Barga is situated mid way along the Garfagnana valley which begins north-west of Lucca. Secluded from mass tourism yet easily accessible, Barga has a particular charm of its own.

It is a fortified medieval hill town cradled by the Apuan and Appenine mountains. With an elevation of approx. 410 m ( 1370 feet ) Barga has spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Rich in natural beauty spots, there are three national parks close by : L'Orecchiella, Alpi Apuane and Appennino Toscano.

Barga has a population of approx 6000 and is a thriving commercial and agricultural centre. Initially a Roman settlement, the Cathedral and Aquaduct date from this time.From the mid 1300 s to the mid 1600 s Barga was part of the Grand Duchy of Florence and it is from this period that many architectural and artistic characteristics of the town remain. The town retains a vibrant artistic, musical and creative presence. It features historical churches and piazzas, cafes, restaurants, open air markets, festivals and wonderful boutiques and bottege. There are a number of scenic walks and drives that can be taken to surrounding hill towns and the city of Lucca is a short drive away.

Barga was featured in James Bentley's book as one of The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Tuscany. It has also recently been named in "I Borghi Piu Belli D'Italia" - one of the most beautiful tourist destinations by the Italian Association of Councils, "Citta Slow" from the Slow Movement to signify a place of friendliness, good service, ambience and fine food and has been given a Bandiere Arancioni by the Touring Club Italiano which signifies it as a quality tourist destination.

You can reach Barga by train and bus from most major centres The railway station is a short taxi ride from Barga and the bus stop is a few minutes walk from the house. Ample car parking is provided for those who have a car.

Art and Architecture

From the balcony of La Lucchese is a wonderful view of the Duomo San Cristofano - the Romanesque cathedral which is Barga's most significant building both visually and architecturally. Bathed in morning sunlight, the cathedral forecourt offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains, valley and picturesque town. The bells ring out from the battlemented bell tower on a six hourly clock and are rung manually every evening at 10.00pm. Features of the cathedral to note include the decorative stone reliefs, della Robbia family terracotta, the pink marble pulpit and wooden statue of the cathedral's patron saint.

Situated near the Barga hospital, the recently restored 14th century church and cloister of San Francesco also holds della Robbia family terracotta. There are a number of other beautiful churches within the walls of Barga and in the surrounding countryside.

During your stay, try to include a visit to Barga's opera house, the Teatro dei Differenti. There are also many antique shops and small galleries lining the streets of the Centro Storico which are perfect for a leisurely browse.

Music

Music lovers will appreciate Barga's full calendar of opera, jazz and classical music. Being ideally located in the centre of the old town, La Lucchese is only minutes walk away from the opera house and main piazza where many concerts are performed. Barga's summer jazz festival draws the crowds to enjoy jazz concerts alfresco, an unbeatable combination of great music and Tuscan food, wine and ambience.

Being the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, the nearby city of Lucca has a museum in his honour. Check the local tourist office for more information.

Food and Wine

The food of Barga and the Garfagnana valley has its roots firmly in 'cucina povera' peasant food. It is hearty, warming and delicious featuring local produce such as farro, dried beans, chestnuts, polenta, porcini mushrooms and pecorino cheese. Specialities of the Garfagnana include zuppa di farro and chestnut gnocchi.

The nearby area of Lucca is renowned for its delicate extra virgin olive oil. The Lucchese hills also have many vineyards producing a chianti style red wine. The area of Montecarlo is famous for its white wines.

Barga has many food festivals held throughout the year featuring local specialities. Only minutes from La Lucchese, the alimentare owned by Andrea, sells many prodotto tippici, which make great souvenirs of Barga. There is a weekly Saturday morning market where you can shop like a local and practice your Italian. Don't miss the great pastry and coffee from the local bar/pastry shops. There are also many good trattoria and pizzeria in town.

Helpful guide books for the region include:

The Food and Wine Lovers Companion to Tuscany by Carla Capalbo

Slow Food Osterie,
Eating in Italy by Faith Heller Willinger.

Florence

Drive from Barga or take the train from Lucca, there is so much to see and do in Florence that you may want to stay overnight.

Lucca

Lucca's rose coloured walls enclose a true gem. It is one of the most sophisticated Italian cities I know and has everything you could want : splendid churches and towers, galleries, villas, museums, delicious Tuscan food, great cafes and restaurants, wonderful people watching and fine shopping. Every Saturday, the famous Lucca markets are staged and on various times throughout the month are antique, craft and book markets. Rent a bicycle and circle the town atop the medieval walls. Enchanting.

Pisa

With its well known architectural splendours, Pisa makes an ideal day trip from Barga. It is a very picturesque drive down the Garfagnana Valley past Lucca and on to the open plains near the sea. As well as the stunning Campanile, unmissable sights include the Duomo, Baptistry and Cemetry, all enclosed in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Pisa is also a great food and wine town so leave time in a hectic sight seeing day to try one of the many great local restaurants.

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Carrara and Colonnata

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana (the region's capital ) is located further up the valley from Barga. Don't miss a visit to the Duomo. Continue your drive over the mountains and down to Carrara which is situated at the foot of the Apuan Alps. Discover the old marble quarries which supplied stone to Michelangelo. From here drive on to Colonnata. The extraordinary marble mountains are an awesome backdrop to a tasty lunch of the local speciality Lardo di Colonnata.

Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi and The Cinque Terre

The most famous town of the Versillian Coast is Viareggio with its art nouveau seaside style. Great seafood to be had in many local trattoria and ristorante. Viareggio plays host to Carnevale in February. Both Shelley and Byron made this part of Italy famous with their Tuscan villegiature. Drive on to the swanky Forte dei Marmi, summer playground of the Milanese jetset, great beaches, restaurants and label shopping. Further north is the Cinque Terre. A longish drive, but well worth it to visit these famous five villages jutting out of the Ligurian coastline. The home of pasta and pesto.

Montecarlo

Home to one of Tuscany's finest white wines, this area has many lovely wine roads to traverse. The pretty hill town offers picturesque views over the Lucchese plains, has a charming theatre and many good eating places. Pick up some wine to enjoy during your stay at La Lucchese.

The Spa Towns

The closest spa town to Barga is Bagni di Lucca with baths dating from Roman times. During the 19th century the baths at Bagni di Lucca became popular with the English and French literary set. The first casino in Italy was established here around this time.

Many grand buildings remain from this period. Further a field are the towns of Montecatini Terme and Monsumanno Terme. Take the waters Italian style at one of these spas or while away the hours at any number of lovely bars.

The Ski Fields and Walking Trails

There are a couple of ski fields located near Barga. Mount Abetone and San Pellegrino in Alpe which are very popular Tuscan ski resorts. Barga is also ideally located for trekking in the Apuan and Apennine mountains. The Italian Alpine Club has an office in Barga and an excellent website www.caibarga.it for more information.

The Lucchese Villas

There are a number of magnificent villas and gardens located near Lucca. These include Villa Torrigiani, Reale, Mansi, Grabau, Oliva and Villa Garzoni. They are open to the public usually between March and November. It is necessary to check local guides for specific opening times. Especially if you have an interest in gardening or architecture, you shouldn t miss a visit to these villas. Also try to see Palazzo Pfanner which is located within the city walls of Lucca. The movie Portrait of a Lady was filmed here.