Italy

Etruscan pasta testaroli, Tuscan beer and a unique cocktail

Pontremoli is the ancient capital of the Apuan Ligurians. The labyrinths of narrow streets, the baroque Cathedral of Santa Maria del Popolo, the castle del Piagnaro, the tower del Cacciaguerra, noisy squares, numerous family trattorias and bakeries all fill the town with incredible flavor. Medieval warriors and pilgrims called Pontremoli "the key to the doors of Tuscany", and therefore it is from this town that it is ideal to start acquaintance with Lunigian gastronomy.

Trattoria Pelliccia makes traditional dishes from Lunigiana: tasty tagliata with spices and sea salt, tagliatelle pasta with porcini mushrooms and the famous testaroli. We recommend taking a glass of homemade wine and a cheese snack for dinner.

Antica trattoria pelliccia

The family trattoria, run by a mother and daughter, is loved by guests and residents of Pontremoli for simple, but tasty and hearty dishes. Treat yourself to classic pesto testaroli, potato gnocchi, roast lamb and apricot pie for dessert.

Trattoria Della Bietola Di Dani Alfonso E Massari Giuliana

Pontremoli

At the bakery, try a classic dish of the region, torta d' erbe or "herb cake". Pastry is eaten as an appetizer and main course. Each Lunigian family has its own recipe for a "herb cake", but the base is always leeks, onions, spinach and chard, and then boiled greens are mixed with parmesan, breadcrumbs, butter and salt. in torta d' erbe it is customary to add as many wild herbs as possible. In Lunigiana, there are even courses and workshops on wild plants and herbs.

Torte Di Erbi

Salumeria is a shop where you can buy sausages, salami, cheeses and other delicacies. If you visit Salumeria Angella Di Bertocchi Tiziana, then be sure to try koppa, dry-cured pork neck sausage seasoned with fragrant spices and herbs. Koppa is served as an appetizer with wine or with bread in a sandwich.

Salumeria Angella Di Bertocchi Tiziana

You can taste the unique Bianco Oro cocktail in Luciano bar in Piazza del Duomo, located in front of the splendid niches of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. The recipe is patented and known only to bartenders who serve this pleasant drink in a wide glass of sparkling wine.

Bar Luciano

Area del Duomo is a godsend for a gourmet. The Duomo Di Serni Anna bakery prepares a unique amor waffle cake with vanilla custard filling.

Pasticceria Duomo Di Serni Anna

Spongata is another delicacy that is definitely worth a try. Delicate dessert is baked from shortcrust pastry with honey, candied fruits, raisins, cocoa, cinnamon and nuts. In Pontremoli, chestnut flour is often used for the cake, which is different from spongata from other parts of northern Italy. There used to be a sweet tradition in Pontremoli, during the carnival season, when young men treated their lovers to spongata. Dessert can be tasted at Pasticceria degli Svizzeri, opened in 1842 by a Swiss family whose descendants still work in the bakery.

Bakery Antica Pasticceria degli Svizzeri

Among local drinks, attention should be paid not only to wine, but also to beer, the magnificent Birra del Moro is brewed in Pontremoli. You can try it almost everywhere, but best of all in the cafe of the same name at a small brewery.

Birra del Moro

The classic dish of this region, which is worth trying first of all, is testaroli al pesto or “Tuscan pancake pasta”. Testaroli is the oldest type of Italian pasta that has been eaten since the time of the Etruscans. The name testaroli comes from the word testo, frying pans on which testaroli were prepared. First, a thin pancake-like base from water, flour and salt is prepared in such a pan. Then it is cut into small pieces and thrown into boiling water for several minutes. After that, the squares are seasoned with pesto sauce, and the traditional testaroli al pesto dish is ready. There are variations with ricotta, mushrooms and meat, but pesto is a classic. Like many other Tuscan peasant dishes, testaroli is a very simple meal. However, no respectable gourmet restaurant in this region will allow itself not to include testaroli in the menu.

Ristorante Caveau Del Teatro

Agriturismo Lucchetti Ferrari

Cozy rustic-style interiors and closeness to nature are the reasons why tourists return to Casa Vacanza again and again. The guest house is divided into separate apartments with an equipped kitchen, household appliances and daily breakfasts from the owners. The house in the vicinity of Pontremoli is surrounded by hills and undergrowth, where the famous white mushrooms and chanterelles grow. The hosts will tell you about "mushroom places" and lend a basket to collect.

La Beppa - Casa Vacanza

Zeri is the westernmost commune of Lunigiana and all of Tuscany. Here, in the valleys of the Ligurian Apennines along the banks of the mountain streams Teglia, Adelano and Gordana, about a thousand people live, who carefully keep the mysterious legends about the ghost village and the settlement of magicians, as well as recipes for hearty dishes based on local mushrooms, beans, potatoes, apples and tender lamb.

At the farm restaurant Alla Vecchia Scuola, tourists will be delighted with amazing Tuscan cuisine, which is based on homemade pasta, ravioli, chestnut pie, and of course, the main dish is Zeri lamb with potatoes and wild mushrooms melting in your mouth.

Agriturismo Alla Vecchia Scuola

Ristorante Albergo Bar Catinella is a country cafe with a small veranda, where guests sit for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. For a bite to eat, ask the waiter for tagliatelle, corn porridge, polenta with mushrooms, or herb cake, torte d'erbi.

Ristorante Albergo Bar Catinella

Zeri

Drop in for dinner at the cozy rustic restaurant Qui ... come Una Volta and order the main dish, Dzeri lamb. This Tuscan breed of sheep grazes almost all year round in the vast fields and valleys of Lunigiana. The meat has an unusual but pleasant taste. There are several recipes, but the traditional Zeri lamb is cooked in a cast-iron pan with open coals.

Qui ... come Una Volta

We advise all ice cream lovers to visit the Caseificio I Trei Fantoti dairy farm. In addition, here you can taste and buy chocolate puddings, ricotta, panna cotta, yoghurts and cheeses.

Caseificio I Trei Fantoti

Mulino Marghen stands on the river Gordana, where trout is found. Caught fish will be cooked for you right on the farm. In May, September, October and November, porcini mushrooms with a specific spicy aroma are harvested in the forests of the Zeri valley. Mushrooms in Lunigiana are marinated in oil, added to sauces, cooked with pasta, grilled and even eaten raw. The farm bakes pancakes, gnocchi, ravioli, pasta and castagnaccio pie, dishes of the Tuscan peasants, from chestnut flour.

Agriturismo Mulino Marghen

Residents of the Rossano valley warmly welcome guests and offer lodging for the night in farmhouses. We recommend staying at one of these authentic "hotels ", Laboratorio del gusto Le Modeste. Here you will not only spend the night within the walls of the real Zeri farm, but also try the traditional treats of western Tuscany, juicy lamb with potatoes, tortillas with fragrant herbs and homemade apple pie.

Laboratorio del gusto Le Modeste

The guest house will appeal to those who appreciate privacy. The building has been completely renovated and is ready to welcome guests. The rooms are decorated with antiques and complemented by modern appliances. The spacious kitchen is combined with an open terrace with a canopy, so that guests can enjoy their meals in the midst of Lunigian nature.

Agriturismo la logia du scurnoto

Welcome to Mulazzo, the ancient residence of the Lunigian aristocrats. The area is known for the medieval church of San Martino, the ruins of an ancient aqueduct and the castle of Malaspina. The fertile lands around Mulazzo give rich harvests of grapes and chestnuts, which are then used to make flour for bread, desserts and pasta.

In the gastronomy of Lunigiana, there is a place for a dish that won the hearts of millions of gourmets around the world. Sit on the patio and get ready for a hot homemade pizza, carefully prepared with the freshest meats, farm cheese, sausages and juicy tomatoes.

Pizzeria All'Isola Felice

Mulazzo

Macelleria Gussoni Andrea is a family run butcher shop selling fresh meats, wines, natural jams and garfagnana cheese common in Tuscany.

Macelleria Gussoni Andrea

Villa Brignole serves tagliere, which is Italian for "chopping board". Tagliere is a cut either meat, cheese, or mixed. In Mulazzo, cuts will definitely have mortadella sausage. The delicacy is made from pork thighs, upper back and shoulder blades, using bay leaves, pepper and spices in the cooking, which gives the sausage a sharp, rich flavor. Usually the dish is cooked from December to February and kept for at least 40 days. If you take cheese slices, pay attention to local caciotta della Lunigiana and pecorino cheeses, they pair best with pear.

Ristorante Villa Brignole

Enoteca is a wine bar with a variety of wines. Here you can not only taste, but also buy wine, and even spend time with a glass in a relaxed atmosphere. Enoteca La Luna Brilla is run by two Roman brothers who offer guests Italian "classics" and pure Lunigian delicacies, such as tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms.

Enoteca La Luna Brilla

Podere Fedespina Winery  in the vicinity of Mulazzo has been producing red wine from Pinot Nero, Merlot and Ciliegiolo grapes for 40 years. Farm owners Mirta Fedespina and Antonio Farina do not use chemical fertilizers, clarifiers and filters, preferring manual work. Wines Podere Fedespina receive awards every year, and Spinorosso wine is included in the main Italian gourmet guide of Gambero Rosso.

Podere Fedespina

El Caracol offers comfortable rooms overlooking the flowering fields, the mountains and the ancient houses of Mulazzo. The hotel has an outdoor terrace and a restaurant where guests are treated to local delicacies: cured meat, testaroli, Tuscan tagliata and signature focaccia.

El Caracol

Every room in La Pulce Dorata is decorated in a separate color and has a special atmosphre. The hotel is suitable for family accommodation, and some of the rooms have a summer terrace, where you can have breakfast in the rays of the Lunigian sun.

B&B La Pulce Dorata

The owners of the guest house Spino Secco are the natives of Mulazzo, who have turned a historic building into an apartment hotel with a swimming pool, barbecue area, free WIFI , a park, a garden and modern-style rooms.

Spino Secco

Podenzana is a village on the border of Liguria in the heart of stunning forest land, ideal for hiking and cycling. Tiny Podenzana gave Tuscan gastronomy a simple but very tasty panigacci dish. Locals are so fond of the delicacy that you can try it in every restaurant.

On the border of Tuscany and Liguria, tourists will find Il ristorante di Ale. Guests love the restaurant for quality fish from the morning catch, handmade pasta with crab and shrimp, and delicious homemade wine.

Il ristorante di Ale

Panorama of the Apuan Alps and quality cuisine are what you need for real pleasure and a joy of hedonism. Guests especially praise hearty panigacci with cheese, dried meat, mushrooms and pesto sauce.

Ristorante Da Gambin

Podenzana

The restaurant prepares the pride of Podenzana, panigacci bread, which is baked in special terracotta molds over an open fire and served hot, usually with meat and cheese cuts. The bread itself is tasteless, so it goes well with sweet fillings, honey or jam.

Panigacci Wow Podenzana

Ristorante I Tre archi Da Casale captivates with a pleasant friendly atmosphere and amazing bread cakes. For lovers of hearty dishes, we advise you to pay attention to panigacci with dried meat and cheese, those who want more savory delicacies should try panigacci with pesto, and panigaci with nutella is for a sweet tooth.

Ristorante I Tre Archi Da Casale

A country cottage is what you need for a serene summer vacation. At the disposal of Luna Cottage guests there are spacious and roomy house, jacuzzi and pool with lounge area. The owners of the cottage have made repairs and equipped the house with the necessary digital and household appliances.

Luna Cottage

Spend time within the walls of the Castello Due, a modern castle with a swimming pool and terraces. A mansion is what you need for a large company. Here guests will find five rooms, a kitchen with necessary appliances, a wine cellar, as well banquet and conference rooms. Around Castello Due there are restaurants, but the location of the house allows you to relax away from noisy tourist places.

Castello Due

White wine, famous honey and crispy sgabei

Fosdinovo is considered to be the "gateway to Lunigiana" and the wine capital of the province. At the end of July, the testaroli gastronomic festival is held here, and in the valleys of the majestic Apuan Alps and the Apennines are rich in vineyards that gave the world the prestigious Colli di Luni Vermentino. The village is included in the list of the best places to live in Italy and is considered one of the most curious places for tourists.

Palomita Blanca Enoteca is a wine bar where you can have a snack or order carpaccio, a cheese plate or fried seafood appetizers, which are combined with Vermentino, a dry wine popular in Lunigiana.

Palomita Blanca Enoteca

Restaurant Quinta Terra adjoins the castle of the lords of Malespina, so getting inside, guests find themselves in a medieval trattoria. Lunigiana gastronomy dishes already known to tourists are prepared here: testaroli al pesto, pasta e fagioli with beans and Zeri lamb steaks with potatoes. The place is quite popular, so it is better to book a table in advance.

Trattoria Quinta Terra

Espresso bars are an important part of Italian life. In the mornings, it is customary to drink cappuccino here, and in the afternoon, Americano and espresso, which is called in Italy caffe normale. If you ask the waiter to bring caffe lungo, they will brew a regular espresso for you with a lot of water added. If you prefer coffee with milk  you should choose caffe latte. In the heat, order an ice-cold caffe freddo, and if you want to warm up, then you should try caffe corretto, an espresso with drops of alcohol, usually grappa or sambuca.

I cherubini bar e.....

Fosdinovo

Ristorante Emili specialties are testaroli and sgabei, crispy fried flatbreads. Sgabei is a typical dish of Lunigiana, made from leftover bread dough and eaten during long work in the fields. Today sgabei is eaten with meat, cheese or chocolate.

Ristorante Emili

You can buy Lunigian Honey at this grocery store. It is the first and so far the only honey in Italy with DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status. If you don't like sweets, try baccalà marinato cod. Locals of the region eat this appetizer dish all year round as an independent dish and as a filling for sandwiches.

Bottega Del Buongustaio

Winemakers of Terenzuola Winery from Fosdinovo make white wine Colli di Luni Vermentino. The drink has a straw-yellow hue, intense fruity aroma and almond flavor. Dry wine has attracted the attention of the public for 30 years, after it received the DOC quality mark in 1990. Collie di Luni Vermentino comes from an area called Colli di Luni, which includes Fosdinovo, Aulla and Podenzana in the province of Massa Carrara, as well as 14 other cities in the Ligurian part of Lunigiana. Although Vermentino is perhaps the area's best-known wine, there are many other wines from further afield in Lunigiana, including reds and rosés, so there is something for everyone.

Terenzuola Winery

Winery Pascale Francesca makes white and red wines from Vermentino, Merlot, Nero and Canaiolo varieties, in particular the famous Colli di Luni Vermentino. Wine production is not the only thing the farm is famous for. Initially, the Pascale family was engaged in the production of extra virgin olive oil, which can still be tasted and bought on the farm.

Azienda Agricola Pascale Francesca

A night at the castle is a unique experience that will definitely be remembered for a long time. The history of the Malaspina family castle dates back nine centuries, and the interiors still keep the memory of the owners, wars, balls and intrigues. Rumor has it that it was here that Dante wrote the legendary work "The Divine Comedy". Guests of Castello di Fosdinovo are expecting a hospitable welcome and eight elegant rooms furnished with antique furniture and collectible paintings.

Castello di Fosdinovo

Homestead Locanda de Banchieri is a great place to spend a weekend in nature, a short drive from Fosdinavo. The guest house has four rooms, a kitchen and a dining room with access to the garden. In hot sunny weather, you can relax by the pool under the shade of olive trees. Locanda de Banchieri is suitable for both a romantic getaway and family vacations.

Locanda de Banchieri

The historical region of Lunigiana is located on the border of Tuscany and Liguria in the basin of the Magra River. This ancient land is interesting not only for its nature and ancient castles, but also for its original cuisine. To get acquainted with the gastronomic Lunigiana, we go on an adventure through tiny but original villages.

Gastronomic Lunigiana