 Groppodalosio
La
Bedina is located in the small village of
Groppodalosio Inferiore near Pontremoli, in an area of
northern Tuscany called Lunigiana. Surrounded by the
verdant Appennino Tosco-Emiliano mountains
Groppodalosio, which is 520 meters above sea level,
has as its backdrop the rugged rocky outcrop of Monte
Orsaro (1,883 m). Although it is small, the village is
important in that it is located on the route of the
Via Francigena, an impressive footpath which
originally ran from Canterbury to Rome and was trodden
over the centuries by millions of pilgrims. In
medieval times Groppodalosio was an important crossing
point of the river Magra, a fact demonstrated by the
magnificent medieval bridge for which the village is
well known. This
wonderful bridge and the river Magra are situated
directly below the house and brave visitors who don’t
feel the cold can even go for a refreshing swim in the
heat of summer! The village is slowly coming back to
life, its abandoned houses start to be filed
with voices and perfumes again. The Val
d’Antena which is the name of the upper valley
of the river Magra, was called "The Gold
Valley" because rich in forests, water and good
productive land and important and wealthy families
lived here. While walking along the paths connecting
Groppodalosio with the neighbouring villages of
Pracchiola, Casalina, Barcola, and Previde’ or the
houses with the cultivated areas one can discover
again the life of past times. In June, in Casalina
there is the Fiera of San Matteo, the saint protecting
the valley.
 Pontremoli
Groppodalosio
is about 10 km (6 miles) from Pontremoli (15-20
minutes by car). The little town of Pontremoli owes
its name to the Latin Ponte Tremulus, a wobbly bridge
which crossed the river Magra during the time of
Arrigo VI (around 1100-1200 A.D.). Today Pontremoli is
a town with a rich cultural and artistic history. To
cross its ancient bridges, wander down its little
cobbled alleyways and across its unspoilt piazzas is
like leafing through a history book. Following the
alleyways uphill through the medieval part of the town
you will reach the Castello del Piagnaro which houses
the famous collection of prehistoric Statue Stele,
primitive monolithic sandstone sculptures which
meaning is still a mistery. In Pontremoli you can find
all commodities: shops, resaurants, banks, a post
office, pharmacies, sport facilities (swimming pool, a
golf club, tennis courts etc). It hosts also important
events such as the Bancarella Book Prize, or
Medievalis, or tipical fiere like those of San pietro
in June or San Terenziano in September.
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Lunigiana Lunigiana
is in the extreme north of Tuscany enclosed by the
Appennino Tosco-Emiliano mountains, the Alpi Apuane,
and the Ligurian Sea. It takes its name from the
ancient Roman settlement of Luni, the fascinating
archaeological site of which is located on the nearby
Ligurian coast. Due to its strategic position between
Emilia Romagna, Liguria and Tuscany, Lunigiana was an
important junction for routes connecting the north of
Italy, France and Spain with Rome and the
Mediterranean. It has always been a passing place for
pilgrims and traders who have brought with them not
just goods but also culture, ideas, and history. These
are the factors that make Lunigiana such a unique and
attractive region to those that visit it. Passing
through its ancient hamlets with their cobbled
streets, medieval bridges, and market places you
immediately feel that you have discovered a magical
place where the past comes back to life. It is a land
to explore and discover, still not well know to mass
tourism: you can explore it on foot or horse back on
the well developed net of hiking trails from the
heights of the Appennine to the foce of Fiume Magra on
the coast, or by car along ancient roads or in its
restaurants tasting local foods and drinking doc wines
such as Colli di Luni.
The province of Massa Carrara The
Province of Massa Carrara is situated in the
northernmost part of Tuscany, in the centre of
wonderful places such as the Golfo dei Poeti, the “Cinque
Terre” and Tuscan art
cities. Here, the nature has created a perfect harmony
between the land and the sea. In the province you can
find jewels such as the Apuan Alps, the marble
quarries of Carrara, the magic land of Lunigiana. The
Apuan Alps are magnificent mountain chain. its peaks
and slopes remind the morphology of the Alps in
northern Italy. From their heights you can enjoy
fantastic and unique views of the sea. The marble
quarries, although they represent a threat to the
Apuan environment, offer some of the most unique
landscapes in the world. We are sure that the view on
the marble quarries and the Apuan coast from Piazzale
dell'Ucceliera in Campo Cecina will take your breath
away. All the territory of the province is rich in
castles which recall to the memory the battles made
for the occupation of this small part of Tuscany. The
quiet Romanesque parishes attract you with their
medieval mysticism. Their ancient stone
structures saw many pilgrims stopping there during
their walk to the north, to France, to England, to
Spain and to all the Faith places along the well known
Via Francigena (called also Francesca o Romea). Along
these ancients roads were raised many villages, that
today offer the opportunity to see many artworks,
created by great masters from Lucca, Genua, Milan,
Florence and from France or to taste local typical
food product and delicacies, such as Lardo di
Colonnata, Testaroli with pesto sauce, Chestnut honey,
Panigacci, Mushrooms, Torte d’erbi (Herb Quiche),
Chestnut bread. Do not forget to taste local wines,
the two DOCs Candia dei Colli Apuani and Colli
di Luni and the IGT Val di Magra and Golfo dei Poeti.
 Tuscany
The
geographical location of Lunigiana gives you easy
access to a diverse range of fascinating locations
such as the classic Tuscan towns of Lucca, Florence,
and Siena, the region of Emilia Romagna with Bologna
and Parma. Or you easily reach the beaches of Versilia
in Forte dei Marmi or Viareggio for a perfect
suntanning treatment, or you can discover by boat one
of the islands of the Arcipelago Toscano such as
Capraia or Gorgona. You can choose to travel trough
time by visiting the Etruscan Coast in Maremma and the
archaeological parks of Populonia and Baratti. If you
get tired of archaeology you can always choose to swim
and refresh in the blue water of the Baratti Gulf. And
why not treat yourself with a day at the thermal spa
of Venturina near Livorno or of Equi Terme in
Lunigiana? Everywhere do not forget to taste the well
known Tuscan cuisine.
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