The Garfagnana Cycle Route Along the Serchio

There's a Tuscany that almost no one puts on the list, and it's the one that slips north of Lucca following the river Serchio toward the mountains. While the Versilia coast fills up and the Chianti hills count the coaches, the Garfagnana remains a valley of villages, chestnut woods and marble peaks that change colour with the sun. You pedal in the company of the water, with the Apuans on one side and the Apennines on the other, and for kilometres you cross paths with no one but locals.

Along the Serchio

The common thread is the Serchio. From Lucca the river runs north, and following its course you cross first the Media Valle and then the Garfagnana proper. Borgo a Mozzano is an almost obligatory stop for the Ponte della Maddalena, the famous Devil's Bridge with a hump so steep it seems impossible: it's worth the stop and a photo from the riverbed. Higher up you reach Barga, one of the loveliest villages, perched with its cathedral looking out over the mountains, and not far off Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the valley's historic capital with its Rocca Ariostesca, where the poet Ludovico Ariosto served as governor. From here the valley grows narrower and wilder, with the Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso keeping watch from above and, in the background, the stern silhouettes of the Pania della Croce.

Getting around

The logistics are convenient because the Lucca-Aulla railway exists, running the whole length of the valley with stations in the main villages: this lets you build the itinerary in stages, pedalling one way and returning by train, a precious option because there's little real flat here. The valley floor offers flowing stretches near the river, but getting around the Garfagnana also means tackling the roads that climb to the villages, some with gradients you'll feel in your legs. This isn't a route to underestimate: the effort is moderate and variable, with constant ups and downs and a few sharp ramps every time you leave the river to reach a hilltop village. A bike suited to the climbs is advisable, preferably with generous gearing, and for anyone wanting to enjoy it effortlessly an e-bike is a sensible choice.

When to go

The right time is between late spring and early autumn. May offers a lush green valley, meadows in flower and full torrents, with the mountains still streaked with snow up high. September is perhaps even better: the air turns clear, the first colours of the chestnut groves arrive and you breathe the atmosphere of the chestnut season, which here is almost sacred. In both months the valley is practically empty of tourists, because those who choose Tuscany in summer head for the sea or the art cities, and these slopes stay off the mass routes. You also avoid the stifling heat of July and August, which on the valley floor can be uncomfortable, and you find villages that are lively but without the crush.

Practical tips

A practical tip: plan your lunch stops in the villages and taste the valley's produce, from chestnut flour to mountain cheeses, because the cooking here is genuine and the locals are welcoming to slow travellers. Always carry a supply of water and something to eat when you move away from the settlements, because between one village and another the wooded stretches can be long and silent. And keep the Lucca-Aulla train times to hand: knowing you can return by rail takes away all anxiety and leaves you free to explore even the steepest detours to the villages clinging to the mountain.