My friends Massimiliano, Marco, my brother, and I decided to do a short pilgrimage hike along the Via Francigena, this time from Sarzana where we had stopped the year before, to Lucca. We intended to take the regional train from Milan which took several hours but was direct. However, it was delayed and the delay kept growing so we ended up taking a faster train and asked the conductor if that was ok as the other one would be more than two hours late. Eventually, we arrived in Sarzana quite late and met up with Marco who was already there, and had a quick pizza as we all didn't really have proper dinner. Then we all headed to the parish of Nostra Signora del Carmine where we got our bunk beds inside a little building of the parish. We hardly managed to sleep due to the many mosquitoes but eventually, the next morning were up early to start our hike. We first headed to the old town to have breakfast at a cafè and then visited the main sights, including the beautiful Cathedral. We then passed the town's fortress and left the city behind. It was a nice sunny crispy morning and as the day progressed got warmer. A little further uphill we reached the Sarzanello fortress, built in a modern style during the late 15th century over a pre-existing older one. From up there we had a great view of the surrounding Magra Valley with its many small old towns perched on the hilltops and in the distance the sea. We then continued on following the trail heading down through the flat countryside between the mountains and the sea. To our left, at the foothill of the Apuan Alps, we admired many picturesque perched hilltop towns such as Castelnuovo Magra, Ortonovo, and Nicola. We were in the historical region of the Lunigiana, an area straddling the regions of Liguria and Tuscany, which took its name from the ancient Roman city of Luni which we were soon approaching. Located on the easternmost point of Liguria, this large archaeological site was once a Roman colony founded in 177 B.C. as a military outpost in the campaign against the ancient Ligurian tribes. The city, once located on the sea which was a few kilometers inland to where it is today, had an important port and outgrew its outpost stance and became important and flourishing. However, during the fall of the Roman Empir,e it was first captured by goths, unconquered by Byzantines but then lost to the Lombards eventually losing in importance and shrinking to just a village. It was then repeatedly sacked during the 9th century, first by the Saracens and later by the Vikings who supposedly thought due to the town's richness and presence of marble and other ancient Roman structures the city was actually Rome and that was their original plan to sack it. Once on site we purchased the tickets, left our bags at the office, and then visited the large archaeological area. The site was mostly excavated during the 1970s and until the 2000s. Most of it though is still underground, as much of the space is still used as agricultural land and under private buildings. However, some of the main public buildings from the Roman time have been excavated such as the forum which we reached. We saw its ruins and some of the nearby temples. Then heading east we reached the end of the area and had to briefly exit, cross into a public street ,and then reach the amphitheater. Not included in the site, as one is managed by the region while the other is managed by the state, it required a separate entry ticket. Of the four of us only I went inside, but it could still be admired the from outside. Built in the second century A.D. it could hold up to 7,000 people and despite there being only the foundations, its whole perimeter is still intact. Once back inside the archaeological site, we visited the rest of the buildings, including some domuses with frescoes now exhibited in the nearby small museum, such as the one representing Oceanus. Then we saw the theatre also just the foundations, and other temples. Finally, after our visit, we went back to get our bags and continued on our pilgrimage. We eventually crossed the border into Tuscany continuing along the countryside. We then approached the town of Avenza, mostly consisting of modern houses built along a gridline plan not far from the sea. The town also featured a small old town where we admired the Torre di Castruccio, a 14th-century medieval tower once also used as a prison and then only partly surviving to this day as it was mostly used as a quarry for construction by the local populace. Right next to it, on the main square, was the church of San Pietro, originally medieval but rebuilt during the 17th century. From the town, we also admired the view of the Apuan Alps, at this point clearly visible the large white patches where the famous quarries of Carrara are situated from here looking like large snow patches. In Avenza, we then decided to stop at a supermarket to get some food, sitting then on a bench in a small park to enjoy it. My friend Massimiliano then said he would head to the nearby station and head on to Massa to get check in already as he was planning to meet with his girlfriend and there was still quite some distance left to our destination. We left him at the station and then continued on to walk the rest of the 10kms or so. At that point, the trail started heading inland and eventually up a small series of hills. The sun was then covered by clouds and would only come out briefly until the end of the day, making the way up more bearable due to the heat. We reached a high point and decided to take a break admiring the plain below and the sea now clearly visible across the whole horizon. Far in the distance, we could even make out the hills around the far away town of Livorno and the first of the Tuscan Archipelago, Gorgona. After some more up and down across the hills we eventually came in sight of our destination for the day, the town of Massa, which we reached after nearly 34km and with the sun shining once again. We entered town from the northern side, passing through the Arco di Alberico I, built in 1574 and the oldest city gate of Massa. Next to it was the church of San Martino, built shortly after the gate but refurbished in the following centuries. We walked through this part of town, known as Borgo del Ponte with also a marble fountain built in 1721. Continuing onwards along a straight street we eventually reached the old town proper, guarded by the large and impressive Arco del Salvatore, built in 1690 as a triumphal arch to celebrate the birth of the Duchy of Massa from Duke Charles II Cybo-Malaspina. Next to it, another important fountain, known as Batti’ dal Barile, representing a man holding a barrel from which the water comes out and built in 1617. A little further ahead we passed by the Duomo but decided to visit it the next day as it was getting late and we still needed to check in our accommodation. We eventually reached the picturesque small square, Piazza Mercurio, and entered the Palazzo Nizza, where the hostel was located. Once inside we were shown to our rooms and given the pilgrim stamp. The palace was large and nice with modern interiors and four floors. After showing and changing clothes we enjoyed a nice sunset view from the top floor with a great view over the city and its rooftops. For dinner, we then chose a restaurant called Osteria i Tre Compari where we had a tasty meal consisting of local food, tordelli massesi. After dinner, we had a small stroll around town and headed back to the hostel to sleep.
The next morning after an early rise, we headed out to have breakfast and visit a bit of town. We passed through the small square, Piazza della Conca, with its old fountain, and then reached the cathedral. Originally dating to the 15th century it was nearly completely rebuilt in its current baroque form at the end of the 17th century. The interior held some nice altars with late 17th-century baroque paintings, as well as a crypt holding the remains of Alberico II Cybo-Malaspina and other family members. Once through the interior of the church, we then saw the cloister and headed back out to admire the scenic facade. Moving on we reached the town's main square, the large Piazza Aranci, with the imposing Palazzo Ducale, built in the 16th century in a Renaissance style with later baroque additions. The square was created following the demolition of the church of St Peter in 1807, giving now a much clearer view of the palace. The palace was closed so we continued on through the rest of town. Eventually, we came back to the hostel, grabbed our backpacks, and then headed out. Before leaving town, we headed up the nearby hill where the Malaspina Castle is located. Built in the 11th century, after being refurbished and expanded it became the principal seat of the rulers of Massa of the Malaspina and Cybo-Malaspina dynasties. Unfortunately, the castle was closed as it was under refurbishment, but at least we had a great view of part of the Apuan Alps to one side and the sea to the other. The view was great and it was a slightly crispy morning with clear blue sky. Leaving behind the castle and the city we eventually reached the small town of Montignoso where after a small uphill walk we reached the Aghinolfi Castle. The fortress, built during the Langobard period at the top of a hill overlooking the plains and the sea, was unfortunately closed, so we could only admire the octagonal tower surrounded by the walls from the outside. As we continued onwards we enjoyed the beautiful view from our position high in the hills. Descending through a small village, Strettoia, we stopped by a monument that remembers those who died in the nearby Gothic Line, the last major line of defense along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains during the fighting retreat of the Axis forces. Moving onwards we were walking on flat land with the hills to one side and the sea in the distance to the other. The area made up of mostly single houses and villas with gardens was quite peaceful. Eventually, we reached another town called Vallecchia, where we stopped to see the Pieve di Santo Stefano. This 9th century church still features a Romanesque apse but we couldn't visit the interior as it was closed. We continued onwards following the Versilia River, which gave its name to the surrounding area, and turning around once in a while to admire the peaks of the Apuan Alps. After some walking, we reached the city of Pietrasanta, but before heading to visit it we decided to stop at a supermarket and grab some food. Then walking towards the city center we found a nice spot in a small park and laid on the grass to enjoy lunch. After that, it was time to visit the city, with its historic center laid out on flatland on the foothills with a grid layout deriving from its Roman past and the fortress with its walls expanding up the hill and dominating the city. The town is also known not only for its ancient past and monuments but for attracting several artists during the 20th century including Miró, Botero, and others, and nowadays featuring several interesting and weird pieces of art through the city center. We walked along the main street with its many rich shops, showing how despite being a small town, attracts rich tourists. Along the way we stopped at the church of the Misericordia, quite unassuming from the outside but containing two large fresco panels, the Gate of Paradise and the Gate of Hell, by Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who used to occasionally reside in the town. A little further on we reached the main square, Piazza Duomo, with as the name suggests the town's Cathedral. Quite impressive, it was built starting in the 13th century and expanded the following century giving its current Gothic aspect. The interior, mostly Renaissance-looking, was refurbished in the 16th and 17th centuries and features rich marble and decorations including a nice pulpit from 1508. The 36m high bell tower is detached, as typical in Italy, but is made up of exposed brick surface, as the original design was supposed to be covered in marble but was never completed. One really interesting feature was the detached baptistry. Like in other large cities in northern and central Italy, which had a whole building built in front or next to the cathedral as a baptistery, also Pietrasanta had one, but in this case, hidden among the facade of the houses right next to the building in a baroque oratory. Inside though it was splendid with the baroque marbles encircling what is actually two baptismal fonts, one from 1389 and the other from the 17th century. Also around the square were some other important buildings, such as the civic tower, and the church of Sant'Agostino with a Gothic structure and baroque bell tower which is now used as a museum and library. To the southwest of the square, more clearly visible from the other side, is the Rocchetta Arrighina, a 14th-century fortification, with at its side the Porta a Pisa medieval gate, once part of the whole fortification surrounding the city and connecting to the fortress on top of the hill, the Rocca di Sala. After visiting around the rest of town we continued on our walk, heading out and into the countryside, starting a slow ascent. Not far from the town we passed by the Pieve di Valdicastello, an impressive 11th-century Romanesque church with a scenic facade and bell tower. Unfortunately, despite Google saying otherwise, the church was closed so we could not admire its interior and frescoes. Continuing on we passed through a slightly hilly terrain until we went through and out of a thick bamboo forest, quite unexpectedly. We passed by an international school, held inside a villa which is where Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the last empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was born. A little further, as we were talking among ourselves while walking, a lady from one of the houses in the area was in her garden and told us aloud sarcastically, not sure if she was trying to offend us or scold us, "you can immediately hear the Italians when they pass, always so loud" from the accent she sounded Dutch or German, at which I told her laughingly "well then you haven't heard the Americans". She replied by saying that Italians are still louder than Americans and I told her I was American too and I could assure her it was the opposite. She then tried saying she was American too and that I maybe came from Texas if I was saying that. At that point, my brother and the others just told me to just move on and let the crazy old lady be at which I told her well next time try buying a house away from a main pilgrimage road and being bothered by her interruption to such a wonderful day so far. Leaving that weird interaction behind we continued on through some nice landscape, across flatland but surrounded by the hills growing up to mountains. After a bit like this, we eventually reached the city of Camaiore, where we would spend the night. Once there we decided to visit it now as our accommodation was on the other side of the city and the next day we would start from the directly heading out of the city eastwards. We approached the old town, with the small church of Santa Maria della Stella, and then followed the main street. Like Pietrasanta, the town also presents a grid layout which was once probably surrounded by walls now barely visible. We then reached the elongated main square, Piazza Bernardino da Siena, with the collegiate church of Santa Maria Assunta. Built in the 13th century, it features a Romanesque exterior from the 14th century, while the interior was refurbished in the Baroque style in the 18th century. On the main square, we then admired the baroque fountain and the Porta Lombricese, a medieval city gate, the last trace of part of the city's fortifications. Continuing along the main street we observed a religious procession taking place with locals in costumes carrying the statue of the Virgin Mary. Finally at the eastern end of the old town we then visited the small church of San Vincenzo, with a mix of baroque and neoclassical out of which the statue had been taken in procession. Once out of the old town, a short walk led us to the Badia di San Pietro, an abbey and former Benedictine monastery. We found the church open and visited it, dating originally to the 8th century but currently dating to its Romanesque 12th-century reconstruction. Its structure, all in stone, was simple yet impressive with the tall bell tower, and the dark simple interior with barely any furnishings, apart from the copy of a gothic altarpiece and a baroque marble altar smack in the middle of the nave. Right behind the church, in the former monastery, was our accommodation. It was turned into a hostel and accepted pilgrims, despite asking for a tourist tax. A lady checked us in and then showed us to our room. Here we also met a guy from Lombardy doing the Via Francigena by bicycle, and a middle-aged French lady doing it too by bike. After showering and changing we decided to eat somewhere close and opted for the Osteria Le Tre Botti, which despite a slow service had good food; I had Tordelli with meat sauce and some grilled veggies as a side. Later Massimiliano, the Lombard guy, and I decided to have a walk in town and grab a beer while assisting at a small concert in the Piazza XXIX Maggio. We didn't last long though as we were all tired and had to wake up early after 30km that day.
In the morning, we had breakfast with whatever we had left and then set out early, again on a nice crisp morning and blue sky. We headed uphill passing some hamlets and reaching one on the top of a hill, Montemagno, from where we had a great view of Camaiore down below in the plain. Here we stopped at the bar, Da Franco, to have a proper breakfast with croissants. Then setting ourselves back on the trail we continued on, eventually reaching the small town of Valpromaro. Here was the Casa del Pellegrino, a pilgrimage house managed by volunteer pilgrims who rotate every two weeks. The two at that moment hosted us inside and gave us a warm tea and an apple while we talked about pilgrimages, hiking, and other things. After the nice break, we waved goodbye and continued onwards, heading then uphill through some forest before reaching the hamlet of Piazzano. Here was a nice view over the surrounding hills, as well as the church of San Frediano, rebuilt in a neoclassical style but with still its Romanesque bell tower. We then met two old German ladies also on the pilgrimage and as we continued on walked through some nice forested hilly terrain for a while. Once back down on the flatland, we followed a minor road until we reached the Serchio River. Here we followed a nice trail running beside the river which in just over an hour eventually led us into the city of Lucca after 28km, our destination. Before entering town we stopped at a supermarket to get some food and then found a spot just outside the city walls in the grass under the shade of the trees to have our lunch. Once we were done we then walked through the old town passing by the main monuments until we reached the Piazza San Martino where the impressive Romanesque cathedral is located. We took a ritual photo in front of it and then it was time for Massimiliano to catch his train back. We three who were left, headed to the palace behind the cathedral where we got our pilgrim stamp and then were shown to our accommodation just next door. Then we all went on to visit the Cathedral, which we had previously seen, admiring the Renaissance Shrine of the Volto Santo, or Holy Face, an ancient wooden carving of Jesus crucified, as well as the funerary monument to Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia, from 1408 among many other artworks. After the Cathedral we crossed through town and went to visit the Basilica of San Frediano, another impressive 12th-century Romanesque church. Its impressive facade decorated with a huge golden 13th-century mosaic representing The Ascension of Christ the Saviour was already a preamble of the beauty of the interior. Once inside, thanks to our pilgrim passport which allowed us free entry, we could admire the beautiful three naves with columns many of which date from ancient Roman times. Among the artworks and monuments, noteworthy was the 12th-century baptismal font. composed of a bowl, covered with a tempietto, resting on pillars, inside a circular basin decorated with The Story of Moses, The Good Shepherd, and the Six Prophets. Also nice were the many chapels from different periods and art styles, including the frescoed Chapel of SantAugustine. After the visit we headed out and walked the rest of town, passing by the impressive Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, built on top of the ancient Roman amphitheater, and reaching then the Guinigi Tower. We then accompanied my brother to the train station from where he took a train back home, while Marco and I headed to our accommodation, the Ospitale di S.Martino e Giacomo. We met the volunteers taking care of the place and some other pilgrims there as well, an Italian family with their small children just doing a couple of stages, a Romanian lady living in Italy and doing her first pilgrimage to Rome, and a couple from the Netherlands who started from their hometown and were heading to Rome. We first go the maundy, or washing of the feet, as is a tradition among the Brotherhood of St. James of Compostella which receives pilgrims like this. Then we had dinner together in a nice friendly environment. An offer was then asked to be left before our departure for sleeping and food.
The following day, Marco and I decided to head to Livorno, a city on the sea, before heading home. We first had breakfast with the pilgrims and volunteers, thanked the latter after giving them the offer, and then left to catch the train at the station. The sky was cloudy in Lucca but became sunnier once we reached Livorno. Despite being heavily bombed during WWII, there were still a few things to see in the city center, and I had been only once as a child so I wished to revisit it. The train station was quite far so it took us a while to reach the center on foot. As we approached the city center we passed by the Cisternone, a 19th-century monumental neoclassical-style reservoir built for Livorno's water supply. Moving we reached the immense Piazza della Repubblica, which is actually a bridge between the city center and the nineteenth-century neighborhoods that sprang up beyond the perimeter of the Royal Ditch, so much so that it is identified by some as the widest bridge in Europe due to its size. Nearby was another neoclassical reservoir, the Cisternino di città, but never used for its original purpose, and the Palazzo del Picchetto which arose as military barracks. These two are the only two buildings along the whole length of the main street, Via Grande, that have escaped the WWII destruction. Moving on we took a side street and passed a series of churches in succession, the first, the Santissima Annunziata, which has a preserved baroque facade, served as the national church of the Greeks who served on the ships of the Order of St. Stephen. Then came the church of the Madonna, housing the altars of a number of foreign nations inside, constituting one of the earliest important reminders of the city's cosmopolitan past. Finally, the Armenian church of St George was destroyed after World War II with only the facade remaining. A bridge then took us to the so-called Venezia Nuova neighborhood, named so because it was built in an area gained to the sea, intersected by canals, and linked to the town with bridges, for this reason, Venetian skilled workers were recruited. We admired the nice layout with its pastel-colored buildings and the canals and then decided to visit the nearby Fortezza Nuova. Built at the beginning of the 16th century it was one of the fortresses used in the defense of the city. Not much was inside apart from a few rooms to see, a bar, and a slightly abandoned small park. Once back out we walked around the canals, passing by the Palazzo delle Colonne di Marmo, an 18th-century baroque palace that survived the war, and then entered the nice church of Santa Caterina, in a baroque style and with a nice frescoed interior. It was made even nicer by a guy sitting on a chair in the middle of the church and playing a saxophone echoing all through the building. Walking further we passed another church, San Ferdinando, with a very nice and lavish white baroque interior. Not far from there, right next to the huge port, we then reached and entered the Fortezza Vecchia. Originally a medieval structure it was reconstructed in the 16th century. Much more accessible than the newer one it featured bastions, tunnels, rooms, and walkways from where we had a great view of the city. Once outside the fortress, we headed back through town, this time along the waterfront, passing by the Monument of the Four Moors
completed in 1626 to commemorate the victories of Ferdinand I of Tuscany over the Ottomans. At that point we continued following the waterfront, passing by the popular Terrazza Mascagni, built over where was once a fort, and with a checkered surface and views over the infinite sea. From here we could make out the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago including Gorgona and Capraia. Continuing we passed by the nice church of San Jacopo in Acquaviva, originally dating to the 12th century but heavily refurbished in the following centuries. As we continued on our walk the houses became sparse, the coast got rockier, and small bays and pools started forming. The water was nice and clear so we decided to stop near the town of Antignano at a supermarket to get food and eat on a small beach nearby where there were just the two of us. Before eating as it was warm enough I decided to take a swim. The water was cold but really nice and I managed to dry easily with the sun. Finally, we decided it was time to go. We looked for the nearest bus stop and after catching a ride to the train station Marco took a direct train back to Milan while I took the next train that took me to the city of Empoli. The train station was close to the city center so a short walk led me to the church of Santo Stefano, originally from the 14th century but refurbished during the 18th century. Unfortunately, it was closed so I continued on, through the grid layout of the town center, a clear legacy of the ancient Romans, and passed by the Porta Pisana. This 15th-century gate is the only surviving of the walls that once encircled the town and which are now only to be seen in small sections mainly built over by houses. From there a short walk brought me to the main square, Piazza Farinata degli Uberti, picturesquely surrounded by porticoed houses and palaces and with at its center the Fontana dei Leoni, a nice fountain with four lions from 1828. On the eastern side of the main square stood the town's main monument, the collegiate church of Sant'Andrea. Most probably existing since the 5th century, the current building dates to the 12th century, with an impressive facade of bi-chrome marble stones, green from Prato, and white from Carrara, in a style inspired by the Basilica of San Miniato in Florence.However, the church was heavily reworked in 1735 and thus the interior was refurbished but still contains some interesting altars as well as a 14th-century crucifix and early 15th-century gothic triptych. The ceiling once featuring a baroque fresco had to be repainted following WWII bombings which completely destroyed it, Next to the church I then tried visiting the museum but found it close, but at least managed to see the Renaissance cloister. After that, I headed out and walked along the town's main street sided by nice buildings until I reached the eastern end of town where I visited the Santuario della Madonna del Pozzo, a late Renaissance-style church from the 17th century built around a 15th-century fresco of the Madonna and child considered to be miraculous. At that point, it was time to head to the station from where I took a regional train to Florence. Once there I still had some time before my train so I managed to head to the city center and tour a bit as the sun was setting, heading to the main sites, the Piazza del Duomo with the baptistery and cathedral, and Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio, before eventually making it back to the station for my ride.
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| The view of Sarzana |
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| The fortress of Sarzanello |
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| A view of the mountains and the town of Ortonovo |
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| The roman amphitheatre in Luni |
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| The Apuan Alps |
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| Massa at sunset |
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| Massa's Cathedral |
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| The Arco del Salvatore |
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| Piazza Aranci |
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| The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora Delle Grazie |
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| The Aghinolfi castle and the sea |
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| A view of the mountains close to Ripa |
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| The Pietrasanta Cathedral |
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| Interior of the cathedral |
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| The Porta a Pisa |
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| The cathedral baptistry |
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| The Pieve of San Giovanni |
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| The Piazza Bernardino da Siena in Camaiore |
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| The main street in Camaiore |
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| The Badia di San Pietro and pilgrim hostel |
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| The facade at sunset |
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| Hiking up to Montemagno |
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| The church of San Frediano in Piazzano |
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| The Serchio River |
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| Lucca's Cathedral |
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| The Torre delle Ore |
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| The Basilica of San Frediano |
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| The beautiful baptismal font |
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| The cathedral by night |
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| The large Piazza della Repubblica in Livorno |
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| The New Fortress |
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| One of the many canals in the Nuova Venezia area |
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| Another canal view |
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| The old fortress |
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| The church of San Jacopo in Acquaviva |
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| The coast n Ardenza |
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| A beach in Antignano |
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| The Piazza Farinata degli Uberti in Empoli with the cathedral |
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| The cathedral's cloister |
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| A street in the old town |
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| The Piazza della Vittoria with the monument to the fallen |
