Houses for sale in Garfagnana

Garfagnana - wild mountain landscape in Tuscany

A wild mountain landscape stretches between the Apuan Alps and the central Italian Apennines, with the River Serchio flowing through it. Garfagnana welcomes visitors with mountains up to 2,000 metres high, spectacular gorges and deep forests.

The historic Garfagnana region lies to the north of the medieval city of Lucca. Medieval villages such as Piazza al Serchio, Giuncugnano and Careggine nestle against the wooded flanks of high mountains. The largest town in the region is Castelnuovo di Garfagnana.

Garfagnana - mountain wilderness between the Alps and the Apennines
Anyone expecting to find cypress-lined paths, green olive groves and rolling wheat fields in Garfagnana will soon be disabused of this notion on an excursion into the rugged mountain world. In the north, the region welcomes you with mountains up to 2,000 metres high, flanked by holm oak and chestnut forests. On the rocky summits, ibex balance along the steep slopes, while wolves roam the forests at lower altitudes in search of prey.

The Serchio river carves its way through the wild mountain world. It carves deep gorges out of the rock. On its banks are small villages with medieval town centres where time seems to have stood still for centuries. If you buy a property in Italy in Piazza al Serchio, Giuncugnano or Careggine, you can experience the unspoilt wilderness of Tuscany up close.

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana - capital of the region
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is the largest town in Garfagnana and an important transport hub. The town with its 5,800 inhabitants lies around 30 kilometres north of the provincial capital of Lucca and is surrounded by a massive 13th century town wall. A stone bridge over the River Serchio ends directly at the medieval town gate Ponte di Castruccio. The 11th-century Rocca Ariostesca castle rises directly next to the Porta Calcinaia city gate. Pietro e Paolo Cathedral was built in 1504 on the foundations of an early Christian church.

Enchanting villages and a thermal spa
The enchanting villages in the Garfagnana region are popular excursion destinations. Anyone looking for a property in Italy will find what they are looking for in the vicinity of charming villages such as Borgo a Mozzano, Giuncugnano and Piazza al Serchio. The latter municipality consists of a collection of tiny villages grouped around a medieval castle ruin.

Borgo a Mozzano is a small village on the River Serchio, whose main attraction is the so-called Devil's Bridge (Ponte del Diavolo). The medieval stone arch bridge was built in the 14th century. Bagni di Lucca is a well-known thermal spa whose hot springs were already used by the Romans. The sulphurous and sodium-rich water has a temperature of between 36°C and 54°C.

Culinary delights from the Garfagnana region
Although the Lunigiana and Garfagnana regions are in close proximity to each other, the typical culinary highlights are sometimes very different. Cacciucco, a fish soup made from seafood, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, comes from the nearby coastal region.

Polenta is a traditional dish made from maize semolina, which is often served with mushrooms, sausage or stews in Garfagnana. Polenta has a creamy texture and a nutty flavour.

The best-known speciality from Garfagnana is the tangy pecorino cheese. The sheep's milk cheese is sold in various stages of ripeness. The spectrum ranges from young cheese with a soft texture and mild flavour to mature cheese that is hard and tangy.