LUNIGIANA END SURROUNDING

Lunigiana, the northern peninsular of Tuscany, is nestled between the Appennini and Apuane Alp mountain ranges following the river bed of the Magra that separates Liguria from Emilia Romagna. Known as the “Undiscovered Tuscany”, Lunigiana is relatively untouched by tourism or heavy industry making it nature lovers’ perfect holiday destination. Lunigiana, literally translated as “earth of the moon”, takes its name from the ancient Etruscan city of Luni, a Roman settlement founded in 677 BC. The region historically served as a passageway for pilgrims between the rest of Europe and Rome (Via Francigena) and was fought over between the Malaspina and the Medici families leaving its landscape dominated by medieval castles with tower watchposts, fortified stone walled hill top hamlets, baroque villas and palaces with XVII/XVII century frescos and ancient churches. Nature provides Lunigiana its greatest attractions from trekking paths through the Tuscan / Emilian Apennine National Park (www.appenninopark.it/parco.asp ), skiing at Zum Zeri or at the Cerreto Pass (used for the World Skiing Championships) or the thermal springs and caves at Equi Termi. Lunigiana is also renowned for its farmhouse cuisine that takes the freshest ingredients from its nature, namely chestnut flour, mushrooms, natural herbs (Torta D’erbi), fresh ricotta and other cheeses, DOP (Protection of Origination) honey and lamb (Zeri). During the summer months, almost every town and village will host a sagre (festival) dedicated to different and many traditional gastronomy of the region.
(fonte: www.terredilunigiana.com)

Pontremoli

This castle town is magically set on the confluence of the River Magre and Verde and acts as the northern gate to Lunigiana. Characterised by its many stone bridges (from which it takes its name, literally translated as “ponte tremulus” or “trembling bridges”) and cobbled narrow streets winding onto its piazzas and up to its northern gate, “Porta Parma” and the Castello del Piagnaro which hosts the Museum of the Statue Stele, ancient stone carvings from the settlements of Luni dating back to 3400BC. Pontremoli hosts the Premio Bancarella Literary Festival each year in the middle of July and the medieval festival of “Medievale” at the end of July as well as normal market days every Wednesday and Saturday mornings of the year and antique and artesian markets on the first and third Sunday morning of each month.