The Lunigiana – literally, ‘land of the moon’ – takes its name from the ancient Etruscan settlement of Luni, which prospered and became an important centre during Roman times. Despite repeated sackings, first by the Barbarians and later by the Normans and then the Saracens, remnants of the old town, which was constructed almost entirely from the local Carrara marble, survived – albeit not altogether intact – and are still being excavated. It is claimed that the name Luni refers to the moon, the beauty of which is enhanced when framed against the jagged backdrop of the white-peaked Apuan Alps and the towering Apennines. Others in the area claim that the area was once populated by a sect of moon worshippers. There’s no evidence to support this claim, however, it does not pass unnoticed that the current-day symbol of the Lunigiana is a crescent moon held in the claw of a bear.
Crazy sects, myths and legends aside, the Lunigiana is, to my mind, the most scenically spectacular region that Tuscany has to offer. The area descends from the Cisa, Cerreto and Carpinelli Apennine passes down to the mouth of the Magra River, falling in part within the province of La Spezia in Liguria but mostly within the region of Massa Carrara in Tuscany. The Lunigiana is not the Tuscany of rolling hills, cypress trees and olive groves. In fact, such is the contrast with the tourist stereotype that whenever locals leave the area on a day trip, they still speak about ‘going to Tuscany’. The landscape, culture, history, traditions and even cuisine of the Lunigiana are quite distinct from other parts of the region. A picture postcard with a difference, the Lunigiana is a breathtaking, dramatic fairytale land of castles, ancient villages, Romanesque churches, towering mountains, forests, valleys and old stone bridges.
