Where Liguria and Tuscany merge rises this beautiful valley: the Lunigiana. It takes its name from the city of Luna, an ancient port at the mouth of the Magra River, founded by the Romans around 200 BC. Its name seems to be due to the moon shape the port had, or the whiteness of the marble from the Carrara quarries.

Today Lunigiana identifies the upper valley of the Magra with its tributaries; but the boundaries of historical Lunigiana were much wider and included the two provinces of Massa Carrara and La Spezia, appendages of Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Lucca. Thus in the Middle Ages the province of Lunigiana was based on the dimensions of the ancient Roman colony then diocese of Luni. Of Luni and its history remain the stupendous ruins and the Museum a few hundred meters from the sea (Marinella di Sarzana), which can be visited daily. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. many peoples invaded Lunigiana, which has always remained a border territory enclosed between the Apennine passes and the sea.

The Malaspina family, which ruled over these lands in the medieval period, built a large number of castles and walled villages, of which today only a small part are in a good state of preservation, and a part of these open to the public with exhibitions and displays of undoubted interest throughout the year.

Camminacammina is the idea set in motion by the vie Francigene. The idea of the province of Parma,shared by Spezia, Massa and Lucca to create a hiking route along the ancient Via Francigena crossed the Apennines to reach the sea. A route halfway between trekking and history, between pilgrimage and art.
There are about 210 Km of nature, art and gastronomy that starting from the Po Valley reach through the great passes to Lunigiana then to the sea;or following the "Via del Volto Santo",in Garfagnana and then to Lucca. Camminacammina re-proposes a way of walking,of "slow" travel,according to one's own legs and spirit,suggesting the search for hospitality and overnight stay in minor structures,rediscovering the conviviality of small towns.

One cannot speak of Lunigiana without mentioning Sarzana. With the abandonment of Luni, due to its progressive silting up and the spread of malaria, the village of Sarzana developed around the year 1000, named after the Roman patrician Sergius who owned an estate where the town later developed. In 1204 the bishop's seat passed from Luni to Sarzana.

After the fall of the Conti Bishops, Sarzana was always contested by powerful neighboring municipalities-Genoa, Pisa, Lucca. Castruccio Castracani degli Anteminelli, lord of the latter, became lord of Sarzana as well and built there the fortress that still bears his name. Subsequently Sarzana passed through numerous domains such as Pisa, Genoa, Florence and the Visconti. In 1815 Sarzana entered the Kingdom of Piedmont and then the Kingdom of Italy.

Monuments to see:

-Roman Gate, is the entrance to the town from Via Roma
- The Cittadella, a military construction from 1488 built on behalf of Lorenzo the Magnificent
- Cathedral of Santa Maria dating from the 12th century
- Pieve di Sant'Andrea dating back to the 12th century
- Sarzanello or Castruccio Castracani fortress dating back to the 14th century

Carrara since ancient times the name of this city has been linked to that of marble.As early as Roman times the precious stone was quarried from the Apuan Alps. Since then, marble has been used for the creation of simple objects or for artistic works all over the world: made from the white marble of Carrara, an inseparable pair. In the workshops of the city,at the Marble Museum,or in open-air exhibitions it is possible to observe the great tradition frà the city and the working of this noble stone.The relationship of the community with marble is still visceral and annually events ( Collonata) are re-enacted that recall, how until recently, the marble was brought down to the valley: the blocks of marble once extracted from the mountain were tied with ropes and brought down by rolling over logs. The lizzatori stood around the block removing from behind and putting logs in front as the boulder slid . today all operations are mechanized but great remains the charm of the quarry.

Carrara with its port is a reference point for pleasant boat experiences to the islands of the Tuscan archipelago, to the 5 TERRE, and to theaquarium of Genoa.

The city offers tourists pleasant artistic interests such as the cathedral of St. Andrew or the monumental works scattered throughout the area.

Porto Venere is a picturesque resort located on the west coast of Italy, east of the famous Cinque Terre. This charming seaside resort is often considered a hidden gem and offers unique natural and historical beauty.

Porto Venere is located at the beginning of the Gulf of Poets in the region of Liguria. It offers breathtaking coastal scenery with sheer cliffs and crystal clear waters. The Cinque Terre, on the other hand, are famous for their picturesque towns built on cliffs.

Porto Venere is rich in history and culture. One of the highlights is the Doria Castle, an imposing medieval fortress located atop a hill overlooking the town and the sea.

Porto Venere is known for its Romanesque church of San Pietro, located on a promontory with a panoramic view of the bay. The historic center is charming, with cobblestone streets, quaint stores, and restaurants offering traditional Ligurian cuisine.