Olive oil, wine and hamlets of the west
This trip will let you immerse yourselves in the glamorous and elegant atmosphere of the sunny, medieval villages of the Western Riviera! Here we are very close to the French Border. You will experience the authentic atmosphere of ancient villages, where time seems to have stood still, meet local producers and taste great olive oil and wine!
Highlights
- Immerse yourselves in the special Mediterranean light that so fascinated the Impressionist painters
- Take a stroll among the ancient villas and the mazes of narrow alleys in the old villages
- Discover amazing inland villages such as Dolceacqua and Apricale
- Explore the exotic Hanbury gardens which overlook the sea
- Meet an olive oil producer
- Learn to prepare the famous pesto sauce
Why choose this trip
This trip is ideal for those who want to experience the different souls of the Italian Riviera: the elegant Mediterranean style of the coastal resorts close to the French border together with the simple and authentic atmosphere of the amazing inland villages – and the great food and wine!
DAY
01
Welcome to West Riviera
Benvenuto!
We have chosen a unique boutique accommodation to ensure that you experience the trip at its best and in the most authentic way!
DAY
02
Let’s head inland and discover the villages of Dolceacqua and Apricale
With your local private tour guide, you’ll explore the inland valleys which are dotted with olive groves and vineyards. This is the area where they produce both Liguria’s most delicate extra-virgin olive oil and one of the region’s few red wines, the Rossese. Driving along the river (private driver is not included), you will admire the beautiful landscape of rolling hills until you reach the beautiful village of Dolceacqua, dominated by its castle and made unique by the ancient humpback bridge, immortalized in the paintings of Monet. During your tour, tasting some local wine in onw of the village’s cellars is a must.
DAY
03
A unique tour of Bordighera village and a visit to Hanbury Gardens!
Together with your private guide you’ll discover the beautiful village of Bordighera with its exotic gardens and noble villas. The extraordinary Mediterranean light of this side of the Riviera fascinated many painters and today you also will visit the atelier of one of the most famous Italian impressionist painters, Pompeo Mariani.
You’ll also explore the beautiful Hanbury Gardens: a love of nature led an English family to create a botanical garden here beginning in 1867, in order to acclimatize plants from many different climatic zones of the world which would benefit from the favourable position and in particular the mild climate of what was to become the Hanbury Botanical Gardens. The area where the gardens were created has a perfect micro-climate, all year around, so perfect that Sir Thomas Hanbury, decided to make his dream come true exactly in that place, creating a harmony between buildings, garden structures and the terraces under cultivation, which is unequalled in Europe.
DAY
04
Taggia, food and art discovery
Following along the azure waters of the Ligurian coast, get ready to prepare fresh pesto & pasta with the locals. You will reach Taggia, one of the best villages of the Italian Riviera, in the Argentina Valley – a well-known “Food Valley” in this area.
Here, local guide and food expert Roberta will introduce you to the Mediterranean culture and diet. During a visit to an ancient olive oil mill, still operating today, you’ll taste extra virgin olive oil and olive tapenade with fragrant Canestrelli di Taggia bread.
Then look forward to a special treat as you head into the heart of an authentic medieval village, complete with fortified entrances and coats of arms identifying the noble families of the past. Here, with the help of Roberta and other local chefs, you will prepare the region’s renowned Pesto sauce, using local basil and other fresh ingredients, carefully combined through the use of a marble mortar and a wooden pestle.
DAY
05
Meet an olive oil producer
Today you’ll discover a beautiful village perched on a hill covered with olive groves, a few kilometres inland from Imperia: get ready to travel back in time and discover a fascinating family story. In fact, you will get to know a family that for generations has been producing one of the very best extra virgin olive oils in Liguria.
After a welcome coffee, you will take a walk in the olive groves, where you will find out everything about olive trees – which are often over a hundred years old – and olive harvesting. Then you will go to the mill to understand how high quality oil is produced. Your rural day will continue in the village, in a place where the family has collected all of the relics from its history and you will taste the oil and delicious olive patè. Here you will enjoy a lunch based on typical local products and wine from the area.
It will be a memorable day – a perfect one if you are looking for an authentic and sustainable experiences.
DAY
06
Arrivederci day
Arrivederci
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