The treasures of the hinterland

The area surrounding Sanremo is itself a treasure trove of medieval villages ready to enchant. A few minutes' drive away is Bussana Vecchia, a 'ghost' village reborn in the 1960s as an international community of artists who transformed the earthquake ruins into open-air ateliers. Continuing towards the Nervia Valley, Dolceacqua appears, dominated by the Doria Castle and celebrated by Monet, who called its bridge 'a jewel of lightness'. No less evocative is Apricale, a scenic village known for the performances of the Teatro della Tosse and its 'street painters'. Climbing towards the heights, one discovers the unusual history of Seborga, the ancient principality that still proudly claims its independence, until reaching the 800 metres of Triora. The latter, among the 'Most Beautiful Villages in Italy', is famous as the 'Land of the Witches' for its 16th-century trials, but enraptures today for its Alpine views and the intact beauty of its stone architecture.