Massa Carrara in May - Bagnone

It's Saturday in May and the traffic is quite light. We get off the motorway towards La Spezia a little way after the Cisa Pass at Pontremoli and then take the ordinary road towards Villafranca in Lunigiana where we eat a not really worth mentioning lunch after visiting the outside of the decidedly worth visiting Pieve di Sorano. 

Outside, because it is unfortunately closed. The Via Francigena passes by here and while the church is closed the information office is open and we pick up a few leaflets. 

Then we head up to Bagnone, which you have probably never heard of and definitely should have. We go into the historical centre and then turn left and find parking near the Carabinieri. Bagnone is situated in the Alta Lunigiana area, places forgotten both by modern development and tourism and surrounded by woods. The town gets its name from the Bagnone stream which runs through it and provided water for the ancient mills which provided work and income for its inhabitants of old. 

It's a really charming and picturesque medieval 'Borgo' with ancient houses clustered below the castle and around the stream. The most interesting buildings are the castle and the two churches of Santa Maria and San Rocco. 

We go up to the castle, of course, although it's closed, and a little way along a path next to the stream. It's a delightful place to spend a couple of hours wandering around and taking photos, well cared for with flowerpots everywhere, and of course we stop for a coffee. It's a pleasant Saturday in May but there are only a few locals around, even under the arches in front of the few shops, yet well worth a stop.

We continue our journey down to the coast and soon arrive in Marina di Massa and find our apartment in a pleasant enough block of holiday flats but with a depressing view over a semiabandoned industrial estate, oh well. It's early enough to go for a walk around the centre of Marina di Massa, nice, but nothing special a typical Italian seaside town which is mostly modern. We then stop at a large Carrefour supermarket to stock up on fresh fish, so all in all it's a good start to our short holiday in Marina di Massa in May.