The Market Town of Sarzana – one of the unforseen delights of my road trip around Liguria, is just a short drive inland from Lerici and the Gulf of Poets. This area is home to numerous Villages that dot the hills between Sarzana and Lerici – all within easy reach of La Spezia.
There is so much to explore off the beaten track in this whole area
What surprises me is that Sarzana seems to be little known outside of Italy, yet this vibrant Medieval Market Town with a population of over 21 000, is so well situated to expore and enjoy the whole Gulf of Poets Area. The beaches of Lerici are a 15 min drive away, and from there you can take a ferry to Portovenere and to the Cinque Terre as well as Levanto and Portofino.
You can also get into Tuscany- around Pisa and Lucca by train, or by car in under an hours drive.
The charm of Sarzana lies within the Old Walled part of the town and its elegant central piazza. The cobbled lanes meandering through the town are lined with coffee shops as well as antique stores and elegant boutiques. In a strange way it really made me feel asif this town is a bit of a blend of a typical colourful Ligurian town with some of its buildings and yet it has a distinctly Tuscan feel in other ways,
some areas with wider streets and less colourful areas that made me thing of Lucca for a second – and 2 old walled castles just add to that.In the summer months Sarzana often hosts festivals from concerts to dining in the piazza, as well as open air events set up along the lanes, and there are also monthly antique markets on Sundays, which I’m determined to see on my next trip out.
This area offers the luxury of a relaxing holiday as well as allowing you to dart in and out of world famous historical areas and sights.
Sarzana lies about 15 km east of La Spezia and it is only 9km / about a 15 min drive to the beaches of Lerici. It is also on the Rail line to Pisa – the train trip takes just over 50 min, and by car its about a 45min drive, which suddenly makes you realize that Sarzana is so well situated you have a world to explore within arms reach really – from Tuscan towns within under and hour, to beaches around the Gulf Of Poets, where you can get to the Cinque Terre by Ferry or Train. Exploring and
meadering the area between Lerici and Sarzana can feel like a bit of a roller coaster road trip as you drive up and down winding roads to get to old villages like Vezzano and Arcola. In quite a few of these villages the older parts of the villages lie at the top of the hill and in time the villages expanded at the bottom of the hill and in some cases this continues, so you can be driving past supermarkets and newer apartments generally built close to train stations, then minutes later up the hill you are in a different world and lost in time.
Winding back towards the coast and River Magra Iie the areas of Ameglia and a small hidden gem of a place called Montemarcello with its beautiful Church of San Pietro which to me was larger and more ornate than I would have expected for such a small village. There are stunning views and it is home to the Regional Natural Park of Montemarcello- Magra. It is ideal for cycling and hiking and you can go horse riding along the river area. There are also 2 stunning secluded beaches – the most popular one called Punta Corvo – which you access via a forest trail down to the shore, or by boat from Bocca Di Magra.
Only 6km away from Montemarcello lies the traditional fishing village of Bocca di Magra – which is surrounded by the river and sea and offers stunning views of the snow capped Apuan Alps. Here you can rent a boat from the Marina to explore the river and coast, or buy fish fresh off the the boat.
When visiting Sarzana, the main focus will be in and around the Piazza Matteotti and the 2 castles. Piazza Matteotti is the centre of life in the town and is a large square surrounded by a fair number of interesting buildings, some with arcades and others are now cafes and restaurants.
When there you must try some of Sarzana’s traditional cuisine which includes dishes such as Farinata ..flatbread made from Chickpea Flour. Trofie, Trenette & Pansoti Pasta and the best Pesto ever. Not to mention Sweet Cakes and Chestnuts and Mushrooms which are also an important part of the regions Cusine.
