When most people think of Tuscany, images of rolling
hillsides clothed with vineyards and cypress trees. This is very much the case in most of the
region; this idyllic landscape is definitely worth seeing. However this post will focus on the rather
different landscape in the north of the region, which comprises the dramatic Alpi Apuane and Apennine mountain chains.
Morning mist over the Equi Valley in Lunigiana. |
When coming from the south, the ‘gateway’ to this area is
the beautiful walled city of Lucca.
Founded in ancient times by Etruscan civilisations, then taken over by
the Romans, this city has a long and colourful history. The historic centre (Italian: ‘il centro storico’) is extensive, surrounded
by well-preserved city walls which date back to the Renaissance period. A stroll through the maze of narrow streets and
sunny squares gives the feeling of going back in time. It’s difficult to get bored in Lucca as there
is a lot to see so I would recommend setting aside a whole day to explore. Sights worth seeing are the unique circular
Piazza dell’anfitaero, the Guinigi tower (which interestingly has trees growing
from its roof!), the impressive Lucca Cathedral ‘Duomo di San Martino’ and the numerous churches (all of which are
beautiful and have their own unique character).
A very pleasant walk – ‘la
passeggiata delle Mura’ - runs around the walls themselves and gives lovely
views of the historic centre as well as the nearby mountains to the north of
the city. Lucca is one of my favourite
Italian cities. Unjustly, it doesn’t
seem to get as much publicity for some reason compared to nearby Florence or
Pisa, however this keeps away the mass crowd of tourists which the other two
cities receive, making for a relaxing atmosphere.
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Streets of Lucca |
Following the Serchio valley to the north of Lucca will take
you into the mountainous part of the region.
The steep hillsides are covered by a dense blanket of chestnut forest,
which makes the area vibrantly green during the summer months, a real contrast
to the landscape further south. After
passing the pretty Ponte del Diavolo ‘Devil’s bridge’, you will come to the pretty
spa town of Bagni di Lucca, which is nice to explore, albeit small. The valley splits in two at Bagni di Lucca –
we carried on through the Serchio valley towards Castelnuovo. Thing brings you into the historic region of Garfagnana. This is a very rural area, dotted with a
number of small towns and villages. I
would recommend a visit to the historic centres of Barga and Castelnuovo di
Garfagnana. Barga is a hilltop town,
which offers spectacular views of the dramatic Apuan mountains to the west. The medieval Verrucole fortress is an
interesting place to visit, close to the village of San Romano in
Garfagnana. The fortress is quite well
preserved and entry is free.
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The rooftops of Barga |
The two main mountain chains in the area are separated by
the Serchio valley. To the west of the
Serchio are the Apuan mountains and to the east are the Apennines. Both are very different in character. The Apuan chain is formed from limestone and
marble and is characterised by very steep slopes and sharp, pointy peaks. These mountains are famed for the marble
quarrying, which is particularly prominent in the area around Massa and
Carrara. Marble quarries have left large
white scars on the mountainsides – I thought the white patches were snow the
first time I saw them, despite the 30°C summer heat. Oddly, the quarrying hasn’t ruined the
scenery – I would go as far as saying it enhances it.
We drove from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to the Passo del Vestito near Massa (follow the signs to Massa from Castelnuovo). The scenery is rugged and fabulous along this entire route and the views from the summit of the pass are incredible. The road climbs to 1151 meters above sea level, giving extensive views across the mountainous landscape towards the Versillia coastline. This route also passes the small village of Isola Santa, with its pretty blue-green lake.
We drove from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to the Passo del Vestito near Massa (follow the signs to Massa from Castelnuovo). The scenery is rugged and fabulous along this entire route and the views from the summit of the pass are incredible. The road climbs to 1151 meters above sea level, giving extensive views across the mountainous landscape towards the Versillia coastline. This route also passes the small village of Isola Santa, with its pretty blue-green lake.
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View over the Apuan mountains from the Passo del Vestito. |
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Isola Santa |
To the east of the Serchio valley, the Apennine mountains
are very different. The landscape is not
quite as rugged as the Apuan mountains, it is characterised by open, windswept
uplands and rounded summits. The highest
peaks in this range exceed 2000 meters, with Monte Prado rising to 2054m. Perhaps the biggest attraction of this area
is its wild feel, and abundance of wildlife; it is home to wolves, deer, wild
boar, golden eagles and even bears. A
good place to see these impressive animals is the Orecchiella Park ‘Parco dell’Orecchiella’ – the park’s
visitor centre near San Romano in Garfagnana is a good source of
information.
In the extreme north of Tuscany is the Lunigiana
region. This area is similar in
character to Garfagnana, dominated by the Apuan and Apennine mountains. Good places to visit in this area are the
small towns of Equi Terme and Fivizzano, as well as the larger Pontremoli. Equi Terme is a small spa town with pleasant public
spa pools and the Grotte di Equi
caves. The majestic pointy peak of Pizzo d’Uccello towers above the town,
termed the ‘Tuscan Matterhorn’ because of its shape. This peak rises to 1781 meters, with an impressive
vertical cliff face on its northern face.
The Versillian Riviera runs along the north Tuscany
coastline. This is characterised by a
continuous long sandy beach and endless rows of deckchairs stretching from Viareggio
through Forte dei Marmi to Marina di Carrara.
This is perfect for sun seekers, but perhaps not the most scenic
coastline in the area. In my opinion the
nicest beaches are found a short trip to the north in the region of
Liguria. Lerici has a pretty harbour and
sandy beach with both public and private sections. To read more about the Ligurian coastline,
see my seperate blog post > Ligurian coastline.
The closest airport is Pisa, which is served by budget
airlines from the UK and other parts of Europe.
The remote mountainous parts are quite difficult to access without a
car, but the main towns have train connections with Trenitalia. The area is
quite large, so a couple of weeks is needed to explore extensively.
As always, thanks for reading!
Elis Griffiths. x
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