A metal pot is filled with a custard so golden it looks like liquid sunshine. The server spoonfully serves the sweet, yolky concoction, known as *zabaglione*, into dishes for soaking warm *pansarole* pastries. Talk stops, an unspoken contest to secure the final one. This is genuinely living *la dolce vita*.
This dessert is a local custom in Apricale, a enchanted settlement in Liguria, Italy's crescent-shaped region that lines the Mediterranean. It's a world away from the packed Five Lands and posh Portofino harbor to the south-east. This western edge, on the southern border with neighboring France, feels more authentic and quieter in the off-season, with more residents than tourists. Free from fighting for tables, you are at liberty to be in the moment. Let spontaneity be your director – or, in my family's case, our appetites.
A Family Trip Inspired by Passion for Italian Cuisine
I ventured to Liguria with my twin, her partner, and their teenage children, spurred on by her period of study in Italy and our mutual love for the country's heartwarming, child-pleasing cuisine. Our road trip traveled from the coastal Flower Riviera to a constellation of medieval mountain villages. In just 30 sq miles, we traveled through history.
An ex-partner had shown me Liguria one winter. Though it rained, the Maritime and Ligurian Alps block the wind, creating a special weather zone with moderate temperatures that hover around 13C. My family's December trip was blessed with the most gorgeous December sun, ideal for alfresco meals.
The Border Town: A Town Suspended Between Sea and Sky
Driving east from Nice, the road is marked by a series of breathtaking curves and underground passages. Our first stop was a brief journey away, just over the border with France. This town is composed of two parts: the bustling lower town and the old upper town, suspended above the coast. On a sun-soaked terrace, we devoured fried calamari alongside views of the sea. The kids pretended to be pirates in front of a sculpture of the Black Corsair, the star of a famous pirate story.
We ventured into the labyrinthine streets of the old town via the medieval stone archway. Washing draped from pastel facades, their characterful aging a result of centuries of wear. Two places of worship on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi have intriguing features: the lifelike *Cristo Morto* (statue) and an ancient baptistery basin.
We walked into the tangled streets of the ancient quarter where linens fluttered from soft-colored walls, their lovely aged appearance born from the passage of time.
Dolceacqua: Stone Alleys and a Famous Bridge
Back in the car, we traveled 20 minutes north to the town on the Nervia of Dolceacqua village. An spontaneous search for "places featuring tubs" brought us to a cozy historic lodging set in the 19th-century district. Its cosy stone rooms are juxtaposed by contemporary jacuzzis. The ancient historic sector sits across the Nervia river via the iconic old bridge that the artist captured in paintings, as evidenced by a wooden cut-out of him by the riverbank.
On a narrow street, the children felt "hugged by the ancient houses" that leaned towards each other. We climbed the winding Ligurian *caruggi* (passageways) to the hilltop castle. Named for a powerful dynasty from the Middle Ages, Dolceacqua's historic landmark is now an open-air vestige of dramatic arches, a history lesson that is perfect for playing.
Back in town for an evening drink, every beverage came with a complimentary snacks – "The way it's done," remarked a relative. Our waiter at a nearby eatery promised us: "You'll love it all. If you aren't pleased, I'll eat it." We enjoyed area classics: *trofie* (short, thin, twisted) pasta with pesto, potatoes and green beans, and *barbajuan* (savory) fritters. All served with the regional wine, an robust red that's seldom found abroad due to the challenging terrain's modest yield.
Apricale: Gravity-Defying Charm
The day after, we drove 15 minutes north-east to one of "the most beautiful villages in Italy", Apricale. The terracotta-roofed village is plastered on lush hillsides, seemingly hanging on. Known as an creative hub, Apricale's winding lanes are decorated by paintings. We got a solitary viewing, with stray cats the only sign of life on the empty streets.
The central square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, is framed by two rose-colored churches and the renovated 10th-century Castello della Lucertola, whose dark dungeon felt like the middle ages. As did the similarly stone-arched dining room at a local restaurant, where we half expected the waiter to carve the roast with a sword. The source of the previously mentioned *zabaglione* also serves filling *coniglio* (local rabbit) and braised pork with cornmeal and *farinata* (chickpea flatbread). On the way back to the hotel, we visited Perinaldo, another idyllic spot, for a digestive *passeggiata* – the classic Italian gentle amble.
The Belle Epoque Metropolis
Back on the coast, Sanremo felt like a bustling metropolis compared with the mountain retreats. The city of 53,000 became a resort town in the 19th century, when the European aristocracy, particularly Britons, wintered in the Mediterranean for its mild winter climate. Elaborate belle epoque hotels, gaming houses and mansions are testaments to this era, their faded splendour like a actress in her retirement.
The city's main market was stocked with enormous parmesan wheels, {cured meats|salamis|prosci
