Recently we spent a couple of days exploring the Serchio Valley in Tuscany. For anyone wanting to get away from the tourist chaos (and heat!) of summer, this makes for a perfect escape. It’s an easy trip in the car and a wonderful way to enjoy nature, tranquillity, and see some of the less well-known sights Tuscany has to offer.
This two day driving itinerary takes us north from the town of Lucca up towards Barga, the gateway to the Garfagnana. Amongst the verdant scenery we discovered a mysterious bridge, a tiny hamlet on a secluded lake and the magical town of Barga dotted with elegant palazzi, and plenty of green.
DISCOVER LUCCA’S SECRETS ON THIS GUIDED WALKING TOUR!
Driving in the Serchio Valley: from Lucca to Barga
First Stop – Ponte del Diavolo, aka ‘Devil’s Bridge’
Starting the journey in Lucca, on a hot day in June, we head north along the SS12. Just a few kilometres north of Lucca lies one of my favourite spots in the whole of Tuscany: the Devil’s Bridge. I love everything with a legend attached to it, and even more so when the story is a bit dark and mysterious. This peculiarly shaped Medieval bridge has all the above.
The legend of the Ponte del Diavolo has it that the architect who built this bridge was taking forever to complete it and, finding himself in a tight spot, he asked the devil for help. Satan readily came up with an offer: “Easy! I’ll built it in one night, but in exchange I will own the first soul that crosses the bridge”. The townspeople sent a pig across the bridge first thing in the morning and so outsmarted the devil. Thus scorned, he dived into the Serchio river, never to be seen again.
The bridge is tremendously photogenic, and its eerie beauty is made more scenic by the reflection in the water.
This is the first stage of our escape immersed in the verdant landscape that brings us to the Garfagnana in northern Tuscany. The Serchio river winds up the valley, called ‘Mediavalle del Serchio’ (Serchio Valley), which is a busy area, with dams, stone quarries and hydroelectric powerplants. But the abundance of woods and fresh air immediately makes you feel good, telling you that nature is still prevalent here. There’s lots of green and mountains of course (Apuan Alps on your right, Apennine Tosco Emiliano on your left) watching over you.
I read that the first dam was built along the Serchio river over a century ago. There are many artificial lakes used to provide hydro-electric power, including the dam near the Devil’s Bridge in Borgo a Mozzano.
* 5 Medieval Wonders to See near Siena
Second stop – Bagni di Lucca and Ponte a Serraglio
We take a brief detour to see Bagni di Lucca. “It’s not much to look at” the lady at our lovely Iris B&B in Lucca tells us, and we wanted to see if she was right. Bagni di Lucca is a long and narrow village along the River Lima. One of those places you can imagine was popular in its heyday, but has become largely overlooked.
Coming from the south, we pass an unusual sight, a grandiose Chain-link bridge in Fornoli (built in 1860, it was pretty ahead of its time!), and then we find Ponte a Serraglio. I love the sight of the houses overlooking the river, the water birds relaxing and the multicoloured facades of the houses, faded with the passing years. I love the little terraces overflowing with flowers, and the iron terraces that seem truly ancient. I get the feeling that this place has its fair share of stories. Nowadays it looks quiet and empty however. The only spot that has a bit of life is Bar Italia, where we stopped for a splendid artisanal gelato!
Bagni di Lucca is a bit further down. As you cannot walk along the river here it doesn’t have the nice views of Ponte a Serraglio. There isn’t much to see on the main street, just a few bars and outdoor cafes where a few English tourists sip spritzes in the shade. There are links to the UK everywhere around here, the most notable one being the Neo Gothic edifice up the road, a very unusual building that was once an anglican church. It makes for a strangely grand sight on a humble side street.
There are signs for villas with English names up the hills, hidden among the tall trees that cover the hillside. A huge pink liberty edifice reads ‘Circolo dei Forestieri’ (foreigners’ club, turned restaurant), clearly a reminder that Bagni di Lucca was once a grand old spa town, inserted in the Gran Tour itinerary. The rich and famous, the artsy crowds, poets like Byron and Shelley used to hang out here. I imagine elegant signori smoking cigars and talking about poems and opera.
Today this area is popular with those that look for tranquillity and go hiking in the nearby hills.
Third Stop – Barga, Best Views and a Wondrous Cathedral
It’s time to go back to the car and carry on towards Barga. I’ve been wanting to go back for years, and I find it even more charming than I remember. It’s mid June, so there aren’t many people around yet. And it’s a pity that the small, quirky art galleries that dot the town are almost all closed (they open on weekends, and when the town gets busier in July and August).
Elegant Renaissance buildings seem to sprout up everywhere, stone door frames with symbols, hidden gardens, Barga is a place that can be seen in half an hour (it’s very small), but you can spend a week exploring every little detail and enjoying the atmosphere.
Walking up to the Cathedral is always amazing, and the ‘arringo’, the green expanse where the Duomo sits, welcomes you with a view that is almost too good to be true. The town is surrounded on all sides by hills which makes the views pretty spectacular wherever you’re looking from.
* Why is Barga called the ‘Most Scottish Town in Italy’?
The piazzetta with the bar Loggia del Capretz is a perfect spot for a drink. Then there’s Piazza Angelio, a square dotted with art galleries, a place that seems almost too elegant and sophisticated to be a village square in the mountains! The amount of art galleries is wonderfully disproportional for such a small town.
We stop for a drink at a bar and then have dinner at the next door restaurant ‘L’Osteria’ where the owner is friendly and there’s a welcoming vibe. There’s a few English and Scottish people about all of whom seem to know each other. Many have got second homes here, a reminder of all the immigrants that departed from Barga to the UK in the last century.
The following morning we went to see the Duomo of San Cristoforo, and I spent more than an hour between the interior and the outside. The Romanesque pulpit is one of the most interesting I’ve ever seen, with the lions eating a dragon (and a man!) and a strange character sitting at the base of one of the columns. Barga Cathedral has its fair share of mysterious sights, including arcane symbols carved near the main entrance.
* Passionate about Medieval Art? Check out the Top 10 Romanesque Churches to See in Tuscany Outside of Florence
Last stop – Isola Santa
The hamlet of Isola Santa is the last destination on our trip. Half an hour north of Barga, near Castelnuovo Garfagnana, I had seen many photos online and wanted to see if really it was as special as people claimed. The road to get there is narrow and winding, and we pass a stone cave and what looks like a small hydroelectric powerplant.
Leaving the car on the main road (I didn’t notice any parking, apart from the one reserved for the restaurant), I make my way to the dam, and a cluster of stone houses overlooking a small lake. We continue walking out of the town and along the lake, and it’s here that the real magic is revealed.
Everywhere is quietness, green and water. And at the end of the short walk a small waterfall that feels very far from civilisation. Next time it might be worth spending the night here, as the houses today are all part of a hotel, a perfect choice if you want to get away from it all.
* Check out the Top 3 Scenic Drives in Tuscany
READ ALSO:
* 8 Unique Things to Do in Lucca: Insider’s Guide
* Off-the-beaten- track: Exploring the Casentino Valley in Eastern Tuscany
* Discover more about Enchanting Barga: Curiosities, Wonders and Hidden Details
Author: Sabrina Nesi, born in Florence, founder of Lovefromtuscany.com, passionate about sharing the beauty of Tuscany and Italy with the world.
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