Lunigiana
Countless quaint villages are scattered throughout the Lunigianese territory, forming a constellation of stories, mysteries and legends with enchanting power on the visitor who takes the time to slowly open this chest full of treasures...
Lunigiana is a region that embraces mountains, hills and sea, crossed by major and small rivers. The territory touches Liguria and Tuscany, with some of its sites currently located in the province of Emilia.
Its inhabitants consider themselves descendants of the historical population that lived on the Apuane Mountains, the “Apui“, and for which the silent Stele statues represent silent, mysterious, charming offsprings.
Villages, castles, churches are the witnesses of the manifold and troubled story of Lunigiana over the centuries. The Malaspina Marquis Family ruled here with its feudal power and magnificent fortresses, battling alternatively against Florence, Genoa, Lucca for the control over the primary communication route from Rome to France that crosses Lunigiana.
The region can nowadays be divided into Upper and lower Lunigiana, the latter being roughly correspondent to the Val di Magra, the Valley crossed by the Magra river and with a strategically mouth to the sea.
Explore Lunigiana
Fivizzano
In Fivizzano, at the foot of the Tuscan Emilian Apennines mountains, time seems to stand still at the Medicean time, when the village's main square was designed, although the area was inhabited since prehistoric times.
Luni
Today interesting archeological site, with a well-preserved amphitheater and a museum of important relics witnessing the glorious story of Lunae, "the port of the Moon", the ancient city from which trades and transport of the marble quarried in the nearby Carrara started.
Fosdinovo
Prehistoric site, it had its golden age between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, when it was the capital of an independent marquisate governed by the most important branch of the Malaspina family of Spino Fiorito, whose marquises were imperial vicars in Italy. This has left deep traces in architecture, art, and local culture.
Sarzana
Sarzana is the main city of Magra Valley, in the lower Lunigiana, derived from the Roman city of Luni, it had its Golden Age in Middle Age and Renaissance, as witnessed by its fortresses and mansions.
Pontremoli
Pontremoli could be considered the "Capital" of Lunigiana, the possible ancient "Apua" city, founded by the Apui people. The place to be to find the real atmospheres and secrets of the Lunigiana region.
FIVIZZANO
FOSDINOVO
One of the towns that gave origin to the lower Lunigiana after the Roman city of Luni was destroyed.
- Where are you?
The Cinque Terre Area
The Cinque Terre Villages
The Gulf of the Poets: Portovenere, Lerici and La Spezia
The Vara Valley and the Bio District
Lunigiana, ancient castles and abbeys
FIVIZZANO
FOSDINOVO
One of the towns that gave origin to the lower Lunigiana after the Roman city of Luni was destroyed.
Not to be missed in Lunigiana
The Lunigiana in 5 points:
1
Genuine local food
Mushrooms, Panigacci, Testaroli, Erbazzone, and a lot more to taste, to explore the many traditions about local food.
2
The Lunigiana Castles
The Lunigiana region in Middle Age was a net of castles, making communications possible among the region’s small villages, mostly built and owned by the local feudal Malaspina family.
3
Natural paradises
The Equi Thermal baths and the Giaredo canyons, and on the sea the magnificent Montemarcello Park.
4
Pontremoli and Sarzana
Two small, but magnificent cities, full of story and art, Pontremoli and Sarzana tell of the incredible importance the Lunigiana region had in many stages throughout history.
5
The archeological site of Luni
An amphitheater and a new multimedial exhibition can now be visited in the location where the Roman port of Luni used to be.
Useful Advice to explore the Lunigiana
How to travel the Lunigiana
- By car, this very large region is crossed by a few highways and a motorway, and the many villages of the area can all be reached by car, even the most remote ones.
The motorway is the A15, conncting La Spezia to Parma: depending on your destination, exit in Aulla or Pontremoli. - By train, the railway connecting La Spezia to Parma stops in the most important villages of the lower and upper Lunigiana.
Walking the Via Francigena
The Via Francigena (formerly Via Francesca or Via Romea) is one of the longest and richest routes in history that is found in Europe, is a real pilgrimage that leads from Canterbury to Rome and was considered one of the most important European communication routes in medieval times.
From the Cisa pass the Via Francigena descends along the side of Tuscany, meeting the land of Lunigiana.
The route of the Via Francigena in Lunigiana is divided into:
- The Via Francigena in the Pontemoli area
- Left bank of the Magra
- Right bank of the Magra
- From Aulla to the ancient area of Luni
- Via del Volto Santo
Top Experiences in Lunigiana
Lunigiana latest stories
- Where are you?
The Cinque Terre Area