"Prepare to be enamoured!"We stayed in Ian's place from Sunday to Thursday (end of September – beginning of October). We chose not to get a car rental and instead have a real adventure on public transport – this is so easy! We flew in to Nice Airport (flights were £111 each return) and we got the train from Nice to Ventimiglia (€7 each, one way). Then we were supposed to take a bus from Ventimiglia to Pigna, however, there weren't any buses on a Sunday – so I recommend planning for a cab (€45) or travelling on a weekday. We did take the bus back and it only costs €1.50. When we arrived, Georgia, Ian's friend and housekeeper, met us in the village and took us to the villa. Pigna is very hilly, steep in some places, I'd recommend it to keen walkers or those who are generally fit and well.
When we arrived at the villa, we were just blown away. The kitchen looks like it should be in a farmhouse, huge wood burning fire, nice sturdy kitchen table with bench seating, pretty brick work and a real warm, welcoming feel. There was a bottle of wine on the table to welcome us, which was such a nice touch! The feel continued throughout the villa, warmth, cleanliness, everything we needed including hairdryers, a dishwasher, even a couple of paracetamol in the cupboard when I was nursing a sore (red wine) head… we really felt like it was our home.
Outside, we were lucky enough to have two private areas, one with seating, a chiminea, a BBQ, and the cutest fairy lights. The other boasts sun loungers and cushions – I didn't expect to be sunbathing in October, but on one day it was 37C in the sun! Scorching! The beds in the upstairs bedrooms were so comfortable and on an evening we spoilt ourselves with total relaxation, watching movies and eating snacks – because we just don't get to do that at home… There was also an abundance of leaflets, travel guides, business cards and even an Italian dictionary in the villa, which, along with Ian's great handwritten guide book, helped us to make the most of our visit.
Pigna itself is absolutely beautiful. The views are incredible. I wanted to do so much more than we did (visit Dolceaqua a nearby village for instance), but for those taking a short break, try to do the following as an absolute minimum:
1. Go to a local festival. There is one on pretty much every weekend (we went to the Festival of San Michele, the following week was the Festival of Mushrooms….) if not in Pigna, then in the surrounding villages. We were up dancing t