for your visit, that way you can visit other pretty villages in the area.
See below for a comprehensive list:
http://www.borghitalia.it/?lang=en
Make sure you rent the car in the same country where you pick it up because car rental companies charge exorbitant drop off fees if you return the car in a different country from your pick up location. In your case I would recommend to pick up and return either in Nice (France) or Sanremo (Italy). Or you could pick up in La Spezia and return in Sanremo. Then do Sanremo to Nice in train or bus. I don't think they have rental car offices in Ventimiglia, the last town on the Italian side.
Posted by
Portland
3648 posts
During our upcoming May trip, we are staying a couple of nights at B&B Le Gemme (80 euro/night), in Dolceacqua, about 4 miles from Apricale. We will have a car, so I haven't looked into public transport. If you should decide on a car, it's greatly advantageous to pick it up and return it to the Nice airport. I found it would cost us three times as much to do a pick up and return in Italy. Dolceacqua looks attractive; and another poster - - was that you, Roberto? - -recommended Finalborgo. If you are set on no car, you might consider taxis or private drivers, if there aren't buses. These are sometimes surprisingly reasonable.
Posted by
OP
Pacific NW, USA
335 posts
I just did a google search on "Apricale tours" and this post of mine came up second on the list. I decided to comment on the decisions we have made about this leg of our trip. We initially decided on Apricale because of our love of Liguria and our desire to explore it further. The medieval beauty and numerous amount of small villages off the beaten path was very appealing to us. There will be a nice mix of forested hill towns and coastal towns. Not to mention great food and wine. We have decided train from the CT to Nice, rent a car and return it at the airport before our flight home. We are very excited to explore this part of Italy! We will definitely write a trip report after we return.
Posted by
Denver, CO
802 posts
I did a google image search, and Apricale looks absolutely enchanting!! I can't wait to read your trip report.