Pontremoli, located on a plateau surrounded by hills and mountains, is the northernmost town in Tuscany and one of the most distinctive jewels of Lunigiana. The town offers a journey through history, filled with artistic heritage, monuments, medieval bridges, and cobbled streets—so much so that some historians identify Pontremoli with the mythical Apua, the ancient capital of the Ligurian-Apuan civilization.
The city is home to the Museum of Stele Statues, housed in the Castle of Piagnaro, where visitors can admire fascinating anthropomorphic sculptures dating from the Copper Age to the Roman era. The Cathedral (Duomo) features an interior lit in the "Ligurian" style, adorned with polychrome marble altars. The Campanone, a 14th-century tower, is a symbol of the city and a reminder of the historical conflicts between Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Teatro dell’Accademia della Rosa, with its Rococo architecture, is the oldest theater in the Apuan area. The Church of San Pietro, a historic stop along the Via Francigena, testifies to the passage of countless pilgrims.
Outside the city center lies the Convent of the Santissima Annunziata, a true gem featuring a magnificent temple and serene cloisters.
Pontremoli is also an ideal starting point for nature enthusiasts. The town is intersected by several historic routes—Via Francigena, Via del Volto Santo, Via degli Abati, and Via de Monti de Pontremolo—and surrounded by hiking trails and rivers offering breathtaking views of untouched nature. Just along the Magra River and the Via Francigena, in Groppodalosio, visitors can admire a picturesque Romanesque bridge from 1574. Among the area's natural wonders is the Stretti di Giaredo, a dramatic canyon carved by the Gordana stream, where the rock has been smoothed into striking formations.
