The best traffic-free bike rides around Fosdinovo

The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Castelnuovo Magra is a must-see for anyone visiting the village. Built on the foundations of a pre-existing structure, its current elegant structure, in late Renaissance and Baroque style, dates back to the 17th century. The church is historically known for housing the "Crucifixion" by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. This masterpiece, which arrived in Castelnuovo Magra in the 19th century, has been at the center of complex conservation issues, including two foiled theft attempts over the years. After careful restoration, the work was transferred to the Museo Lia in La Spezia for conservation and security reasons and is therefore unfortunately no longer visible inside the church.

The entire stretch is affected by cycle path development/modernization works, and is inaccessible 🚳.

Of the five gates that once provided access to the town, Porta Romana and Porta Parma remain on the opposite side. We are on the ancient Via Romea, and today's Via Mazzini is a vestige of it. Its current appearance, clad in white Carrara marble, dates back to 1783; on the exterior is the coat of arms of Genoa and, higher up, a statue of Mary.

It was built on the area where the parish church of San Basilio once stood, starting in 1204. Construction work ended in 1474 with the completion of the upper part of the façade by Leonardo Riccomanni. Following the completion of the work, in 1735 the statues of Saint Eutychiano in the centre, of Sergius IV on the left and of Nicholas V on the right were placed on the façade. The building, which represents the sum of all the historical-artistic production of Sarzana and the Magra Valley, has been elevated to a minor basilica. It preserves, among other works, the crucifix by Mastro Gugliermo (1138), the first dated example of a painted cross in the history of art.

The building of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, erected on the area occupied by the previous parish church of San Basilio, is consequent to the transfer of the bishop's seat from Luni to Sarzana in 1204. È assai probabile che i lavori siano effettivamente iniziati solo alla fine del secolo XIII. In 1355, the lower part of the façade was completed (as recalled by the inscription engraved on the marble architrave of the portal), while in 1474 Lorenzo Riccomanni da Pietrasanta created the rose window that adorns the upper part. The construction of the bell tower also dates back to the 15th century, while between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the two side bodies flanking the marble façade were built to open the six internal chapels. Also dating back to the 18th century are the statues placed at the crowning of the building depicting three important exponents of the Lunigiana church: Pope Sergius IV, St. Eutichiano and Nicholas V. The interior with three wide naves divided by octagonal pillars and covered by a valuable wooden coffered ceiling, created in 1670 by Pietro Giambelli from Pisa, preserves important testimonies of art and faith: among them, the Reliquary of the Precious Blood of Christ and the painted Cross by Mastro Guglielmo, a cornerstone of Italian Romanesque painting, signed and dated 1138. (c) https://visitsarzana.it/cathedral-santa-maria-assunta/

Porta Romana is one of the historic entrances to the center of Sarzana, dating back to the 15th century, once an entry point along the Via Francigena. It preserves the city's identity and is a symbol of continuity between past and present.

The beautiful and imposing marble monument, carved from white Carrara marble from the Apuan Alps, dates back to 1914. It is dedicated to the legendary Giuseppe Garibaldi and is the work of the sculptor and artist Carlo Fontana. Overlooking Piazza Garibaldi (namesake of the great hero of two worlds), founded in the 19th century, is the Impavidi Theatre, built on the initiative of a group of private citizens of Sarzana, on an area previously occupied by the church and the Dominican Convent. The theatre was inaugurated in 1809 and is among the oldest historic theatres in the Liguria region. (c) https://share.google/BfaHC76OuiZolWCMB

It definitely requires training