Dolceacqua, Italy and a Little More

The Ponte Vecchio built in the 15th century

Staying in Villefranche-sur-Mer allowed us the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas.  Italy was a 45 minute drive.  We discovered Dolceacqua which is a charming village in the Liguria countryside. The humpback bridge was painted by Monet on more than one occasion.

The Nervia River which divides the village was down to a trickle when we visited this winter

The newer part of the village called Il Borgo dates mainly from the 19th century.

The town square of Il Borgo

The Terra district of Dolceacqua is squeezed into a small area between the river and the steep hills behind it.  There we discovered tall ancient houses, small courtyards, steep alleys and vaulted passages.  While the area is small it's full of charm.

Dark narrow passages

Steep stairways

Tall homes with vaulted passages

This cat was staring intently at the door willing the owner to let it in.

An adorable dog was fascinated by a child across the alley

Tom is hamming it up

A narrow alleyway elegantly decorated with umbrellas

Looking up at the umbrellas

The castle Doria is an imposing structure towering over the older part of Dolceacqua.  In the 14th century fortifications were added as it was made into a more comfortable residence during the renaissance period.  It was damaged during the 18th century Wars of Succession and again by an earthquake in 1887.

Doria provides a dramatic backdrop to Dolceacqua 

Entrance to the medieval castle Doria which had its origins in the 12th century.  

Looking into the courtyard of the castle Doria

Semicircular courtyard

One side of the courtyard

It's always nice having Jon and Cherolyn visit us.

Cherolyn wanted to make sure they had the opportunity to climb up to the fort to see the views of Villefranche-sur-Mer

We had a lovely morning exploring Eze

We had to lunch at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Cap Ferrat and explore the gardens