Tuscany – Garfagnana foliage
Tuscany is one of the best Italian regions in which to immerse oneself in autumn foliage. Especially the Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca, is a paradise for lovers of walking and trekking in the red-coloured woods. There are many foliage trails in Garfagnana and they develop along the Via di Matilde, the path that crosses this part of Italy, leading to the discovery of nature, villages and traditions in an area still little explored by mass tourism. Here are the most beautiful paths to follow for a dip in the foliage.
Devil’s Tour
The Giro del Diavolo (Devil’s Tour) is a very short route, about 2 km long, which has the village of San pellegrino in Alpe as its starting and finishing point. From the village, which is the highest inhabited village in the Apennines (1595 m), you set off along the tarmac road to the Agadello Pass and a forest that turns a thousand shades of red in autumn. From here you enter a panoramic path that has a spectacular view of the entire Garfagnana (including the Apuan Alps) and a very evocative history behind it. This is the place where Saint Pilgrim, the wandering monk from Ireland, was tempted by the Devil and, tired of the evil one’s provocations, slapped him until he capitulated. For centuries, pilgrims made this area a place of worship, where they carried boulders representing their sins: the more you have, the bigger the stone must be; after the walk, the boulders were thrown into an area (the Devil’s Stone), which is still full of ‘sin’ stones today. Once the weight of the bad deeds has been lifted, one can continue to the ridge nearby, and then descend towards San Pellegrino to close the tour: one walks through a forest where one’ s steps are muffled by the orange leaves, a truly pleasant and regenerating forest bath. In San Pellegrino you can stop to eat in the small restaurants and bars that are always open. The Pecetto bar has a unique feature that speaks well of the political vicissitudes of the Garfagnana: it is divided into two provinces and you can take your coffee at the counter in the province of Modena, and then pay at the cash desk, a few centimetres further on, which is in the province of Lucca.
San Pellegrino in Alpe-Castiglione
Another route that allows you to immerse yourself in the autumn foliage is the one from San Pellegrino in Alpe to Castiglione di Garfagnana. It is a long 15 km descent through beech and chestnut woods, where you can encounter the ‘metati’, structures in which the prized chestnuts of the Garfagnana (small and tasty) were (and are) dried to make flour, the basis of many local dishes. It is a fairly demanding route of about 2 hours, which after the descent on the dirt road becomes flatter and asphalted. We are on the Via di Matilde, the path from Mantua to Lucca, following the ancient Lands of Matilda, ruled by Matilde di Canossa, one of the most enlightened political figures of the Middle Ages (12th century). It winds its way between Garfagnana and Media Valle del Serchio and is a trek that unfolds in 11-12 stages, taking you to get to know a little-trodden, little-known but truly surprising piece of Italy.
Castiglione-Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
You can continue to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the most important town in the area, where the Rocca Ariostesca is located, where Ludovico Ariosto stayed, who in addition to being the author of Orlando Furioso, was also governor of the area. This year we are celebrating the 500th anniversary of his stay here: in addition to the celebrations, an impressive restoration of the palace and its transformation into a museum dedicated to Ariosto is underway. There are about 7 km in which the Via Matildica continues towards Lucca, passing through other dense forests of fir, beech and chestnut trees, which in autumn are filled with mushrooms, another delicacy of Garfagnana gastronomy . Don’t miss the medieval bridge in the middle of the forest.
Castelnuovo-Barga
From Castelnuovo you can continue on to Barga, walking through the wild forests where there is often no smartphone reception; a leap back in time in which to receive all the benefits of the foliage. One passes through Fosciandora and San Pietro in Campo, often without encountering a soul, following the course of the Serchio river. Barga is counted among the most beautiful villages in Italy and is truly a jewel. It has considerable historical, artistic and cultural importance. There is the magnificent Cathedral of San Cristoforo, which dates back to the 10th-12th centuries and towers over the historical centre, all alleys and ups and downs within the walls. There is the home of Giovanni Pascoli, who lived here for 20 years; there is the loggia of the Capretz café, where the poet used to write and entertain friends. And there is the Teatro dei Differenti, which has hosted important shows since the 1960s. Near Barga, the Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge) in Borgo a Mozzano, with its very high arch over the Serchio river, is not to be missed. Impressive, iconic.
