The best traffic-free bike rides around Villafranca In Lunigiana

The new cycle-pedestrian track of Aulla is built on the route of the former Pontremolese railway, of which a first section of 665 meters has been inaugurated (part of an overall route of over 1.2 km). Route characteristics Route: Built on the site of the old wall of the disused railway. Dimensions: 3.50 meters wide, with a double cycle lane and a dedicated pedestrian path. Lighting: Fully illuminated for the entire inaugurated section. Connections: It connects to the green routes of Lunigiana and to the sections near the Via Francigena cycle path and the Greenway of the River Magra. You can find maps and detailed tracks of the surroundings on the Aulla cycle path guide on Komoot.

The Castle of Bagnone is an ancient fortified structure located on the highest hill of the medieval village of Bagnone, in the historical region of Lunigiana (province of Massa-Carrara). Today, the original medieval structure has almost entirely disappeared: the only surviving and perfectly preserved element is the imposing cylindrical stone keep, which towers over the settlement and is integrated into the 19th-century Villa of the counts Ruschi-Noceti.

The Torre del Castello Malaspina in the municipality of Villafranca in Lunigiana mainly refers to the imposing and famous cylindrical structure of the Castello Malaspina di Malgrate, although in the municipal capital there are also the ruins of the Castello di Malnido, the historic Dantesque residence of the Malaspina marquises, which was also originally equipped with a control tower. The best-preserved and famous fortification with its slender tower is located precisely in the hamlet of Malgrate. The cylindrical keep towers over the valley and is an unmistakable symbol of the Lunigiana landscape.

Probably built in the Middle Ages, to protect and control the bridge that offered the opening to the valley, it currently appears as a noble residence dating back to the 17th century, with four imposing corner towers. Transformed into a Luxury resort: a boutique hotel located inside an authentic 17th century castle belonging to the Malaspina marquises.

The Borgo di Virgoletta is located in the municipality of Villafranca and was known as the “Verrucola dei Corbellari”, narrow and elongated to follow the crest of the hill, closed to the north by the large mass of the castle-palace that later belonged to the Malaspina; in the center of the village is the church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio with the bell tower, which a plaque informs us is 31 meters high, restored in 1953. The entire village offers itself almost like a treasure chest. As soon as you enter the door that looks towards Villafranca, here is the majesty placed in 1636 “for his devotion” by Andrea Rossi who entrusted his prayers to San Rocco and the Virgin with Child. From here to the castle is a succession of houses of medieval typology, with sandstone portals, often elegant, which still highlight the commercial past that the village had in the Middle Ages. An elaborate 16th-century oval-shaped coat of arms in marble informs us that the castle belonged to the Malaspina dello Spino Secco family.

Bagnone Castle is located on the highest hill and is clearly visible as soon as you enter the town. It is dominated by an imposing cylindrical stone tower, crowned by corbels of the plumbing system with archers and larger openings framed by frames. The tower remains the only surviving structure of the castle, which has now completely disappeared and is partly incorporated into smaller buildings of the villa of the Counts Ruschi-Noceti. The castle is privately owned and cannot be visited.

The Borgo di Bagnone is a medieval village on the Tuscan-Emilian pre-Apennine hillsides. It is characterized by the waterfalls that flow on the right side of the village, formed in the rock by the flow of the Bagnone Torrent. The oldest part of the village stands on the left side of the Bagnone Torrent, from which it took its name. The circular tower located in this area of the village served to control the valley's traffic and was connected to other similar towers: Malgrate, Groppoli and Mulazzo.

Ruins of the Malnido Castle, with the square dedicated to Dante Alighieri, ancient guest of the Malaspina, and the remains of the church of San Nicolò, the medieval road leads to the parish church of San Giovanni