The Liberties
Barga, Tuscany

We have 2 public pools. One is 15 min walk from the house, the other is a 10 min drive. The local one is spacious with plenty of sunbeds and an onsite café or walk across the road to Fratelli Rossi’s for Pranzo. The other is nestled within the mountain with an outstanding view over Barga. Definitely worth the drive. Needs to be pre booked through what’s app as it’s much smaller. Great value café onsite and very friendly staff. It’s in Albiano. Make a day of it and the local village restaurant opens at 7 where you could finish off your day with an evening meal there. It’s called La Terrazza.

Cold and refreshing river swimming is the best way to cool down. There is one just 20 minute walk from the house by ponte di Catangnana. However I recommend hopping in the car for 10 mins, packing a picnic (picnic cool bag in the house) and heading for the railway river. You park at a disused train station (Castelvecchio Pascoli) walk through the pathway that leads you to a pebble beach underneath the railway line. Or walk up and pitch your self on the verge where the cool breeze is very welcoming! Take a large rubber ring for the kids to slide down the natural weir. A great day out which is amongst locals! If you fancy walking back across the bridge there is a lovely restaurant that do a great Pranzo. Osteria al Ritrovo del Planteno. A 25-30 min drive takes you to the verni pools. Has a few different areas to experience the freezing cold water which is amazing on those hot summer days. Also has a few high jump off points for those dare devil kids! Make sure to pack those little wet water shoes. You can grab them in the local ABC store at a very reasonable price.

Hill walking is a must in this area. Make sure you head out early in the summer months but spring and autumn are perfect conditions to experience everything this area has to offer. The walk to Monte Forato is a firm favourite. Also known as the “lying down man” it is a 10k 840m elevation walk immersed in the spectacular nature and landscape of the garfagnana. The route starts in Fornovolasco which is about a 35 min drive from the house. The beginning is steep but it levels out. Very easy to navigate with coloured signs and ground conditions are good. Make sure you’ve packed your walking boots for this. I can’t explain how much this walk is worth doing. The views and sense of achievement at the top is unbelievable. There are many other smaller local walks including the Roman road from Barga to the hilltop village of Sommocolonia. We have recommendations for local guides and quite often use Stafano from Wild Trail Guides. He does a lovely walk in the Lucca hills which meanders through a small winery where he’ll organise a tasting and lunch! Cinque terre which is only 1 ½ hours drive has great trails too which are easily followed through hiking apps or follow the tourist route through the villages. There are far too many trails to mention but I guarantee there’s a walk to suit everyone.

If cycling is more your thing Il Ciocco bike circle is only a 10 min drive. Here you can rent mountain E-bikes on either a half day or full day basis. They have many trails including country, family, panoramic, exploring as well as endurance for those thrill seekers among you! This is a fantastic day out with all equipment available. At the bottom of this mountain is a lovely family restaurant and pizzeria if you want to finish your day off with dinner. Uncle Meo’s. Plenty of variety.

Zip lining, paddle boarding, canyoning, river swimming, paddle yoga all under one roof? Absolutely! Canyon park in Bagni di Lucca is a 40 min drive away. It has it all. Everything can be booked online with a time that suits you. Check out their website to pick the activity to suit you. We as a family go here on a yearly basis. I can’t recommend it enough. If you plan it right there is a really nice restaurant about 3k from the park which is our go to. Bar tipo Gigio. Always busy 1-2 so either pre book or go at 2! If your thinking you’d like a little more of an adrenaline rush then check out Adrenalima.it. It offers a white water rafting experience. They can offer a soft experience too! These places are great to do all of these activities without the commercial end of things that we quite often experience in larger cities or more touristy destinations. The simplicity of the set up is what makes it so special. The scenery is stunning and more important there is an activity to suit everyone in the group.

Private chef...This is an absolute must if you have a group. Francesco from Wild Food Lab will curate a menu to suit using locally sourced and foraged ingredients. Start your evening off with an aperitivo downstairs in the cool bar area where you be contacted by Francesco when appetisers are ready. Because of the lay out of the kitchen this experience is fantastic. He will explain his cooking method and ingredients used while being situated in the centre while serving you. Francesco can organise a wine pairing for you if desired or use the lovely local wine you’ve purchased from la Cantina del vino! It’s your choice on the amount of courses you want. This is a five star evening all within the comforts of your own house. Retire to the bar area for a night cap. Should you wish the bar to be stocked for your group feel free to contact us directly.

Should you wish to have fridge stocked or some light shopping arranged please feel free to ask. We can also organise some large portions of ragu or tomato sauces from local restauranteurs should you want to take an easy option for feeding little mouths!

Lucca...Bus leaves from Barga direct or train from Fornaci di Barga which is a 10 min drive. Or you can drive there in 40 minutes. There are many car parks just outside the walls which are very reasonable. This walled city is simply wonderful. All the charm of an Italian city but small enough to explore in one day. Hire bikes and cycle around the walls, climb the many towers to see the view of the city, walk through the narrow streets and pop into the beautiful cathedrals throughout. Lucca has some fantastic artists playing throughout the summer so keep an eye out on luccafest to see who’s playing. There are many restaurants to choose from. One of my favourites but must be pre booked is Osteria da Pasqualino Gubitosa. Super food and an even better wine list. Make sure to ask for recommendations but beware as his enthusiasm for wine can linger! Definitely sit in the anfiteatro to experience this wonderful piazza. For a more casual meal try sottosotto. For wine tasting or even just a nice glass of wine with local cheeses and meats try Enoteca Vanni. Treat yourself to a nice bottle to take home. Next door there is a whiskey cellar if you fancy trying some. And for the best cocktails try Franklin 33. Lucca is too close to you not to go! Bare in mind buses and trains normally finish up around 8 so unless your driving make sure to plan around this.

Florence...Again bus direct from Barga or train from Fornaci di Barga. You normally have to change train in Pisa but it’s normally only a 10 min wait. The train system in Italy is great and the app tells you what platform you need etc. It is a very reasonable mode of transport and parking is very expensive in Florence. First word of advise, if Florence is on your list make sure to pre book any museums or galleries you would like to visit. Don’t be disappointed as they book up well in advance and every single one is worth visiting. They are truly stunning. Find your sandwich shop and indulge in what Florence is famous for and buy an aperol spritz from you little window in the wall! There are more than 150 of these throughout the city. If you want to experience one of these by a café try Babae Firenze south of the river. Don’t let the queue put you off. It’s worth it. And you meet so many different people travelling around Italy with loads of tips! Florence is hot in the summer months and busy so consider a spring or autumn break to see it more comfortably.

Pisa... direct bus from Barga or train from Fornaci di Barga. A very accessible city only a short walk from the train station. It has lots to offer in terms of shopping, restaurants, cafes etc and of course the leaning tower. But Pisa has an astounding amount of churches and cathedrals to explore along with many palaces. It’s architecture is stunning. Or stroll through art museums and stumble upon the vast piazzas.

Viareggio...direct bus or train. A day at the beach is a must. Only 1 hr 20 minute drive and easy parking. The shop and hotel lined promenade hides the amazing beach which is adorned with beach restaurants, cafes and bars. Book a bed and umbrella at one of the many huts and take in the lovely breeze. The shallow water is perfect for younger kids and it is well supervised with lifeguards at every section. Relax at the beachfront bars to enjoy an aperitivo watching the sun go down and finish your day with the freshest seafood listening to the waves.

Cinque Terre...recommend to drive as public transport can take 4 hours or more. Driving is 2 hours. There isn’t anything I can say about this area except go! It is breathtakingly beautiful with a pathway that takes you through the 5 amazing villages or a train which can be boarded in the port town of La Spezia. Every visit here brings a different outlook. Explore at your leisure and make sure to grab a gelato and hang your feet in the water. Explore any time of year.