Liguria · La Spezia
Castelnuovo Magra
A ridge village on the Liguria-Tuscany border where Dante Alighieri signed the 1306 Peace of Castelnuovo on behalf of the Malaspina marquises.
58 km / 36 mi
Nearest hub (Pisa)
8,262
Population
Apr–Oct
Best time to visit
Recognised as
Why come
Castelnuovo Magra sitson the last ridge of Liguria before the Magra river marks the Tuscan border. The bishop-counts of Luni built the stronghold here between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries; the surviving Turris Magna anchors the centro storico above the surrounding vineyards. On 6 October 1306, Dante Alighieri, in exile and a guest of the Malaspina, signed the Peace of Castelnuovo as procurator for the marquises, ending decades of conflict between the Malaspina and the bishops of Luni and effectively closing the bishops' temporal power. The Via Francigena passes through on its descent toward Sarzana and the Magra plain. The terraced slopes around the village grow Vermentino DOC Colli di Luni, the sapid white that defines this corner of eastern Liguria. La Pace di Dante reenactment, in period costume, marks the anniversary of the 1306 treaty each October.
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Gallery
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Known for
Turris Magna
Surviving tower of the twelfth-century castle-palace of the bishop-counts of Luni, the dominant feature of the centro storico skyline.
Castello dei Vescovi di Luni
Ruins and surviving wing of the bishop-counts' fortified residence, where the 1306 Peace of Castelnuovo was signed in Dante's presence.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena
Parish church of the centro storico, holding a fifteenth-century Calvary attributed to the Brueghel circle.
Via Francigena
The Sigeric route passes the ridge on its descent toward Sarzana and the Magra crossing, with marked sections through olive groves.
Vigneti Colli di Luni
Terraced vineyards on the slopes below the village, producing Vermentino DOC Colli di Luni.
When to visit
Best months · Apr–Oct
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
April through June and September into October are the dry months on this ridge above the Magra. The vineyards green in spring and color in autumn. The Vermentino harvest runs from late August into September. La Pace di Dante reenactment falls in early October on the anniversary of the 1306 treaty, with period costume and procession through the centro storico. July and August are hot at 188 meters but the sea breeze reaches the ridge. November through March is quiet. The Francigena pilgrims thin out. The wine cellars open by appointment.
How to get there
From Pisa, Castelnuovo Magra is roughly 58 km by road. Allow about 50–70 minutes depending on traffic and route choice (autostrada vs scenic).
Drive time to the nearest gateway airports
- Florence / Pisa1h 8m
- Genoa1h 38m
- Bologna2h 26m
Elevation 188 m
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