Lunigiana, from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the sea, is a land to travel, discover and enjoy if you want to live a quality holiday in close contact with nature.
Along the Via Francigena, which was for centuries one of the most ancient routes (mentioned for the first time in 994 by the archbishop of Canterbury Sigerico) covered by pilgrims, merchants and armies to reach Rome, there are several traces of this passage with castles, parish churches and walled villages which characterize still today this intact, natural and almost impregnable landscape.
Castles and ancient castles in ruins, parish churches and Romanesque churches, medieval villages and aristocratic buildings follow one another all over Lunigiana between history and hospitality, arousing strong emotions. Summer and winter sporting facilities, hydrotherapy, walking tours and speleological excursions, mixed with folklore and local traditions are the elements enriching the tourist attractions present in this piece of land close to the mountains and to the see, between Cinque Terre in Liguria and the art cities in Tuscany, surrounded by an intact and uncontaminated nature.
Numerous villages offer the possibility of making several excursions and interesting visits, as shortly indicated below:

Bagnone

Bagnone: it is characterized by the castle located on the top of the promontory and by the lower village. To visit: the castle of a marquis with its cylindrical tower (XIV century), which can be found in many castles in Lunigiana. In the surrounding area: the village Castiglione del Terziere and its castle (XI century – for info: phone 0187 429010), and Jera, small mountain village overlooking wonderful panoramas.

Licciana Nardi: in this territory you can admire a homogeneous system made of castles, parish churches, towered houses and walled villages, which represent the fortified control network established by Malaspina family. The village, rich in decorated portals, develops along the main road closed by Malaspina castle-palace. In the surrounding area: the castles of Monti (XIII century), Bastia (XV century) and Terrarossa (XVI century), and the parish church of Venelia.

Fivizzano: noble town of the eastern Lunigiana, annexed to the Florence Republic after the rule of Malaspina family. To visit: the Medicean walls, the old town centre with Medicean square and fountain, the oratory of S.Carlo (XVII century), the Baroque temple, the church of Santi Jacopo e Antonio (XIV century) with a medieval font reporting the Templar symbol of Cavalieri del Tau, the convents of S. Agostino (XIV century) and of Carmine. In the surrounding area: the village Verrucola and its castle, the Botanical Gardens of Frignoli (phone 0585 949688), the parish church of S. Paolo, the parish church of Vendaso (VIII-XII century), Gragnola and Castello dell’Aquila, Arlia and the ancient mill (phone: 0187 422598).

Villafranca in Lunigiana: this village shows signs and facilities of the ancient craft shops. To visit: the church of S. Nicolò (XII century), the Ethnographic Museum of Lunigiana with the heritage of the local rural culture (for info: phone 0187 439417). In the surrounding area: Filetto, walled village of Byzantine origin having still the quadrangular shape of the Roman “Castrum”, and Malgrate, medieval village with Malaspina castle (XIII-XVII century), dominated by a cylindrical tower and protected by castle walls.

Pontremoli

Pontremoli: northern gate of Lunigiana and typical medieval town, it was established by the aggregation of a village around its “castrum”; from Cisa main road both the castle of Piagnaro, completely renovated and now seat of Museo delle Statue Stele, and the town houses seem to defend the old town centre, protected in the north by Porta Parma, while the confluence of the rivers Magra and Verde mark the boundary in the south. The town has many monuments to visit such as the cathedral of Santa Maria del Popolo (XVII century) with Baroque interiors, the Capannone, tower belonging to the ancient town walls which divided Guelphs and Ghibellines, the church of S. Colombano and the church of S. Pietro with the sculpture portraying the pilgrim Labyrinth; the church of SS. Annunziata, dating back to 1471 and real treasure of Lunigiana, is located in front of the church of Nostra Donna, small Baroque masterpiece, and opposite Teatro della Rosa, which is one of the first theatres established in Italy, recently renovated and with interiors rich in Baroque elements.
This small town is the seat of Premio Bancarella (scheduled on the third Saturday of July).

Filattiera: very ancient Ligurian-Apuan settlement and medieval capital of Malaspina dello Spino Fiorito family. To visit: the church of S. Giorgio with Leodgar’s tombstone and the castle defensive medieval tower (XIV century). At the foot of the village, the parish church of Sorano (VIII-X century), excellent example of Romanic art. In the surrounding area: Ponticello, typical village in gallery and Caprio, interesting village with the ruins of towered houses.

Mulazzo: village of Byzantine origin which became the capital of Malaspina dello Stelo Secco familiy. To visit: the octagonal tower, named “Dante’s tower”, because Dante Alighieri stayed there for a time as guest of Malaspina family, the ruins of Malaspina castle (XIII-XV century), the imposing arcades of the ancient waterworks (XV century) and Centro Studi Alessandro Malaspina, navigator who lived in ‘700 (for info: phone 0187 439712). In the surrounding area: along the road to Gavedo, seat of a castle dating back to ‘500, you can visit the ancient Romanic church of S. Martino (VIII century), Montereggio, typical village surrounded by chestnut trees and home land of wandering booksellers, and the medieval monastery of Madonna del Monte with a Marian icon dating back to ‘300.

Aulla

Aulla: town dominated by the Brunella fortress (XV-XVI century), now seat of the Museum of Lunigiana Natural History (phone 0187 409077). In the surrounding area: the village Bibola with its winding structure and with the ruins of an imposing castle (XII-XIII), and the walled medieval village Caprigliola with the cylindrical Tower (XII century).

Comano: the Malaspina castle (XI-XIII century) lies in the middle of this attracting landscape and is dominated by an imposing circular tower. In the surrounding area: the parish church of Crespiano (XI century) where the bell tower is the only remnants.

Casola in Lunigiana: it is the gate of Lunigiana to the park of Apuan Alps, with several Medieval remains on its territory. To visit: the cylindrical tower (XI-XV century), the territorial museum of Aulella high valley (phone 0585 90361) with a collection or prehistoric remains (phone 0585 90361). In the surrounding area: the parish churches of Codiponte and Offiano, ancient walled villages.

Fosdinovo: it is surrounded by the walls of the village, where sea and mountains seem very close to each other, and dominated by the Malaspina castle (XIV-XVII). To visit: the church of S. Remigio (1367) with its panoramic location. In the surrounding area: Caniparola and the Malaspina villa, Luni, Sarzana and Cinque Terre.

Vernazza

Cinque Terre: they form one of the most uncontaminated and largest Mediterranean areas in Liguria, land characterized by a wild and wonderful nature, still preserved as in the past. If you come to Cinque Terre, you will visit five villages between land and sea, located on sheer cliffs and surrounded by green hills, where inhabitants are still doing their best to face the difficulties presented by this territory, which however rewards their efforts offering excellent wines and products not to miss.

The pictures portraying the area surrounding Lunigiana have been kindly offered by the web site www.galleriafotografica.it