Brugnato: The Borgo of the Salt Road Between Liguria and Lunigiana

Where Liguria meets the Lunigiana

Brugnato is a borgo that stands exactly where one thing ends and another begins. Geographically it is Liguria — province of La Spezia, ancient diocese, an accent that still sounds Genoese. But culturally, in its flavours and landscapes, this is where the Lunigiana begins: a borderland between Liguria, Tuscany, and Emilia, where the mountains open into green valleys and rivers rush toward the sea with an urgency the coast never knows. Being this land of passage made Brugnato, for centuries, a crossroads on the Via del Sale: the network of mule trails linking the Ligurian ports with the Po plain, carrying sea salt northward and the produce of the hinterland toward the sea.

Today Brugnato is a quiet borgo of just over a thousand souls, with an intact historic centre that deserves a careful visit, far from the frenzy of the Cinque Terre a mere twenty kilometres away.

What to see

The Cathedral of Saints Peter, Lawrence, and Columban

Brugnato's greatest surprise is its cathedral, a Romanesque building you do not expect in such a small town. The explanation is historical: Brugnato was a bishop's seat from 1133 to 1820, an ecclesiastical importance disproportionate to its size that earned it a cathedral worthy of a city. The sandstone façade, sober and harmonious, introduces a three-nave interior where remains of the original mosaic floor survive alongside columns with carved capitals. Archaeological excavations beneath the cathedral have revealed the foundations of an early medieval monastery from the seventh century, founded by Irish Columban monks — the same monastic tradition as Bobbio.

The Bishop's Palace and the Diocesan Museum

Adjacent to the cathedral, the bishop's palace is an imposing building that testifies to the centuries when Brugnato was a centre of religious power. The diocesan museum, small but well curated, displays liturgical vestments, goldwork, and documents that trace the history of the diocese. The visit takes less than an hour but offers an unexpected perspective on the cultural stratification of this corner of Liguria.

The historic centre and the arcades

The heart of the borgo is a rectangle of medieval houses crossed by a porticoed street that was once the sheltered route of the Via del Sale. The low, shady arcades protected merchandise from the rain during the mule-train stopovers. Today they shelter small shops and a couple of cafés where sitting down is like stepping into a time machine. The house façades are painted in the colours typical of Liguria — ochre, pink, pale yellow — and some preserve trompe-l'oeil decorations.

The Via del Sale

The historic Salt Road trail has been partly restored and marked as a hiking itinerary. From Brugnato you can walk the section that climbs toward the Passo del Bracco and then descends to Pontremoli in the Lunigiana, following a route that for centuries served as a vital commercial artery. The full excursion takes a whole day, but the more accessible stretches — such as the one toward Borghetto Vara through chestnut groves and olive orchards — can be covered in a couple of hours and offer views over the confluence of the Vara and Gravegnola streams.

What to eat and drink

The cuisine of Brugnato reflects its border position, blending Ligurian and Lunigiana traditions:

- Sgabei: strips of leavened dough deep-fried until crisp outside and soft within, served with local cured meats and cheeses. The traditional snack of the area, found in bakeries and at local fairs.

- Testaroli al pesto: Italy's oldest pasta, cooked on stone slabs and dressed with Ligurian pesto or oil and pecorino. A single mouthful that unites Liguria and the Lunigiana.

- Focaccette di Aulla: small flatbreads cooked between terracotta testi, stuffed with fresh cheeses and cured meats. Often found at local markets.

- Colli di Luni DOC wine: Vermentino white is the ideal pairing for herb-based and pesto dishes; the red (from Sangiovese and Merlot grapes) accompanies meats and aged cheeses.

The Wednesday weekly market is the best moment to buy local produce: honey, oil, dried chestnuts, and Val di Vara goat's cheese.

Getting there

Brugnato is easily accessible: the Brugnato-Borghetto Vara motorway exit on the A12 (Genoa-Livorno) is less than five minutes from the centre. The railway station on the La Spezia-Parma line (via Pontremolese) is served by regional trains. From La Spezia the journey takes about 20 minutes. For those arriving from the Cinque Terre, Brugnato is about 25 minutes by car from Monterosso.

The proximity to the motorway and the railway makes Brugnato an easy stop to slot into a broader itinerary.

When to go

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are the ideal periods. In spring the valley is an explosion of green and the Salt Road trails are at their finest. Autumn brings the chestnut harvest and the foliage colours in the surrounding woods. Summer is warm but less humid than the coast; winter is mild compared to the inland Apennines.

In June the Fiera di San Pietro takes place, the patron saint's feast with market stalls, music, and tastings along the porticoed street. The borgo comes to life without ever losing its intimate, contained character.