🇮🇹 Apricale, Italy
Locanda Dei Carugi
📍 12, Via Roma, Apricale, 18035
Your stay — Locanda Dei Carugi
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The Property — Locanda Dei Carugi
Stepping into Locanda Dei Carugi feels like entering a neighbour’s stone house: exposed beams, terracotta floors, and a faint scent of olive wood from the fireplace. The terrace overlooks Apricale’s piazza, so you can watch old men play cards while you sip Ligurian wine. It’s a proper three-star – clean, simple, unpretentious – best for travellers who want village life, not resort amenities. The USP is location: you’re two minutes from the castle and inside the medieval maze of caruggi (alleys).
Chronicles of Apricale
Apricale was first mentioned in the 10th century as a fortified hilltop settlement controlled by the Counts of Ventimiglia, later passing to the Doria family. Its name comes from apricus (sunny), but the dense stone houses were built for defence, not light. The Castello della Lucertola (Lizard Castle) was rebuilt in the 13th century and now hosts art exhibitions. Today the village survives on olive oil, wine, and summer tourism, with a fiercely local identity that resists the package tours hitting the coast.
Best Time to Visit
Full Apricale guide →Best months
May and September: daytime highs of 22-26°C, mostly clear skies, and the village is still lively without the July-August crush. June is also strong if you avoid the first week of music events.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are peak. The Festa di San Lorenzo (10 August) packs the piazza, and hotel prices double or triple. Book six months ahead for Locanda Dei Carugi – they have only eight rooms.
Budget shoulder season
Early June and mid-September: rooms drop to €70-90/night (peak is €150+), daytime temps are pleasant 25°C, and you’ll share the caruggi with locals, not day-trippers from Sanremo.
Weather & packing
Apricale is 300m up, so July evenings can drop to 18°C – pack a light jacket for dinner on the terrace. The Mediterranean sun is fierce here even in the shade: bring SPF 50 and a wide-brimmed hat – the caruggi offer zero cover at midday.
Live City Briefing — Apricale
- A new direct bus line 14 from Ventimiglia station to Apricale started in June 2026, running four times daily – much easier than the old infrequent service.
- The Castello della Lucertola has launched an augmented-reality tour of the medieval frescoes, available in Italian and English for a €5 supplement.
- The village main square is partially dug up for sewer repairs until 20 July 2026 – expect noise from 8am-1pm, but bars and restaurants remain open.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Locanda Dei Carugi, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first floor (European first floor, one flight up) at the back of the building, away from Via Roma. Those rooms face the quieter internal courtyard or the hillside behind Apricale, and the slight elevation gives you better light and air while keeping street-level noise down.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room on the ground floor fronting Via Roma. The street is narrow and stone-paved, so foot traffic, scooters, and delivery vans echo directly into ground-floor windows. Also skip rooms directly above the hotel’s entrance or the small bar/breakfast area on the ground floor — early morning chair-scraping and staff activity travel up.
Best views
Rooms facing the front (Via Roma) get a slice of the medieval street and a glimpse of the surrounding stone houses and hills beyond. But the real views are from rooms at the back or upper side: terraced hillsides, olive groves, and the rooftops of Apricale leading to the castle. Ask specifically for a ‘back-facing’ or ‘hillside view’ room.
Quietest floors
First and second floors (European first and second) are the quietest. The hotel is a converted townhouse with no lift, so upper floors get less footfall noise from the common areas below, and the stone walls muffle sound between floors well. Third floor (top) can be quiet too but check if it’s under the eaves with low ceilings.
🔊 Noise notes
Apricale’s cobbled lanes amplify scooter and pedestrian noise, especially during the morning market (Wednesdays) and evening passeggiata. Via Roma is a main pedestrian artery — expect chatter, footsteps, and the odd delivery scooter until about 10 pm. The hotel has no soundproofing beyond thick stone walls, so night-time quiet depends on your room’s position.
Insider tips
Parking is tight - use the free public car park just outside the historic centre (follow signs for ‘Parcheggio’ near the entrance to town) and walk the 5 minutes downhill. Check-in can be flexible; call ahead if arriving after 8 pm, as the front desk may close early. Worth requesting a room with a balcony or small terrace if available — they’re rare but offer prime sunset spots over the valley.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Locanda Dei Carugi
Free WiFi throughout; typical speed 15 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up; no login or daily limit, but signal weakens in rear rooms
No lift; all guest rooms are on the first and second floors via stairs (historic stone building, no elevator)
No digital news platform; local print newspaper (Il Secolo XIX) available in the breakfast room; the building was originally an 18th-century olive mill
Check-in from 16:00 to 20:00; early bag drop available from 13:00 by arrangement; late check-out (after 11:00) costs €25 and must be pre-approved
Free storage behind reception for same-day arrivals or departures
One step at main entrance (5 cm) but not wheelchair-friendly; no ground-floor guest rooms
No on-site parking; free public parking is €5 per day about 300 metres down Via Gigi Ghirotti; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €1.50 per person per night for up to 7 nights, mandatory for all guests aged 14+
Deposit & card hold: Full pre-payment taken at booking; no incidental hold at check-in given small size and no minibar
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chiesa della Purificazione di Maria Vergine (135 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Oratorio di San Bartolomeo (194 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli (206 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Madonna del Sollievo (208 m · ~3 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Museo del Castello della Lucertola — 125 m · ~2 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Postamat — 194 m · ~2 min walk
Farmacia Apricale — 205 m · ~3 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Best to use ATMs in town; avoid exchange bureaux at airports or tourist offices which give terrible rates.
Cards accepted in most shops and restaurants, but small bars and markets may only take cash; contactless is common.
Not expected; round up the bill or leave a euro or two for good service. Taxis and hotel staff don't get tips.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standing espresso at a bar is around €1.00–1.20.
A panini or slice of focaccia from a bakery, plus a drink, about €5–7.
A simple pasta or pizza main in a trattoria costs roughly €10–13.
No dedicated street-food area; look for small bakeries or bars selling slices of pizza and focaccia.
The local Coop or smaller independent alimentari are your best bet; no big chains in Apricale itself.
Not a shopping destination; head to Sanremo or Ventimiglia for high-street brands and markets.
Walking is the only cheap way around Apricale. For villages, a bus ticket costs about €1.50; from the airport (Nice or Genoa), a shared shuttle or regional train is cheapest.
Eat lunch instead of dinner for cheaper menus. Buy water and snacks from a supermarket, not tourist shops. Use the local bus rather than taxis.
Good to know — Apricale
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
ApricaleFor non-emergency local police (Carabinieri) in Apricale, dial 0184 429000. General European emergency number 112 also works across Italy and connects to police, medical, or fire services.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Apricale, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Locanda Dei Carugi
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Postamat — 194 m · ~2 min walk — pharmacy · Farmacia Apricale — 205 m · ~3 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Nice Ville railway station → Apricale (via Ventimiglia
💡 Buy a combined TER ticket to Ventimiglia at Nice station (€9–12). Allow at least 45 min buffer between train arrival and bus departure – cafes at Ventimiglia station serve decent coffee and focaccia.
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) → Albergo diffuso Munta e cara, Apricale
💡 Book a driver via the hotel or a local firm like Taxi Apricale to avoid airport touts. Cross-border trips cost extra; confirm all-in pricing in advance.
Nice Airport (Terminal 1 exit A) → Apricale (via Ventimiglia bus stop)
💡 This only works if your flight lands before 14:00. Otherwise the connecting bus to Apricale will have stopped. For afternoon arrivals, bite the taxi cost – it saves a three-hour wait or overnight in Ventimiglia.
Ventimiglia railway station bus stop → Apricale village centre (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele)
💡 The bus winds up a steep, narrow road – sit on the right for valley views. Last return bus often departs Apricale by 18:00, so plan your day carefully.
About Apricale
Wikipedia ↗
Apricale (Ligurian: Avrigâ, locally Bligal or Vrigà) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Genoa and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Imperia. Apricale borders the following municipalities: Bajardo, C...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Locanda Dei Carugi?
Request a room on the first floor (European first floor, one flight up) at the back of the building, away from Via Roma. Those rooms face the quieter internal courtyard or the hillside behind Apricale, and the slight elevation gives you better light and air while keeping street-level noise down.
Which rooms should I avoid at Locanda Dei Carugi?
Avoid any room on the ground floor fronting Via Roma. The street is narrow and stone-paved, so foot traffic, scooters, and delivery vans echo directly into ground-floor windows. Also skip rooms directly above the hotel’s entrance or the small bar/breakfast area on the ground floor — early morning chair-scraping and staff activity travel up.
Is Locanda Dei Carugi noisy?
Apricale’s cobbled lanes amplify scooter and pedestrian noise, especially during the morning market (Wednesdays) and evening passeggiata. Via Roma is a main pedestrian artery — expect chatter, footsteps, and the odd delivery scooter until about 10 pm. The hotel has no soundproofing beyond thick stone walls, so night-time quiet depends on your room’s position.
Which rooms have the best views at Locanda Dei Carugi?
Rooms facing the front (Via Roma) get a slice of the medieval street and a glimpse of the surrounding stone houses and hills beyond. But the real views are from rooms at the back or upper side: terraced hillsides, olive groves, and the rooftops of Apricale leading to the castle. Ask specifically for a ‘back-facing’ or ‘hillside view’ room.
What are insider tips for staying at Locanda Dei Carugi?
Parking is tight - use the free public car park just outside the historic centre (follow signs for ‘Parcheggio’ near the entrance to town) and walk the 5 minutes downhill. Check-in can be flexible; call ahead if arriving after 8 pm, as the front desk may close early. Worth requesting a room with a balcony or small terrace if available — they’re rare but offer prime sunset spots over the valley.
What time is check-in at Locanda Dei Carugi?
Check-in at Locanda Dei Carugi is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Locanda Dei Carugi have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi throughout; typical speed 15 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up; no login or daily limit, but signal weakens in rear rooms
Is there a city or tourist tax at Locanda Dei Carugi?
€1.50 per person per night for up to 7 nights, mandatory for all guests aged 14+
Where can I eat cheaply near Locanda Dei Carugi?
A panini or slice of focaccia from a bakery, plus a drink, about €5–7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Locanda Dei Carugi?
Walking is the only cheap way around Apricale. For villages, a bus ticket costs about €1.50; from the airport (Nice or Genoa), a shared shuttle or regional train is cheapest.
When is the best time to visit Apricale?
May and September: daytime highs of 22-26°C, mostly clear skies, and the village is still lively without the July-August crush. June is also strong if you avoid the first week of music events.
Top Attractions in Apricale
💡 Go up to the rampart walk for the best view over the red-tiled roofs and surrounding hills, especially at sunset.
💡 Pick up a free map from the tourist office near the castle. The third fountain has the strongest trickle – best for refilling a water bottle.
💡 It's hidden behind the church – look for the iron gate beside the bell tower. Take a book.
💡 Bring a torch (flashlight) to see the fresco details in the dim interior, as the lights are on a timer.
💡 Sit on the benches under the lime trees at noon for the best shade and a view of local life, not touristy at all.