The best MTB trails around Santo Stefano Di Magra

December 28, 2025, the trail is completely passable, wet with muddy spots, but completely passable even on gravel! Super!

The Citadel, also known as the Sarzana Fortress or Firmafede Fortress, was the first fortification in Sarzana, built in the 13th century. It was owned by the lord Castruccio Castracani, who made numerous significant modifications to its defenses. After its destruction by Florence in 1487, it was rebuilt on the orders of Lorenzo de' Medici. In 1494, the Republic of Genoa, having regained possession of Sarzana, completed work on the Citadel. The fortress is used as a venue for cultural events and exhibitions and also houses the Fortress Museum, an interactive exhibit that traces the history of Sarzana and the Lunigiana region.

Improperly named Palazzo Roderio, after the Genoese architect who designed it. The building, constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries, features the typical structure of Genoese palaces, with a central courtyard bordered by a portico around which the various rooms unfold. The courtyard displays several coats of arms and several fragments of ancient columns from the Roman colony of Luni. The municipal council chamber, located on the first floor and at the top of the imposing marble staircase, houses large paintings depicting some of the illustrious men who shaped Sarzana's history, including Nicholas V.

It was built on the area where the parish church of San Basilio once stood, starting in 1204. Construction work ended in 1474 with the completion of the upper part of the façade by Leonardo Riccomanni. Following the completion of the work, in 1735 the statues of Saint Eutychiano in the centre, of Sergius IV on the left and of Nicholas V on the right were placed on the façade. The building, which represents the sum of all the historical-artistic production of Sarzana and the Magra Valley, has been elevated to a minor basilica. It preserves, among other works, the crucifix by Mastro Gugliermo (1138), the first dated example of a painted cross in the history of art.

The building of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, erected on the area occupied by the previous parish church of San Basilio, is consequent to the transfer of the bishop's seat from Luni to Sarzana in 1204. È assai probabile che i lavori siano effettivamente iniziati solo alla fine del secolo XIII. In 1355, the lower part of the façade was completed (as recalled by the inscription engraved on the marble architrave of the portal), while in 1474 Lorenzo Riccomanni da Pietrasanta created the rose window that adorns the upper part. The construction of the bell tower also dates back to the 15th century, while between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the two side bodies flanking the marble façade were built to open the six internal chapels. Also dating back to the 18th century are the statues placed at the crowning of the building depicting three important exponents of the Lunigiana church: Pope Sergius IV, St. Eutichiano and Nicholas V. The interior with three wide naves divided by octagonal pillars and covered by a valuable wooden coffered ceiling, created in 1670 by Pietro Giambelli from Pisa, preserves important testimonies of art and faith: among them, the Reliquary of the Precious Blood of Christ and the painted Cross by Mastro Guglielmo, a cornerstone of Italian Romanesque painting, signed and dated 1138. (c) https://visitsarzana.it/cathedral-santa-maria-assunta/

The trail has been reopened and is now completely accessible by bike.

Lerici will steal your heart and amaze you with its colors

Passo Alpicella is located at 710m above sea level and is part of the 42nd stage of the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri. It is located on the watershed ridge between Val di Vara and Valle del Magra, offering open views that on clear days reach the Apuan Alps and the Gulf of Poets.