We are not the only family in Italy at the moment, and the planning process is always focused on discovery during our travels. The official sources were Castiglione di Garfagnana and, more importantly, B&B II Casale Delle Pianacce. So we met up with Robin and Ken at La Spezia and the next morning we caught our train with a change at Aula Lunigiana for our next destination.
Castiglione (we used ‘di Garfagnana’, obviously not referring to other Castigliones in Italy) is located in the Tuscan hills. Located on a sunny hill with a beautiful view. It has a vibrant culture, small population, beautiful scenery and changing scenery. Coin deposits around the village date to the late Middle Ages. The village was involved in a power struggle at the time, destroyed by Luca for supporting Pisa, and remained loyal to Luca after Luca built a wall for Castiglione against the King of Modena.
These days, planning can be a bit more of a stage. Castiglione is in the mountains. Several trains bound for Lucca took us to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana station, a few kilometers from the city center. After consulting the bus routes provided by Google Maps and asking many people, we reached the city and found a bus stop. It was a large parking lot and every 30 meters there was a sign on the sidewalk. Knowing that our bus will leave at any time and the next bus will leave in three hours, we immediately put up an advertisement with the bus route number and time. To their relief, when we found the right bus, it was on its way.
The bus driver knew his route well (he traveled the same route as us) and was fast. Rocks, stones, oncoming traffic – no problem. The bus was not big but the driver was experienced. It was payback time, and he was still running. We were too late to figure out how to do it, but no problem, they didn’t charge us, we found it right in front of where we were staying, even though it was a bit off the road. Great work!
The B&B is a great way up the mountain. Very nice and quiet place. The owner Giovanni was welcoming and helpful. Breakfast is served. Morning coffee in Italy is like a cornetto/croissant/brioche. We also offer other pastries, juices and yogurts. All other meals are at the foot of Mt. It was the dream: no car and no public transport. But no problem. we can walk And we did.
There were many places to eat in the area. The nearest one is a mile away, the others further away. Our first descent down the hill confirmed our impression that many drivers were just like us. We tend to stay on the right side of the road on smaller roads.
There were plenty of locals in Osteria Leon. We stayed out and after an hour or two, after a few drinks and a nice meal, we headed back to the mountains. It was getting dark. We didn’t make it, but I left a gun I brought back from Quebec a few years ago. It’s not a big deal, but it’s frustrating.
The next day we visited another hut in a village called Colemandina and then went to a bar for lunch. We couldn’t find the right time, but Lorenzo was happy to make an antipasto that kept the four of us full until the evening closed. We returned to the hill we thought we would return to. That evening we went to the place where I lost my coat, but unfortunately we were not done.
We walked down the hill a few times, around Osteria a few times, and then back to Osteria Leone a few times, and a staff member took my hat off. Lots of laughter and applause. I suspect it may not be a regular fit, but I really appreciated its return.
We headed back to Lorenzo’s where we had a wonderful lunch of tagliata di manzo with freshly picked porcini mushrooms. Lorenzo is a young man, and I am sure he will serve good food for a long time.
One of the reasons I write this blog is to help us remember special places and events. I won’t try to cover everything, I’m sure we’ll try to tell someone in the future.
I’m pretty sure we’re talking about Osteria Senso Unico, inside the Castle Walls of Castiglione. It was a small place and tastefully decorated. There was an employee running the room, a mix of tourists – four of us – and a large local family. We ordered an elongated pasta with white grass to share and a homemade caramel panna cotta with a salad. Robin and Ken also had chicken fish which they said was delicious. It was made even more memorable by the waitresses, who anticipated everyone’s needs—portioning food as needed, sorting drinks, dealing with spills. Very attentive and capable.
La Taverna di Monica e Silvano is a relatively new venture in the area. There is an upper floor at street level, but the main room is a large brick room with an entrance below. Chef rides a motorcycle and meets these bikers. The food was good and the menu was different from the local cuisine. We had tagliolini with truffles and bacon and turkey. Robin and Ken were upset. Prosecco and a local red were good.
In fact, our stay here only introduced us to the locals: we were intrigued by the variety of fine dining options available in a small rural area.
Hiking in the mountains is not just about finding places to eat and drink. The area is known for its hiking trails, which is one reason why young and fit people flock here. The old method is still used. One of the oldest is a section of Via Matildica del Volto Santo (more details about this can be found on the English and Italian websites). We tried to follow part of it back to the town of Pieve Fosiana, but having no map and no prior plan, when we reached a point where one path went straight and the other down, we turned. There was no indication to turn back and take any path.
As it turned out, the trip was wise and even responsible. We had great food and wine for the 5 days we were in Castiglione and never once worried that we were going back to the B&B. And we have taken many steps. One of our hikes was about 20 km.
