The name derives from the Latin word Apricus and means “sunny”. The settlement on the territory has very ancient origins, probably dating back to the pre-Roman period, as the various archaeological findings (such as the primitive grave of Pian del Re and findings on Mount Semoigo) testify. In the past, Apricale was controlled by the Counts of Ventimiglia, who were later exiled, and the village acquired its freedom in the Middle Ages, with its own regulations and statutes, among the oldest in Liguria. The village, seen from afar, appears scenically perched on the hill overlooking the valley. It has remained perfectly intact in its medieval structure, with a settlement core point located at the highest point and the stone houses arranged in sloping concentric circles. A maze of streets connected by steps, arches, rises and descents allow the visitor to discover some of the most significant buildings, among which the Parish Church of Saint Mary of the Angels with perfectly preserved medieval frescoes. Apricale is included in “The Villages of Stone” circuit and was the first Ligurian municipality to be included in The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.

The origin of Apricale dates back to the Bronze Age, evidenced by the numerous archaeological findings discovered near Pian del Re, area located near the village. The earliest reliable sources concerning the foundation of the village date back to the 10th century, by the Counts of Ventimiglia, then passing to the hands of the Doria family in 1200 and to the Lords of Dolceacqua. In the Middle Ages, the first statutes appeared, considered by date the oldest in Liguria and linked to the establishment of the free Municipality that actually happened in that historical period. From the sixteenth century, a series of events took place. Among the most important ones we remember the power struggles between the Grimaldi family of Monaco and the Doria family, which led to the destruction of the castle and gave rise to internal struggles for the ownership of the village, partly subsided by the annexation of the village to the Earldom of Nice and to the Department of the Maritime Alps at the end of the eighteenth century. With the fall of the First French Empire, it passed to the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.