Discover Pizzorne: Mountain Views, Trails and History

The Altopiano delle Pizzorne is a mountainous area of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, extending between Villa Basilica, Capannori and Lucca. Pizzorne therefore offers you a landscape where mountain views, trails, historic sites and active pursuits appeal to a range of travel interests. The combination of natural surroundings, history and activity shapes the character of the area. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you want to focus your stay primarily on the plateau, cultural destinations or outdoor activities.

Wide-open landscapes and clear views

From the summit of the Pietra Pertusa hill, the view extends northwards over the gentle Apennine hills and the rugged Apuan Alps. To the south, it stretches across Monte Pisano to the coast and the Tyrrhenian Sea. This makes it possible to take in the contrast between the Apennines, the Apuan Alps, Monte Pisano and the coast from a single location. The northern and southern views each reveal a different landscape.

Traces of a long history

The remains of an ancient dolmen are preserved at Pietra Pertusa. It was built by the peoples who inhabited this area between the 5th and 3rd millennia BC. The dolmen adds evidence of early human settlement to the landscape perspective.

From the Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso in Pizzorna, the ancient Church of San Bartolomeo and the site of the former San Bartolomeo hospital can be reached via a footpath of around two kilometres. The Church of San Bartolomeo is believed to have been built in 1640 and was restored in 1700, 1803 and 1906. These restorations comprise several dated interventions.

According to local tradition, a Mass of thanksgiving is celebrated every year on 1 August at the Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso. Those interested in religious traditions and historic sites will find another distinctive feature here alongside the landscape and trails.

Trails and active experiences

The final section of the Lucchese part of the Cammino di Santa Giulia climbs uphill towards the Altopiano delle Pizzorne. The plateau is easily accessible by car from Matraia or Villa Basilica. When choosing your base, you can therefore consider whether your daily itinerary should focus on the journey to the plateau or the uphill section of the trail.

For an active change of pace, the Sospeso nel Verde adventure park is located on the Altopiano delle Pizzorne. It offers 16 climbing courses of varying difficulty for all age groups and with the greatest possible safety. The different courses allow you to choose an activity suited to your own preferences without reducing Pizzorne to climbing alone. The number of courses and their range of difficulty give the activity a clearly structured format.

More destinations

More destinations: Pracando.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Villa Basilica.