ACCOMMODATIONGALLERYBOOKINGPLACES TO GODIRECTIONSCONTACT & FEEDBACK PLACES TO GO
A car is recommended as the house is a 15 min drive from the nearest town (Pontremoli) which is well equipped with numerous facilities.
LOCAL PLACES
Pontremoli - this is the nearest town with various churches, town squares, cobbled streets, banks, bars and restaurants and beautiful bridges across the river connecting the old town to the new. It is usually peaceful, except for Wednesdays and Saturdays which are market days, selling food (and sometimes flowers) in the old town and clothes and household goods situated more in the new town.
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VillaFranca di Lunigiana - housing the Museo di Etnografia e Antropologia is about a 15 minute drive from Pontremoli.
Sarzana - about 20 mins drive on the motorway and has a couple of shopping malls and hyperCoop supermarket. It is also on the way to Lerici beach.
Bagnone - beautiful small town with amazing waterfalls and good restaurants.
NEARBY CITIES
Lucca (45mins) - a typical Tuscan town, famous for its sixteenth century town walls that are the only town walls in Italy that remain intact www.luccaturismo.it
Pisa (1hr) - Leaning Tower and various restaurants. Relaxing to visit and have lunch before going to check-in, if you have an afternoon return flight, as the airport is about 10 mins away from the centre.
Genoa (1½hrs) - biggest Aquarium in Europe and great shopping.
Parma (1½ hrs) - home of Parma ham and Parmigiana (not to be missed).
Florence (2 hrs) - Arno, Duomo, various musems, usually very busy in the Summer and driving is not recommended.
Modena - home of Balsamic vinegar.
Bologna - amazing architecture, churches and great restaurants.
BEACHES
Lerici is a stunning seaside town with different beaches to choose from with facilities, loungers and umbrellas for hire. It is wonderful for families with young children and the short walk to the town from the beach reveals a host of bars, restaurants and ice cream shops to choose from. This is the town where the Shelley family lived until the poet died.
Porto Venere is picture postcard harbour town with amazing views from the old Genoese fortress, Castello Doria and a ferry service to the wooded island of Palmaria, including a marine reserve popular with nature lovers and swimmers.
Cinque Terre five small villages along the Ligurian coast (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore). They are relatively difficult to reach by car, but trains, boats and walking are the main ways of access.
ACTIVITIES
Walking and Cycling are popular in the area. Via Francigena - the medieval pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome that passes by the hamlet. Parco dei Cento Laghi (Park of a Hundred Lakes) has a network of 150km of mountain paths that are suitable for cyclists. The Cinque Terre is popular with hikers providing amazing coastal routes.
Horseriding
Parco dei Cento Laghi and various other areas locally.
Swimming
Villafranca di Lunigiana has an amazing public outdoor swimming pool complex nestled amongst the mountains that tower above you as lounge on the grass or by the poolside. There is a children's pool an Olympic size pool and diving boards, with a snack bar for drinks, ice cream, crisps etc.
Skiing
During the winter months Zum Zeri is the local ski resort. It is a 45 minute drive from the house and has a modest number of runs that would suit families learning to ski. There is a bar and restaurant at the bottom of the slope and a ski hire shop.
LINKS
More information about Lunigiana and it's beautiful surroundings can be found at
www.terredilunigiana.com/eng
www.rivieratoscana.com/en/ct/lunigiana/lunigiana.asp
www.welcometuscany.it/tuscany/lunigiana/lunigiana-apuan-alps-apennines-exploring-popular-traditions-cultural-events.htm
ACCOMMODATION
