Bordighera & Dolceacqua (1-2 days)

Our destination is the lovely coastal town of Bordighera. Our local guide will lead us on a walking tour of this renown winter residence of European nobility, with its many splendid villas, one of which we will visit. Then, we’ll make our way among the date palms that border the trail along the sea, following in the footsteps of Claude Monet who painted several scenes of Bordighera from this vantage point. Our walk will conclude with a visit to the historic center of Bordighera Alta, perched above the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean.

2nd day: We’ll head up to a higher hill town which overlooks 6,000-foot peaks to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Our walk takes us up through Taggiasca olive groves (the small Taggiasca olive makes one of the best olive oils in Italy) to a lovely agriturismo (working farm) overlooking the valley. Here we can enjoy a wonderful lunch on homegrown and homemade specialties, perhaps including a pesto dish, a torta salata di verdura (savory vegetable pie) and abundant fresh fruits. Afterwards we’ll descend to the fortified town of Dolceacqua, former seat of the powerful Doria family.