Walking

This region is a walker's paradise, with the Alta Via just 5 minutes drive away, and myriad other footpaths in the mountains, and connecting the villages.

The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri is a 440 km long walking trail, that starts at Ventimiglia, winds its way up into the foothills of the Ligurian Alps, passes behind Genoa and then all the way down to La Spezia at the border with Tuscany. The whole of Liguria is criss-crossed by a network of marked "sentieri" (footpaths), and the Alta Via is the most important. You can walk along the ridge atop the range of hills that separates the Val Roja and the Val Nervia, so you are blessed with the most amazing views of both simultaneously. The path then winds its way along the partly wooded slopes of the mountains that rise up to the north, above Rocchetta Nervina and beyond.

For the more adventurous walker, the "Sentiero degli Alpini" that runs from Colle Melosa, a circular walk that starts at 1,500m and rises to 1,900m before coming back down again, is challenging but incredibly rewarding - you get full immersion in nature, silence, and heart-stopping views.

Horse-riding

There are various establishments that we can recommend for trekking through the hills and forests. We would be happy to organise these for you.

Swimming

Apart from our own pool, there is, of course, the sea only half an hour away, where there are long beaches which are either public (no payment needed) or private establishments where you pay for the hire of deck chairs and an umbrella. There are also several rivers nearby with good pools for dipping in.

Boules

You can now enjoy a game of boules on our newly installed track at Villatalla!

Golf

The nearest golf courses to us are San Remo (about ¾ of an hour's drive) which is a lovely hillside course, and Garlenda near Alassio (about 1¼ hours), a superb parkland course and one of the best in Italy. Across the border, the nearest is Monte Carlo Golf Club, and there are a large number of courses around Cannes, the other side of Nice. We can arrange tee-times for you if you wish.

Tennis

There are public tennis courts in Dolceacqua and Bordighera. Again, we can arrange bookings if required.

Whale-watching

There are whale-watching boats that operate out of Imperia harbour.

Dancing

The Italians are enthusiastic dancers, and throughout the summer there are a variety of dance evenings in local village squares, mixing modern type dancing with the more traditional. Some local restaurants also have dance floors.

Sagre

These are dining and dancing evenings held in the villages, where you eat a particular kind of food, e.g. cinghiale (wild boar) and polenta, capra e fagioli (goat and beans) or vegetarian dishes, all of which are utterly delicious!

Gastronomic/wine-tasting festivals

There are many of these held during the summer months, where you can try all sorts of different local foods and wines, and of course the famous local olive oils.