The best traffic-free bike rides around Molazzana

In this period the lake is at maximum capacity and offers stunning panoramas in the sunlight

Just a few steps through the cobbled alleys and sandstone houses are enough to understand that San Romano has a story to tell. The Ligures Apuani lived here first, then the Romans; and when the ancient Gherardinghi and Conti di Bacciano families abandoned the village, the town had its moment of pride, giving itself its own statutes before passing under Lucca and the Este family. The heart of the settlement beats around the church of San Romano Martire, where the saint is carved in wood in Roman legionary attire, topped by an imposing 18th-century organ. A few meters away opens the elegant Palazzo Pelliccioni-Marazzini, with its scenic arched terraces: today it houses the Archaeological Museum of the territory, with artifacts ranging from the Neolithic period to findings from the Fortezza delle Verrucole.

Surrounded by centuries-old chestnut groves and spelt fields, Orzaglia retains its peasant vocation intact. The village is known in Garfagnana for the "tiro della forma", a traditional challenge involving throwing wheels of cheese for distance.

The small hamlet of Orzaglia, nestled on a plateau just outside the classic routes of Garfagnana, is surrounded by ancient chestnut groves and fields of spelt. Walking through these woods, you will encounter gnarled and imposing tree trunks, plants that have watched over the valley for hundreds of years and tell the story of those who cared for them generation after generation. For Garfagnana, the chestnut was never just a tree. For centuries, it was "the bread tree": its chestnuts, dried in metati (drying rooms) and ground in water mills, yielded neccio flour — today a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) — that fed entire mountain communities during the hardest times. Masters of grafting and pruning, the people of Garfagnana have preserved dozens of different varieties over time, transforming these slopes into a true living safe of biodiversity.

The Oasis of Campocatino is a mountain locality in the Apuan Alps, in the municipality of Vagli di Sotto, located at 1000 m above sea level, beneath the imposing wall of Monte Roccandagia. It includes a large basin of glacial origin, a testament to the extent of Quaternary glaciation in the Apennine area. Inside, we find the typical pastoral buildings called "caselli," which have been preserved with their ancient construction characteristics. Since 1991, it has become a "LIPU Natural Oasis." The coexistence of different environments and the natural integrity of the area have allowed the acclimatization of various bird species that reproduce there. Along the rocky walls, the Alpine chough and the Wallcreeper nest; in the high-altitude meadows and pastures, the Skylark, the Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, the Wheatear, and the Greater Short-toed Lark are observed, while the woods below are populated by the Blackcap, the Goldfinch, the Chaffinch, the Brambling, the Firecrest, the Dartford Warbler, the Robin, the Eurasian Nuthatch, the Song Thrush, the Mistle Thrush, the Wren, and four species of tits: Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, and Marsh Tit. Biodiversity is also present among the birds of prey that inhabit the area: the Tawny Owl, the Kestrel, the Eagle Owl, the Common Buzzard, the Sparrowhawk, and sometimes the Eagle soars over the area in search of prey. A little curiosity: in 1998 Campocatino was the film set for the movie "il mio west" directed by Giovanni Veronesi, starring Leonardo Pieraccioni, Harvey Keitel, David Bowie, and Alessia Marcuzzi. In memory of David Bowie's presence, a statue has been placed near the stone houses to commemorate his time there.

Currently closed due to construction work

panoramic point

These reservoirs, created to extract hydroelectric energy, have their own charm, even as industrial architecture. This lake conceals the old town beneath its waters. Attractions such as the suspension bridge and zip line, as well as a family pool, have been built around it. During bike rides, I find refreshments here, taking advantage of the opportunity to take a break.