Plan your day
Half-day Pontremoli + Guinadi
Morning or late afternoon in Pontremoli, then up to Guinadi for lanes, views and a local pause. The easiest format without too much driving.
Village and river day
Guinadi in the morning, down to the river if weather allows, then Pontremoli or Groppodalosio. A good balance of freshness, heritage and reasonable driving.
Escapes to put on your map
Pontremoli & Castello del Piagnaro
The historic centre, castle and Stele Statues Museum make a major cultural outing. The castle overlooks the town and also welcomes Via Francigena pilgrims.
Groppodalosio & the medieval bridge
In the Magra Valley, a single-arch medieval bridge still walkable on the scenic route towards Pracchiola and Passo del Cirone.
Filattiera & Pieve di Sorano
Pieve di Santo Stefano a Sorano is one of Lunigiana’s Romanesque landmarks. The area links long history, the Via Francigena and river landscapes.
Filetto, Bagnone & Virgoletta
Three villages for an easy day: Filetto’s quadrangular walls, water and castle at Bagnone, and medieval passages in Virgoletta.
Passo della Cisa & Montelungo
The Tuscan gateway to the Via Francigena: a historic pass, Apennine landscapes and traces of ancient traveller hospitality.
Arzelato & the valley towards Zeri
A village perched on Monte Rotondo’s spur, with views over valley hamlets before heading higher towards Zeri.
Cinque Terre & the coast
The five villages clinging to the Ligurian coast — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore — about 1h30 via La Spezia. Sea, terraced vineyards and trails: the train is the easiest way between them.
For a full day or further afield
Ponticello · craft village
In Ponticello, near Filattiera, I Mestieri nel Borgo brings old crafts back into the lanes: glassblowers, stonemasons, woodwork, workshops and demonstrations. Check the summer date before leaving.
Carrara, Colonnata & Fantiscritti
A marble-focused day: town, quarries, museum and quarrymen villages. Book quarry visits.
Lucca
Walls, towers, squares and churches: a proper art-city day, best planned by train or car.
Pisa
Pisa deserves a full day: check train times and fares when booking, and consider combining it with Lucca.
La Spezia & Cinque Terre
A coastal outing best planned outside peak crowds. Train is often easier than driving between villages.
A few places in pictures
Photos : Ponticello © Lunigiana World / Visit Tuscany · Carrara © Holger Uwe Schmitt (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Lucca © Sergio Spolti (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Pisa © PaestumPaestum (CC BY 4.0) · Vernazza (CC BY-SA 2.5) — Visit Tuscany · Ponticello ↗ · Wikimedia Commons ↗
Ponticello · I Mestieri del Borgo ↗ · Visit Tuscany · Carrara ↗ · Visit Tuscany · Lucca ↗
Bagnone & Filattiera in pictures
Visit Pontremoli · vallées, villages et itinéraires ↗ · Visit Tuscany · étape Pontremoli–Aulla ↗
Heritage & memory
A few kilometres from Guinadi, Pontremoli brings together a lively historic centre, Castello del Piagnaro, churches, palaces and the memory of the routes crossing Lunigiana. The castle houses the Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi, dedicated to the region’s mysterious stone figures.
Castello del Piagnaro · Pontremoli
Open the map ↗Castello del Piagnaro
A strategic fortress, named after piagne — the traditional sandstone roof slabs of Lunigiana. Check official opening times before visiting.
Via Francigena
Pontremoli is a recognised stop on the Tuscan Via Francigena. Walkers find services, supplies and the atmosphere of a starting or finishing point.
Filetto & Bagnone
Two villages to extend the day: medieval lanes, squares, castles and Lunigiana’s agricultural landscapes.
Pieve di Sorano
A remarkable Romanesque church near Filattiera, in an area rich in prehistoric, Roman and medieval traces.
Sources: Visit Pontremoli ↗ · Turismo in Lunigiana ↗
More places around Guinadi
Guinadi · village and lanes
The heart of the hamlet: stone houses, vaulted passages, the church and open views over the Valle del Verde.
Fontana Vecchia · public village tap
The public tap on the far side of the church, towards the houses: do not confuse it with the tap at the old washhouse basin.
La vasca di Guinadi · near the church
Guinadi’s old washhouse: a large stone basin that tells the story of water in village life.
Torrente Verdesina · Campo Molino
The river area below the village, among water, rocks and valley paths: a refreshing idea for warm days.
Castello del Piagnaro
The fortress above Pontremoli, home to the Statue Stele museum: the major heritage outing from Guinadi.
Fontana Gilenta · spring of the Valle del Verde
A cold mountain spring on the Valle del Verde route, for extending the village visit into a proper nature outing.
Via Francigena · Pontremoli
A Via Francigena stage where heritage, supplies and Lunigiana paths meet.
Stretti di Giaredo
Rock and water gorges among Lunigiana’s most impressive landscapes, to be explored with proper equipment.
Ponticello · I Mestieri nel Borgo
A stone village where traditional crafts come alive in the lanes, near Filattiera.
Grondola-Guinadi · railway station
The valley railway point: useful for arriving another way, but only with the last connection planned carefully.