Garfagnana day trip from Lucca
A day trip to the Garfagnana from Lucca: the Ponte della Maddalena at Borgo a Mozzano, the hill town of Barga and its cathedral, lunch in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana below its Rocca, the mountain lake of Vagli, then the Grotta del Vento caves on the way back. The valley is a drive into the mountains north of Lucca, so a car is needed. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Garfagnana in 1 day
Day 1
Ponte della Maddalena (Devil's Bridge)
A medieval stone bridge with a steep, lopsided arch over the Serchio at Borgo a Mozzano, named after the legend of a pact with the devil.
Barga Cathedral and old town
A walled hill town of steep lanes and small squares, topped by its Romanesque cathedral with a carved marble pulpit and views of the Apuan Alps.
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
The valley's market town below the Rocca Ariostesca, where Ariosto served as governor; a good lunch stop for farro soup and local cheeses.
Lago di Vagli
A reservoir lake made in 1953 in the Apuan Alps, which drowned the village of Fabbriche di Careggine, seen again only when the lake is drained.
Grotta del Vento caves
Show caves at Fornovolasco with stalactites, underground lakes and chasms, named after the wind that blows through the entrance; visits by guided tour.
Watch: Garfagnana
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Lucca, drive north up the Serchio valley: about 30 minutes to Borgo a Mozzano and the Ponte della Maddalena, and about an hour to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. Regional trains on the Lucca-Aulla line reach Borgo a Mozzano and Barga, but the lake and the caves need a car or a tour.
Staying in Lucca? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Garfagnana
Late spring to early autumn is best, from May to October, when the mountain roads are clear and the valleys are green; summer is cooler here than in Lucca. October and November bring chestnut festivals in the villages, and the woods turn colour. Winter is cold and wet in the mountains, with snow on the higher roads.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Garfagnana on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Garfagnana on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Garfagnana on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
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Tips for Garfagnana
- A car is needed: the regional train up the Serchio valley stops near Borgo a Mozzano and Barga, but Lago di Vagli and the Grotta del Vento are on mountain roads with little or no bus service.
- The Grotta del Vento is visited by guided tour only; the shortest tour takes about an hour, and the caves stay cool all year, so bring a light jacket.
- Mountain roads are narrow and winding, so allow more time than the distances suggest and fill up with fuel in the valley towns.
- Lunch is part of the trip: try farro soup from the Garfagnana's own spelt, chestnut-flour necci and pancakes, and local mountain cheeses.
- Walk up through Barga's lanes to the cathedral terrace for the view of the Apuan Alps, and park outside the walls, as the old town is closed to traffic.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Barga Cathedral and old town: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castelnuovo di Garfagnana: sailko, CC BY 2.5
- Grotta del Vento caves: qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Lago di Vagli: user:Iardo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ponte della Maddalena (Devil's Bridge): loki_racer, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
