A journey through natural beauty and history
The Colli di Candia and Lunigiana Wine Trail, in the northernmost part of Tuscany, is an area famous for its varied and unique landscape, created by the nearby marble mountains, the Apuan Alps, with peaks up to 2,000 metres high, and the sea, which laps the sandy shoreline.
The Lunigiana extends beyond the Apuan Alps, a green land full of traditions and history, its name deriving from luna, or moon. Criss-crossed by medieval pilgrimage routes like the via Francigena, this area still today bears traces of a centuries-old, strong civilization. The favourable geographic position of this territory and its exceptional variety make it the ideal destination for any kind of tourism.
Suggested route
The itineraries available in this region visit wineries, agritourism and associated accommodations, allowing tourists to visit a unique place characterized by the beautiful sea, marble, mountains, cities, castles and villages. Precious white marble has been quarried in the Apuan Alps since Antiquity. The mountains are also a gem of nature protected by the Regional Nature Reserve, the perfect destination for nature lovers.
In the summer, the beach comes to life with endless rows of umbrellas and beach chairs, made available by holiday resorts that are perfectly equipped to offer every kind of service for sports and entertainment.
Nesteld between the mountains and sea, the cities of Massa and Carrara vaunt historic centres with a wealth of architecture and monuments, allowing visitors to piece together the history of the dominions that ruled over them for centuries. The Lunigiana extends beyond the Apuan Alps, a land dotted with numerous castles, medieval villages, villas, towers, fortifications and small churches in the countryside, evoking dreams of the past.
Typical products
The variety of the landscape is reflected in the wide array of culinary traditions that have been passed down to the present day. Some products that are unique in their diversity are the breads, like the Marocca di Casola made with chestnut flour, Vinca bread, which is still cooked in a wood-burning oven, and Marocco di Montignoso, made with corn flour and olives. Other typical products include cold cuts like Colonnata lard IGP and prosciutto sausage from Montignoso. The Lunigiana honey PDO made from acacia or chestnuts is excellent.
The seaside restaurants offer a vast range of fresh fish, while the ones more inland offer traditional dishes like testaroli (a kind of pasta), torta d’erbi (with wild herbs), noodles and beans, marinated and salted codfish and sweet rice cakes, all of which is paired with local wines that reflect the wealth of the territory: Candia dei Colli Apuani DOC (dry and sweet), Colli di Luni DOC (white and red), Val di Magra I.G.T. and Toscana I.G.T. The wines are produced using local grapes: Vermentino, Albarola and Durella for white and Massaretta, red Vermentino nero, Pollera and others for red.
Info: stradadelvinoms.it