Lunigiana

Lunigiana is a small but not-so-discovered region of Northern Tuscany. It offers lots in the way of history, art and adventure. Located in the Italian peninsula, Lunigiana borders the provinces of Massa Carrara, Tuscany, and La Spezia, Liguria. Its borders derive from the ancient Roman settlement, later the medieval diocese of Luni, which no longer exists.

Old land of Luni

The history of this area begins with the challenge between the two local powers, Luni and Sarzana. After a long struggle for power and influence, which ended in the Sarzanese defeat on February 27th, 828, the area was annexed to the duchy of Luni. This paved the way for the birth of the new county, which then became Marquisate. Under the ruling Malaspina family, the area grew in importance with increasing cultural prestige and prosperity. Today, you can still find many testimonies of its past: small towns built on ancient roman settlements, churches with frescoes, houses decorated with coats of arms.

What to see

In Lunigiana are present many medieval villages and castles abandoned because it`s the land of men who watch without sleeping over their territory. More than a hundred fortified buildings stand on hills and mountains to guard the passes, defend fords and crossroads, protect ports and villages. Towns like Verrucola, Montereggi, Calice al Cornoviglio, Malgrate, Comano, Corniglio, Compiano and so on still preserve the medieval charm and a lot of historic buildings to see.

Lunigiana`s untouched nature

Lunigiana is a land of water and hills and includes a part of the Apuan Alps Park. The landscape combines enclosed valleys with panoramas that stretch out over the mountain chain and as far as the coast north of La Spezia. Although Lunigiana is not as well known as other parts of Tuscany, it offers scenery of gently rolling hills, rivers and streams with rugged peaks behind you should find time to discover.