Lunigiana is a land to be discovered and explored, sometimes just a land of passage to reach seaside resorts such as the Gulf of Poets, Cinque Terre, or Versilia.
From the ancient town of Sarzana, known for its European-renowned cultural events, such as the Festival of the Mind that takes place every year in early September, one can easily reach Tellaro, Lerici, and Fiascherino.
Tellaro, reviewed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is a small fishing village perched on a cliff. Poet Montale described its landscape in a poem published in 1980, placing emphasis on lemon trees, silence, and the enigma of the sea. Lerici, with its golden, sandy beaches and a 12th-century castle, is referred to as the pearl of the Levante Riviera and has been a Blue Flag town for several years.
From Lerici's promenade, past the Venere Azzurra, you reach the resort of San Terenzo, with a castle from the 1400s, Villa Marigola set in a large park with Italian gardens, a golf club overlooking the sea, and Villa Magni, which saw poets P.B. Shelley and Lord Byron stay.
Not far away are hidden among the rocks the picturesque beaches of Fiascherino. Toward the city of La Spezia, one reaches by car or ferry Portovenere, the smallest fishing village in the province, famous for the Doria castle, the church of San Pietro, and Byron's grotto. Just opposite the village of Portovenere, the partly inhabited island of Palmaria and the islands of Tino and Tinetto emerge imposing and striking.
Between sea and land beyond La Spezia are the Cinque Terre, small characteristic villages with colorful houses and vineyards set on terraces from which an excellent DOC wine is produced. A destination for tourists from all parts of the world, the Cinque Terre (Rio Maggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso) are appreciated for their crystal-clear waters, ancient traditions, and nature trails that stretch along the coast.
A few kilometers away in Tuscany, the Versilia Riviera, an elegant land famous for the white Carrara marble of the Apuan Alps, the wide sandy coastline of seaside resorts such as Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, and Lido di Camaiore, the many villages, and the busy social life, is worth a visit.