Notes for visitors to Apricale
Local shopping
The village shops in Apricale and Isolabona cater for basic needs Italian style: fresh bread, pesto, parma ham and sausages, olive pate, good wine, oil and cheese. Isolabona (at the bottom of the hill) has a good butcher, hairdresser, ice cream counter in the bar, books, cards and gifts and extensively stocked grocers (four or five kinds of bread, a great array of cheeses, fresh yeast for pizza, home made stuffed vegetables). The big supermarket is in Vallecrosia (turn left at the roundabout on the valley Nervia / Vengtimiglia road just before the autostrada passes overhead, follow this road winding right and then left as it runs parallel to the coast for a mile or more, turn right when you reach the only set of lights with a slip road off to the right, CONAD is on your right). However, we prefer to use Raimondos in Dolceacqua, where the best wines are the cheap ones with no labels and they let you taste the cheese before buying. A useful phrase when shopping is ‘un etto’ 100 grms. This saves you having to buy a half-kilo of parma ham or parmesan cheese!
The vegetable, fruit and fish market is held in Ventimiglia everyday. On Fridays it grows to fill the streets with shoes, clothes, bedding and souvenirs. There is a little local market in Dolceacqua on Thursdays with lovely cheeses and fresh vegetables. Fish mongers tend to sell the days catch and close up by lunchtime, several can be found along the coast road in the direction of San Remo. Fish vans do arrive in the villages from time to time playing very ‘unfishy’ music! You will almost certainly find one in Dolceacqua on a Thursday.
Opening hours for shops and restaurants
Wednesday all closed half day except café ‘I Tarocchi ‘open Wednesday /closed Mondays.
Shops open early until 12.30 or 1pm, re-open 4pm – 7.30pm.
Apricale places to eat and drink
In the square A Ciassa and Grotte della Locanda.
Via Martiri just below the square La Capoanna da Bacci.
Around the junction of Via Remembranze and Via Matiriin Piazza Vittorio Veneto:I Tarrochi, Da Delio and Munta e Cara.
A little outside overlooking the village La Favorita
Shops
Post office and post cardsshop in the square.
Comestibili – general grocer inside the village below the square and to the right.
L'Oasi del Buon Gustaio - general grocer, just above I Tarocchi on the outer road, Via Remebranze.
Cash machines
Banco di San Giorgio cash machine in the piazza next to the post office. Otherwise Dolceacqua t nearest for banks and cash machines.
Internet & WiFi
Free internet access available at Munta e Cara, Albergo Diffuso in Apricale, opposite “da Delio” restaurant in Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Ask for the connection code. Also in Dolceacqua, Bar in Piazza, also known as Marta’s Bar. Ask for connection code.
Buses to and from Apricale
Consult the commune website or bus stop information for up to date summer and winter timetables
Car parks
Below Village
On the approach to village on left hand side of Strade Provinciale, also a small park on right directly below the village on approach. Further along strade into via Remembranze there is more parking on the right beside café I Tarocchi,beyond the café where the road forks to Perinaldo.
Above
Drive around the village take the road to Biardo and follow signs at very sharp left into via Cavour, there is parking near the cemetery and further down, behind the square. (possible access for wheelchairs)
Further up the road to Biardo, turn left to find the road above the village, where there is limited parking and access.