Discovering the Hidden Charm of Pieve Fosciana: A Journey Through History and Tradition

Hello dear friends,

Today, once again, I want to share with you a place I discovered during my work-related travels. I had passed by this spot several times but never had the chance to stop. This time, however, I had a bit more time, so I managed to explore it in greater detail.

I’m talking about Pieve Fosciana, a small village located in the legendary Garfagnana region, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. It’s not very easy to find this place, but fortunately, the Wordmappin map can help you perfectly. We’re talking about a town with more than 2,000 inhabitants, with its first settlements dating back to Roman times, as evidenced by several archaeological findings.
When I arrived, the first thing that struck me was definitely the parallel rows of beautiful, colorful houses. But once you step inside the village, you come across these ever-so-narrow streets, and it starts to feel like a very intricate maze.

During my walk, I noticed some historic buildings, probably from a more recent era, as well as some artistic works displayed on the walls of one of these houses.

As I continued my stroll, I came across an old fountain that is still in use, with icy cold water flowing from it. Occasionally, you can spot plaques commemorating people of significance who were born in these houses. For instance, one plaque noted that this was the birthplace of Carlo Aldini, a silent film actor—likely from the early 1900s cinema era.

Further along, in one of the house windows, there was a small nativity scene on display. I must say it fit perfectly with the charm of these village streets. In fact, a Tuscan friend of mine told me that setting up nativity scenes is somewhat of a tradition here, and it’s carried on in many of these villages.

Eventually, I found myself in front of what I believe is the Pieve (the parish church) that gave the village its name. Naturally, curiosity got the better of me, and since I had the chance to enter, I took it. Inside, I saw some beautiful works of art. Although the church was quite simple, not overly adorned with frescoes or ornate altars, it was well-maintained and very interesting to visit.

After spending about half an hour inside the church, I continued walking through the village streets. In the distance, I noticed some hearts hanging—likely remnants from Valentine’s Day celebrations. I don’t think they had much to do with Christmas, but they added a touch of charm.

I also noted how narrow the alleys were at times; if you’re not careful, you might end up in a dead end. As I continued, I stumbled upon what seemed to be an ancient washhouse, where they had placed a statue of a woman washing clothes. I’ve seen several washhouses in these villages because they were once the only way to do laundry.

To conclude, like in most of these villages, there was a monument dedicated to one of the World Wars—sad reminders of our country’s difficult history.

I hope the photos I shared were interesting, and as always, I hope I’ve introduced you to an intriguing place that isn’t very well-known in the tourist circuit. Soon, when I’m on holiday, I plan to visit some Christmas markets, which I’ll definitely share with you here. In the meantime, I wish you all a great start to your week!