Pontremoli's terracotta roofs and towers in a green valley in Lunigiana

Massa-Carrara province

Villages of Tuscany Massa-Carrara province

An old stone bridge and houses in Pontremoli
Pontremoli · Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Massa-Carrara province

Massa-Carrara is Tuscany’s north-western corner, squeezed between Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and the sea. The coast is short, but behind it the Apuan Alps rise steeply, and the white scars on the mountains above Carrara are marble quarries worked since Roman times. Michelangelo came here to choose his marble, and up at Colonnata they still cure lardo in marble basins.

17 towns · 490 villages · 2 town guides

Show on the village map

Inland is the Lunigiana, the green, quiet valley of the Magra river, often called the land of a hundred castles. Pontremoli, at the top of the valley, keeps the Lunigiana’s ancient stele statues in its Castello del Piagnaro. The food is testaroli, chestnut flour and torta d’erbi. Fosdinovo, Fivizzano, Bagnone and Filattiera all have castles or old borghi worth the drive.

A lot of the villages here are tiny, high up and very old.

There are 17 towns (comuni) here, with 490 villages and hamlets between them. Each town has its own card below: open it to see its villages, in alphabetical order. The lists come from my own records, so the odd tiny hamlet may be missing.

An old stone bridge and houses in Pontremoli
Pontremoli · Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fosdinovo and its castle on a green ridge with mountains behind
Fosdinovo · Photo: Naioli, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Houses and bell tower of Fivizzano below green Lunigiana hills
Fivizzano · Photo: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

17 towns 490 villages 2 town guides

Jump to a town

Aulla Bagnone Carrara Casola in Lunigiana Comano Filattiera Fivizzano Fosdinovo Licciana Nardi Massa Montignoso Mulazzo Podenzana Pontremoli Tresana Villafranca in Lunigiana Zeri

Aulla in the Magra valley, with snowy mountains behindPhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Aulla

31 villages

Villages (31)

Albiano Magra, Bardine, Barisello, Bettola, Bibola, Bigliolo, Bondola, Cadodolo, Canova, Caprigliola, Fertigliana, Gorasco, Isola, Malacosta, Olivola, Pallerone, Piano di Bibola, Pomarino, Quercia, Ripa, Ripa di Quercia, Saldina, Sanacco, Serricciolo, Stadano, Vaccareccia, Valenza, Vecchietto, Venezia di Albiano, Verpiana, Villanova

See on the map

Bagnone with its castle tower above the housesPhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bagnone

26 villages

Villages (26)

Agnetta, Biglio, Canale, Canneto, Cassolana, Castiglione, Collesino, Compione, Corlaga, Corvarola, Gabbiana, Groppo, Iera, Lusana, Mochignano, Monterole, Nezzana, Orturano, Palestro, Pastina, Pieve, Stazzone, Treschietto, Valle – Montale, Vespeno, Vico

See on the map

Carrara

22 villages

Villages (22)

Avenza, Battilana, Bedizzano, Bergiola, Campo Cecina, Castelpoggio, Cavaiola, Codena, Colonnata, Fontia, Fossola, Fossone, Gragnana, L D Canaletto, La Foce, Marina di Carrara, Miseglia, Nazzano, Noceto, Sant’Antonio, Sorgnano, Torano

See on the map

Casola in Lunigiana among wooded mountainsPhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Casola in Lunigiana

16 villages

Villages (16)

Argigliano, Casciana, Castello di Regnano, Castiglioncello, Codiponte, Equi Terme, Groppolo, Luscignano, Montefiore, Regnano, Regnano – Castello, Regnano – Villa, Reusa, Ugliancaldo, Vedriano, Vigneta

See on the map

A round stone tower among the ruins of the castle of ComanoPhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Comano

14 villages

Villages (14)

Camporaghena, Castello, Castello di Camporaghena, Catognano, Crespiano, Croce, La Costa, La Greta, La Piana, Lagastrello, Montale, Piano, Prota, Torsana

See on the map

Filattiera’s houses and church tower on a wooded hillsidePhoto: sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Filattiera

22 villages

Villages (22)

Arnuzzolo, Calizzana, Canale, Cantiere – Ponticello, Caprio, Cavallana, Dobbiana, Gigliana, Lusignana, Macerie, Migliarina, Monteluscio, Monti, Pala, Ponticello, Posponte di Lusignana, Rocca Sigillina, Rottigliana di Sotto, Scorcetoli, Serravalle, Tarasco, Vignolo di Lusignana

See on the map

Houses and bell tower of Fivizzano below green Lunigiana hillsPhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fivizzano

85 villages

Villages (85)

Agnino, Aiola, Alebbio, Antigo, Arlia, Bardine, Bardine di Cecina, Bardine di San Terenzo, Campiglione, Campiglione – Vezzanello, Canneto, Casa Giannino, Casetta, Caugliano, Cecina, Cerignano, Certardola – Motta, Ceserano, Colla, Colle di Cerignano, Collecchia, Collegnago, Colognola, Cormezzano, Corsano, Cortila, Cotto, Debicò, Della Vigna, Equi Terme, Fazzano, Folegnano, Gallogna, Gassano, Gragnola, Groppoli, Isolano, La Funicolare, La Giunca, La Traggiara, Lorano, Magliano, Maglietola, Mezzana – Monte de’ Bianchi, Molina di Equi Terme, Mommio, Moncigoli, Monte dei Bianchi, Montecurto, Montevalese, Monzone, Mozzano, Panigaletto, Pian di Molino, Piano di Collecchia, Pieve San Paolo, Po’, Pognana, Ponte di Posara, Ponte di Turano, Posara, Pratolungo, Pratolungo Montecurto, Quarazzana, Rometta, San Terenzo, San Terenzo Monti, Sassalbo, Sercognano, Serrarola, Signano, Soliera, Spicciano, Tenerano, Terenzano, Terma, Turano, Turlago, Uglianfreddo Ai Cerri, Valazzana, Valle Ombrosa, Vendaso, Verrucola, Viano, Vinca

See on the map

Fosdinovo and its castle on a green ridge with mountains behindPhoto: Naioli, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fosdinovo

25 villages

Villages (25)

Borghetto, Canepari, Caniparola, Caprognano, Carignano, Celso, Colletto, Gignola, Giucano, Giucano Gignola, Gragnola, Il Cucco, La Vagina, Marciaso, Melara, Monte Carboli, Paghezzana, Palazzina, Ponzanello, Porredo, Posterla, Pulica, Tendola, Vercalda, Villaggio Bertani

See on the map

Licciana Nardi with its church bell tower among the treesPhoto: LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Licciana Nardi

28 villages

Villages (28)

Amola, Apella, Baccana, Bastia, Canalescuro, Cisigliana, Corte, Costamala, Cuccarello, Deglio, Galea, Maestà dei Saldi, Masero, Molino del Ponterotto, Monti, Panicale, Paretola, Ponte Taverone, Pontebosio, Ripola, Salano, Taponecco, Tapponecco, Tavernelle, Terrarossa, Trinala, Varano, Villa di Panicale

See on the map

Massa

34 villages

Villages (34)

Al Santo, Altagnana, Antona, Bargana, Bergiola, Bergiola Maggiore, Bozzone, Caglieglia, Campareccia, Canevara, Casania, Casette, Castagnara, Fornello, Forno, Gronda, Guadine, La Partaccia, Marina di Massa, Mirteto, Ortola, Pariana, Poveromo, Prati della Ciocca, Quercioli, Redicesi, Resceto, Ricortola, Romagnano, Ronchi, San Carlo Po, Serretta, Tombara, Turano

See on the map

Montignoso spread across green valley slopesPhoto: LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Montignoso

13 villages

Villages (13)

Bregoscia – Villaggio Maestri, Capanne – Prato – Cinquale, Cervaiolo, Cinquale, Corsanico, Debbia, Piano, Prato Capanne, Renella, San Vito – Cerreto, Sant’Eustachio, Serra, Vietina

See on the map

A stone archway and the old houses of Mulazzo along a ridgePhoto: Alessandro Vecchi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mulazzo

31 villages

Villages (31)

Arionzo, Arpiola, Arpiola – Pianfurcano, Borgo, Borgo Castevoli, Busatica, Campoli, Canossa, Casa di Loia, Cassana, Castagnetoli, Costa d’Arzola, Cravilla, Crocetta, Foce, Gavedo, Groppoli, Lusuolo, Madonna del Monte, Montereggio, Parana, Pieve, Ponte Magra, Pozzo, Rivazzo, San Benedetto, Serla, Stallone, Talavorno, Terceretoli, Villa Ghelfi

See on the map

Hillside gardens at Podenzana, with mountains in the distancePhoto: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Podenzana

1 village

Villages (1)

Montedivalli

See on the map

An old stone bridge and houses in PontremoliPhoto: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pontremoli

60 villages

Villages (60)

Arzelato, Arzengio, Baselica, Bassone, Belvedere, Braia, Bratto, Canà, Canale Scuro, Careola, Cargalla Inferiore, Cargalla Superiore, Casalina, Cavezzana d’Antena, Cavezzana Gordana, Ceretoli, Cervara, Costa di Soglio, Dozzano, Gravagna Montale, Gravagna San Rocco, Grondola, Groppodalosio, Groppoli, Guinadi, La Colla, Mignegno, Molinello, Montelungo Inferiore, Montelungo Superiore, Monti, Navola, Oppilo, Pian di Valle, Pietra Piccata, Pieve di Saliceto, Poderi, Pollina, Ponte Teglia, Pra’ del Prete, Pracchiola, Previdè, Saliceto Belvedere, San Cristoforo, Santa Giustina, Santissima Annunziata, Scorano, Sergola, Serola, Soglio, Succisa, Teglia, Toplecca di Sopra, Torrano, Traverde, Valle, Versola, Veserada, Vignola, Villa Vecchia

See on the map

The castle tower and church of Tresana on a wooded hillPhoto: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tresana

35 villages

Villages (35)

Baltrina, Barbarasco, Bocceda, Bola, Bottria, Campo di Sopra, Camporella, Camposopra, Canala, Capannella, Careggia, Castello, Catizzola, Cercò, Corneda, Fontanedo, Giovagallo, Groppo, Lorenzana, Meredo, Nave, Novegigola, Ortigaro, Pera, Pietrasalta, Ponte, Popetto, Popetto Lorenzana, Riccò, Serrapiana, Tassonarla, Tavella, Villa, Villa di Tresana, Villecchia

See on the map

Villafranca in Lunigiana in the valley, below mountains and cloudsPhoto: Utent: Marrabbio2 of it.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Villafranca in Lunigiana

20 villages

Villages (20)

Ca’ Rapetti, Canaletto, Cortenovo, Filetto, Fornoli, I Saldi, Il Bosco, Il Piano, Irola, La Montata, La Piastra, La Vigna, Malgrate, Merizzo, Mocrone, Pradaccio, Selva, Villa di Sopra, Villa di Sotto, Virgoletta

See on the map

Scattered houses of Zeri among wooded hillsPhoto: LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Zeri

28 villages

Villages (28)

Adelano, Antara, Bergugliara, Bosco di Rossano, Calzavitello, Casa Biagio, Castello, Castoglio, Chiesa di Rossano, Chioso, Chioso Montelama, Codolo, Codolo – Chiesa, Codolo di Sotto, Coloretta, Costa d’Asino, La Dolce, Montelama, Noce, Paretola, Patigno, Piagna, Rossano, San Lorenzo, Valditermine, Valle, Villaggio degli Aracci, Villaggio del Rastrello

See on the map

Back to the list of towns


I’m adding proper pages for the towns and villages bit by bit, so do pop back. For the rest of Tuscany, head back to Villages of Tuscany.

Header photo: Pontremoli in Lunigiana (photo: Andrek02, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons).