IM_08 Dolceacqua - Perinaldo - Apricale

from Dolceacqua's main square (57 m) enter the picturesque medieval villages and, following one of the alleyways between ancient buildings reach the Doria Castle which overlooks the village. A little way above the castle ignore “Sentiero Peitavino” which goes to the valley on the right and continue on “Sentiero Morghe” footpath rising the slope with some hairpin turns which offer nice views on Dolceacqua and its valley. There is not trail sign but you can follow the stops of the “Via Crucis. You reach an dirt road and walk uphill towards north/north-east along the ridge passing Colle Bregesti (248 m). A little way ahead the road becomes concrete and leads to a widening, where you turn off the road and take an unpaved road to the left (signpost). In a few metres leave the unpaved road to take a footpath which rises along the ridge. Walking uphill between holm oaks and sessile oaks you reach Sanctuary of Madonna Addolorata (455 m) where you find a paved road. Follow this road towards east/north-east along the ridge, passing some houses, an agriturismo and cultivated fields with many views on the Ligurian Alps nearby. In less than three km you reach a crossroads below the village of Perinaldo; ignore the two main roads and take a road uphill in the middle which shortly leads to Perinaldo (596 m, 2-2.15 hours from Dolceacqua). Visit Perinaldo and then return to the crossroads below the village, where you take the road northwards to Apricale. In half a km, at a bend, take a concrete road to the left (the road to the locality Boschetto) which descends to the bottom valley with nice views on Apricale and the surrounding peaks of the Ligurian Alps, including Monte Toraggio. At the end of this road take a paved road signed by a wooden signpost which continues downhill between evergreen oaks and hairy oaks. Ignore many deviations and follow some infrequent yellow trail signs as far as a characteristic stone bridge on Merdanzo Brook (153 m). Pass the bridge, turn left on a footpath rising diagonally and ignore a staircase to the right. Walk beside a ruined stone building and continue as far as Apricale (273 m). The return trip from Apricale is by bus (bus line Riviera Trasporti; n° 7; www.rivieratrasporti.it).