PARIANA, comune di VILLA BASILICA, nr LUCCA, TUSCANY, ITALY

 

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THINGS TO DO

 

Everybody will have their own itinerary but here are some of the things we enjoy doing here, as well as the obvious visiting Florence (1hr), Pisa (50mins), Siena (2hrs) etc.

Towns & villages: we never tire of strolling the smart streets of Lucca & going round the walls, on foot or by bike. Pescia is a smaller but charming place, centre of the international cut-flower trade, with a vibrant street market on Saturday. Modern Montecatini is a smart spa-town, and the old town (Montecatini Alto) is a classic hill-village, accessible by funicular. Villa Basilica has a fine church, splendid views and several ice-cream shops. Collodi is noted for several things – the Parco Pinocchio, the Villa Garzoni and its gardens, and the steep old village with its fine views. Montecarlo is in a dramatic position, with several good restaurants and its own DOC wines. Barga is a walled city on a domed hill with a cathedral at the top with magnificent mountain views of the Garfagnana (valley of the River Serchio).

Country: We are indefatigable walkers and our preferences reflect that! Locally, the hills on which San Moscato stands are called the Pizzorne and rise to about 1000m., that is, nowhere above the tree-line. You can drive to the top and down the other side and there is much pleasant walking around the village and on the hills, but mostly thickly wooded so views are limited. Also many of the non-tarmac tracks have an annoying habit of dying out. It is also popular with masochistic cyclists.

If you want to experience the real mountains (rising to 2000m.) you can drive along the main road to Bagni di Lucca (40 mins). To get there you climb steeply, through the picturesque villages of Colognora and Boveglio, to the Passo di Trebbio, from which you see north, to the Appennines on the east and Apuan Alps (the marble mountains) on the west, with the Garfagnana in between. This hilltop was part of the Linea Gotica – the great defensive chain by which the Nazis hoped to block the Allies’ northwards progress in 1944.

Next village is Benabbio, with several panoramic walks. Then Bagni di Lucca, from where you can (a) go straight on, up the mountain road to Montefegatesi in the middle of the Appennine scenery: (b) turn left, to join the main Garfagnana valley, where are the Devil’s Bridge (Ponte della Maddalena), Barga (see above), Castelnuovo, much dramatic mountain scenery and access for pedestrians or motorists or indeed cyclists both to the Appennines and the Apuan Alps and, via the Apuan Alps, to the coast: (c) turn right, through a dramatic limestone gorge to the Abetone pass, one of the main traditional routes through the Appennines to Modena and the North (d) stop for a rest and an ice-cream!

In the other direction, the Monti Pisani between Lucca and Pisa have pleasant walks with views to Pisa and the sea and masses of orchids in May/June.

Seaside: from Viareggio (50 mins) sandy beaches stretch north in a series of noted seaside resorts. In most places you have to pay for a place on the beach. Further north, rocky coasts start at Bocca di Magra and the fabulous Cinque Terre start north of la Spezia, about 1.5 hrs away by car. There is also attractive coastline south of Livorno.

 

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Owners: Tony & Judy Ridge, 27 Moorgate, York YO24 4HP, United Kingdom.
Telephone: [0044]-[0]1904-798190, [0044]-[0]07753-840178 (mob), [0044]-[0]07753-840119 (mob)

Languages: English ; nous parlons français ; Deutsch gesprochen ; parliamo italiano

E-mail: t.ridge@talk21.com