Tuscany doesn’t want for variety. From countryside to coastline, a trip out here can make you feel like you’ve won the holiday lottery. Its Renaissance cities, Medieval hilltop towns and ever-changing landscapes, offer the traveller an embarrassment of riches. So with all the possibilities for a weekend away in Tuscany, did I really need to visit a town that’s famous (among other things) for being very Scottish? As it turns out, Yes.
Barga, the most Scottish town in Italy
Barga is no secret of course. A hilltop town in the mid-Serchio valley, it has long been a favourite haunt for canny travellers, and it’s on the official list of “Most beautiful villages in Italy.” But it has another title too: “The Most Scottish Town in Italy” and as a freshly minted resident of Tuscany, I admit it wasn’t much of a selling point.
But after a whirlwind visit to Barga last weekend, I’m happy to report that I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with the place and can’t wait to go back.
As I drove up to the town (it’s a 40-minutes drive from Lucca), the first impression was that this was Tuscany, but not as I knew it. I’ve left all the vineyards and olive groves behind, and followed the Serchio river that winds its way through the valley. Barga sits between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, surrounded by verdant valleys and craggy peaks, making it look like a fairytale town in a land far, far away.
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Once inside the city walls the surprises keep on coming. Winding cobbled streets. Majestic buildings in pastel colours, with ornately carved stone porticoes and Medici emblems. Here a square with an impressive loggia. There an artist studio. Flowers cascading from balconies. Secret gardens spied through wrought-iron gates filled with sprays of blue and violet hydrangeas. And, amazingly, very few tourists, which in Tuscany in mid-June is nothing short of a miracle.
I walked on through winding streets stopping at various points to catch glimpses of the town’s charming profile. A beautiful chaos of colour that looks like it was designed by Escher, in which you are never sure where one roof ends and another terrace begins.
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The cherry on the top goes is the town’s cathedral dedicated to Saint Christopher, right at the top of the town, after a steep climb.
Now Tuscany has its fair share of remarkable church buildings in beautiful spots. My personal favourites are La Collegiata in San Quirico D’Orcia (if you haven’t seen it, go immediately.), and the Church of San Miniato overlooking Florence (likewise).
But Barga Cathedral has imprinted itself on my memory for its own reasons. Started some time in the 10th century the Cathedral has been gradually added to over the years. Its ancient simplicity, Romanesque portals, and tranquil atmosphere that makes you want to spend the whole day in its presence. But its real drawcard is the view looking straight out over the valley at the Apennines and its mysterious peaks. Standing in front of the Cathedral, I can just make out the famous Monte Forato, a whole in the mountain that creates the effect of the ‘double sunsets’.
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Once I’d had a look inside at the magnificent stone pulpit, it was off down the hill to find a place to have an aperitivo and I found myself at a friendly bar in Piazza Angelio. As I nursed my drink in the shade I overheard a few Scottish voices at the table opposite, and a bit of unsubtle eavesdropping it was clear that Barga had its fair share of second home-owners from the UK.
The reason is a curious one. At the end of the 19th century many of the town’s residents decided to up sticks and move to Scotland in search of work. Today it’s said that many of the town’s residents have relatives living in Scotland. There’s a Scottish festival each year in September complete with a pipe drum band and there’s fish and chips to be had if you know where to look.
I’ve read that one of the most famous residents of recent times was John Bellany. An important post-war Scottish artists, Bellany was inspired by the timelessness of Barga when he moved there in 2000. Apparently there is now a permanent exhibition of his work in the town, but it was closed while I was there.
Bellany aside, Barga is an unmistakeably artsy place. Lots of small galleries and artisan crafts on sale. That night at the local Osteria, I struck up a conversation with the friendly owner who proudly told me he was opening a gallery to exhibit his mother’s work. “Come and see it tomorrow!” he said, before dashing off to seat a new table of expats, greeting them as old friends.
The next morning on my way to see Riccardo’s gallery I saw posters for all sorts of up- and-coming events. A well-known jazz festival, second-hand antiques fairs, and something called ‘piazzette di Barga’ (“Squares of Barga”) – a festival that tantalisingly claims to combine art, culture music and gastronomy. Barga may be a tranquil place, but there is an awful lot going on. And I for one will be back to sample more!
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Good to Know when Visiting Barga
It’s better to go on weekends, because while I was there in mid-June most of the art galleries and the small museum were closed during the week.
If you’re staying in Lucca, or the Versilia coast, Barga is a great easy day trip (with a car!).
By the same author: My Perfect Day in Florence: Things I Love to do in My Adopted City
Author: Ben Carson, co-founder of Lovefromtuscany.com, English born and living in the countryside near Florence. Loves all things Tuscany.
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