Garfagnana, also called the Upper Serchio Valley, is enclosed between the peaks of the Apuan Alps and the dense forests of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
Entirely traversed by the Serchio River, the Garfagnana offers a wide variety of landscapes, from the rocky mountains of the Alps to the gentler hills of the Apennines, passing through medieval villages with their majestic castles and fortifications without neglecting nature reserves, caves and pilgrim routes.
Our itinerary touched on Borgo a Mozzano with its spectacular Devil’s Bridge, Fornoli with the Chain Bridge, Fornovolasco and the Grotta del Vento, Eremo di Calomini with fabulous lunch in a farmhouse, and Trassalico with its Rocca.
We continued next to Pescia with a visit to Pinocchio Park, to Pistoia with a visit to the Zoo and Pistoia Sotterranea, and finally to Lucca, which remained on the way home.
2-day itinerary in Garfagnana
We devoted two days to visiting Garfagnana, and they were just right for taking our time to see the places we had set out to see. Having more time on my hands, I would have added the Orecchiella State Nature Reserve (open from April to October) about 40 minutes from Barga, where we could take more or less strenuous nature walks and observe bears and deer inside the enclosures.
➽ 1° day – Devil’s Bridge, Chain Bridge, Barga (hotel).
➽ 2° day – Fornovolasco e Grotta del Vento, Eremo di Calomini, Rocca di Trassalico.
The attractions are all within a very short distance, and sleeping in Barga in our opinion was a good place to break the itinerary in half.
Where to sleep in Garfagnana with children
In the hills of the historic town of Barga, we found an apartment surrounded by greenery, perfect for families! It is called Agriturismo Chioi and it is truly exceptional for those who appreciate farm vacations: you can find chickens, sheep, goats and rabbits as well as a large garden with barbecue and swimming pool. The managers are very kind and in the morning they make very fresh eggs available for those who want to eat them – Book here.
When to go to Garfagnana with children
The best time to visit Garfagnana in our opinion is from March to December because in these months you can find so many festivals and festivals in the various municipalities of Garfagnana such as the Valley of Oil (March) or the Azalea Festival (April) in Borgo a Mozzano, the Wheat Threshing in Barga (July), the Apuan Alps in Festival in Careggine (August), the Chestnut Festival in Bagni di Lucca (October), and the Barga Cioccolata in Barga (December).
For more detailed information, you can check out the Garfagnana events site.
We went in the spring and the meadows were all in bloom as well as finding optimal temperature for touring.
