Traveling through hills bordered by centuries-old olive trees and vineyards
The countryside around the Lucca, Montecarlo and Versilia Wine and Olive Oil Trail, in the province of Lucca, is one-of-a-kind in Tuscany for the welcoming and stunning beauty of its landscapes, full of colour and light. Here, you can find everything from the white marble peaks of the Apuan Alps that frame the Versilia port towns, like Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio, to the historic towns of Seravezza, Pietrasanta, Camaiore and Massarosa as you walk through the bright, rolling hills on your way to Lucca, a city rich in art and history, before continuing along the sunny slopes to discover historic villas in the municipality of Capannori, Montecarlo, with its fortress, and Altopascio, the city of bread and the Knights of the Tau.
This land, the Lucchesia, is home to a spectacular variety of nature – seas, mounts, valleys, hills and historic centres, living guardians of a millennia-old culture – and has fostered our rural traditions for centuries. Here, an ancient form of agriculture, with the cultivation of the land, vineyards and olive trees and the locals that are born fishermen, has produced know-how and flavours strictly tied to our most profound traditions.
Suggested route
To best discover the secrets and flavours of the area, you can start your trip in the village of Montecarlo, a small gem a few kilometres from Lucca, famous all over the world for its exquisite wines. Walking through the centre, you will see the imposing fortress, just before tasting an excellent glass of Montecarlo DOC white wine.
Keep goign andf head in the direction of Lucca, known for its walls. Rent a bike and enjoy the shops, churches and piazzas that make this city unique.
Leave the plain behind and move to Barga and Castelvecchio Pascoli. Here either the local cuisine won’t let you down: chestnut-based dishes, spelt minestrone, cold cuts, mushrooms and honey.
The journey ends on the coast to taste the best flavours of Versilia, from Camaiore to Viareggio.
Typical products
While traveling along the Wine and Olive Oil Trail of Lucca, Montecarlo and Versilia, you can experience and taste a range of typical products from the Lucca area, from the delicious wines Montecarlo DOC and Colline Lucchesi DOC, to the delicate extra-virgin olive oil DOP in Lucca, ffrom the ragrant breads made by master bakers in Altopascio, to artisan meats in Gombitelli and dairy products made in the mountains.
And let's not forget the refined seafood dishes in the Versilia.
Info: stradavinoeoliolucca.it