Massa-Carrara between marble, mountains and Lunigiana

Between marble, mountains and Lunigiana

Massa-Carrara combines striking landscapes with an unusually rich cultural history. The Apuan Alps stretch for 60 kilometres through Versilia, Lunigiana and Garfagnana. They are known for marble, deep gorges, impressive quarries and panoramas extending to the Tyrrhenian coast. From Monte Pasquilio, at an altitude of around 800 metres, the view reaches from the Apuan-Versilian coast across the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago; on clear days, it extends as far as Corsica. Nature trails along the Magra and its tributaries offer views of landscapes in largely unspoilt nature. Near Aulla, the protected area of the river preserves riverside habitats with willow and alder stands, home to various bird species. Large parts of the Fivizzano area lie within two parks.

Carrara: marble as landscape, craftsmanship and history

In Carrara, the culture of marble can be experienced from different perspectives. Carrara’s Castello Malaspina has been associated with the Accademia di Belle Arti since 1805. The Rocca of Carrara was reinforced as a military fortress in the 13th century by the town’s secular authorities. At the Museo Civico del Marmo, Roman archaeology, local history and modern marble-sculpting techniques come together. The industrial archaeology section displays machines and tools used to extract and process marble from Roman times to the present day.

The quarries also shape the character of the area. Around Carrara, open-pit, shaft, hillside and tunnel quarries form marble landscapes cut into the mountain. A regional speciality also brings marble into the kitchen: Lardo di Colonnata is made from the fatty back cut of the pig, prepared with aromatic herbs and then matured in specially designated marble basins.

Museums, theatres and early history

Fivizzano is home to the Museo della Stampa in Palazzo Fantoni Bononi. The Teatro degli Imperfetti opened in 1807 and has 600 seats. Aulla adds to the cultural picture with the Museo di Storia Naturale della Lunigiana. Its botanical, zoological and mineralogical collections focus on different natural environments; the museum also has a wheelchair-accessible entrance and a wheelchair-accessible car park.

Pontremoli reaches far back into the prehistory of Lunigiana. The Castello del Piagnaro houses the Museo delle Statue Stele, which preserves important documentation of this prehistoric period. The stelae displayed there date from the Copper Age to the period of Romanisation. The town’s distinctive historical atmosphere also includes the Disfida dei Falò, an annual contest of fires held in January, and Medievalis, a historical re-enactment held annually at the end of August, with markets, food stalls and medieval activities.

Fosdinovo and the history of the Resistance

Fosdinovo offers several closely interconnected examples of architecture and remembrance. The original keep of Castello Malaspina dates from the 11th century and was later expanded with defensive towers and turrets. The Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Remigio is a 13th-century building; it contains the tomb of Galeotto I Malaspina. The Oratorio della Compagnia dei Bianchi has a white marble façade and a Baroque interior.

The Museo audiovisivo della Resistenza presents interviews, archival images and recordings through interactive multimedia installations. A photo library is dedicated to the Apuan-Lunigiana Resistance. Outside the buildings, Fosdinovo also remains a destination for active days: the area is criss-crossed by trails suitable for trekking and mountain biking. The Festa Medievale di Fosdinovo is associated with the first weekend of July.

Via Francigena and religious heritage

In Aulla, the Abbazia di San Caprasio was founded within a castle in 884. Archaeological excavations uncovered a monumental 10th-century tomb of the saint there. The Museo dell’Abbazia presents life in the abbey, the history of San Caprasio and the passage of pilgrims along the Via Francigena. The Abbazia di San Caprasio is considered one of the most important Italian stages on this pilgrimage route. The Tuscan section of the Via Francigena begins in Lunigiana.

Trails, mobility and different travel interests

Those wishing to combine historic places with activity in the landscape will find several distinct points of interest. The Stretti di Giaredo are a series of gorges carved out of the rock by the Torrente Gordana. The Via Marchesana runs from the Passo dei Due Santi, a 1,392-metre-high pass between the provinces of Parma and Massa-Carrara, via Patigno, Noce, Coloretta and La Dolce to Bosco di Rossano in the valley of the Torrente Teglia. For cycling enthusiasts, a route between Carrara and Monte Brugiana passes the ruins of Castello di Moneta before returning to Viale XX Settembre.

The choice of starting point can also be tailored to your own interests. Equi Terme has a railway station on the Aulla–Lucca line. Bus route 33 connects Aulla and Fivizzano. In Massa, Castello Malaspina can be reached from the historic centre via a scenic road with old steps and narrow lanes. When choosing a hotel, it is therefore useful to decide in advance whether museums and historic buildings, landscape experiences, pilgrimage history, cycling or hiking routes should be the focus of your trip.

Other places for orientation

Filattiera, Casola In Lunigiana, Bagnone, Villafranca In Lunigiana, Podenzana, Colonnata, Corlaga, Malgrate, Marina di Carrara, Caniparola, Pian di Molino, Licciana-Nardi, Gragnana, Prota, Montignoso, Cantiere-ponticello, Arpiola-pianturcano, Massa, Pontremoli, Aulla, Fivizzano, Zeri, Carrara, Fosdinovo, Tresana, Mulazzo, Comano.

For the broader travel overview: Tuscany.