The cycle traveller

From Massa to Lucca along the roads of the Apuan Alps: cycling with a view of Versilia

Behind the Versiale tourist coastline, the mountainous scenery of the Apuane Alps opens up: from the marble quarries to the Garfagnana, from the Art Nouveau of Viareggio to Puccini's Torre del Lago, dreamy panoramas and views, ideal for cycling

by Manlio Pisu

19 July 2024

6' min read

Key points

Two worlds so near and so far
A playground for cyclists
Two sides of the same territory
Marble quarries, karst caves, potholes of the giants and widespread art
In the Footsteps of Michelangelo

6' min read

Seen from the top of the mountain passes of the Apuan Alps, the coastal strip of Versilia appears as a single, large urban agglomeration, diffuse and very long, with no solution of continuity. The seaside resorts that have given lustre and fame to these places, with their massive tourist flows, now partly from Russia and Eastern Europe, appear indistinguishable in the dense anthropic concentration.

A due ruote sulle Apuane
Photogallery28 foto

The contrast could not be more stark. From the panoramic terraces of the Alpine passes overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, that world of luxury beach resorts, starred restaurants, shopping streets, designer ladies, discos that have entered the history of Italian music, seems light years away. Yet as the crow flies, it is only a dozen kilometres away. Half an hour or so by car.

The colour effect is one that sticks in the memory. The patches of white of the marble quarries on the mountainsides, the shades of green of the forest cover, the grey of the rocks, the blue of the sea, the blue of the sky, the grey-pink of the human settlements on the coast. If one is lucky, on a clear day, the view from here sweeps as far as the peaks of Corsica, the islands of the Tuscan archipelago and the Gulf of Poets. It is a wonder that leaves one open-mouthed in amazement at such beauty.

Two worlds so near and so far

In the small villages clinging to the steep slopes of the Apuane Alps, one breathes a different air. Not only because you are climbing in altitude. It is still the hard work that has marked the lives of the local people for millennia that gives the area its imprint. Quarrymen, loggers, miners. A land of strong anarchist traditions, of partisans, of civil commitment in the Resistance. Here, between 1944 and 1945, the Gothic Line passed, which left its streak of blood not only among the soldiers of the opposing fronts but also among civilians in the Nazi-Fascist massacres, first and foremost Sant'Anna di Stazzema.

Since the time of the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, people have extracted the world's finest marble from the mountain. Michelangelo used to come here in person to choose the best blocks from which, 'removing the superfluous', he carved his masterpieces. For centuries, generations of sculptors have come here, dreaming of giving form to their ideas, sculpting the white raw material of the Apuane Alps.

Until the 1960s, the techniques for transporting marble along the lizza routes were not so different from those in use two thousand years ago in Roman times. It was an exhausting, risky activity that exacted a high toll in human lives due to frequent accidents at work. Then, ever-increasing mechanisation drastically reduced the use of labour. As a consequence, the villages became semi-populated. Today, the Apuan Alps offer silence, coolness, detachment, breathtaking views and rarefied atmospheres.

A playground for cyclists

It is in this strip of land so rugged and steeped in history that cyclists find their magnificent playground. In droves they climb the roads leading from the coast to Garfagnana. Mostly on racing bikes. They tackle the hairpin bends of the Passo del Vestito from Massa to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. They reach the top, then immediately descend down the Cipollaio towards Levigliani, Seravezza, Pietrasanta, Viareggio. Others continue towards Lucca, passing through Barga and Borgo a Mozzano, famous for the Devil's Bridge over the Serchio river.

The more daring will try their hand at mountain biking on the Via Vandelli, the 18th-century road connecting Massa to Modena through the Apuan Alps, Garfagnana and the Apennines. It is a historic Italian road, a very demanding itinerary, suitable only for expert cyclists. For others, the Vandelli is recommended as a trek to be done on foot over several days. For everyone it is worth it. At 1700 metres above sea level on the extremely difficult Passo Tambura, they will be rewarded with a priceless view; just before the Passo delle Radici (1500 metres) they will stop at San Pellegrino in Alpe, an enchanting village on the ridge, which falls partly in the Province of Lucca and partly in the Province of Modena.

Two sides of the same territory

Certainly for holidaymakers in Versilia, a few days cycling in the Apuane Alps, even on an e-bike, offers a completely different viewpoint from the one you can get from under the beach umbrella. It is the other face of the same territory. A harsh face, deterrent at first sight. But on closer inspection it pays off. One might almost say that the best is not in front, towards the sea, but back, towards the mountains.

For local cyclists, the asphalt ride is a Sunday classic among friends. For those from outside, however, it is a spectacular ride that deserves time and attention. It is not an experience to be burnt off in a few hours. There are too many things to do and see.

The route can be designed at will on a smartphone using a hiking app. These include Komoot, the navigator that instantly creates Gps tracks tailored to our tastes. Taking Massa as our starting point, which can now be reached by train with comfortable InterCity trains equipped to transport bicycles, we climb up the Passo del Vestito. The road immediately enters the narrow valley of the Frigido, a stream with crystal-clear, icy waters that descends from the Tambura. The hairpin bends of the pass touch on small villages, such as Altagnana and Antona, where Italy seems to have stood still in the 1970s. Compared to the mundanity of the coast, one enters another world. In these villages it can happen that not even a bar is open.

Between marble quarries, karstic caves, potholes of the giants and diffuse art

As you gain altitude, the Apuan Alps begin to show themselves in all their grandeur and beauty. The green of the forests is torn by the white incisions of the open-cast quarries. Near the pass, the Botanical Garden of the Apuan Alps offers guided tours to discover the local flora. There are beautiful 360-degree views from this handkerchief of land. A few kilometres further on, just before the pass, the Valsora quarry is worth a stop. In its interior, in a setting reminiscent of a film set, a small lake is still home to the rare Alpine newt, a small amphibian. Then the pass through a short tunnel at 1,050 metres above sea level, followed by the descent to the Garfagnana side. Arni is the first village you come across. Shortly after the village, the Henraux quarries are another must-see: old abandoned quarries owned by a company founded in the 19th century by a former French soldier. A short walk through the forest and you will find the Marmitte dei giganti, natural circular potholes carved out by water and ice over millions of years.

The road continues through Castelnuovo and then Barga to beautiful Lucca, which in itself is worth the trip. Those who, on the other hand, wish to return to the Versilia side, can descend again through the Cipollaio tunnel. Stop at Levigliani for a visit to the Antro del Corchia, one of the largest karstic cavities in Italy and Europe. We are in the Unesco Geopark of the Apuan Alps. Seventy kilometres (the section explored) of natural tunnels opened by water in the bowels of the mountain. Visits for the public are limited to the first kilometre. But it will still be time well spent.

In the Footsteps of Michelangelo

Downhill again and you arrive in Seravezza, where Michelangelo used to make his patrols in search of the most precious marbles. The Palazzo Mediceo, part of the Unesco site of the Medici villas, is also worth a visit. A few kilometres and you reach Pietrasanta, a favourite place for artists and sculptors, rich in art galleries and culture. From there to the coast is an instant. In quick succession, cycling along an uninterrupted series of 'bagni' (bathing establishments), there is Marina di Pietrasanta, Lido di Camaiore and Viareggio, with the nostalgic elegance of its Art Nouveau buildings.

Those who still feel like cycling can continue through the coastal pine forest to Lake Massaciuccoli, where, in Torre del Lago, Giacomo Puccini had his 'buen ritiro' in a house that is now a museum, a place of worship for opera lovers. A cycle path inaugurated a few months ago and dedicated to the great musician leads to Lucca. Alternatively, one can continue southwards on the Ciclovia della Costa Toscana. But that is another story. Enjoy your ride!