Hello dear friends,
Next week I'll be on vacation. I haven't quite decided what to do or where to go yet, but I'll definitely be exploring more interesting places to share with you here. And surely, I'll use this time to meet some of my dear friends whom I haven't seen for a long time, and I'm really looking forward to that.
But today, truth be told, I realized that when I was in the Lunigiana area, a place I've already mentioned in my previous posts, there are so many interesting spots and many beautiful, quaint villages. One in particular caught my attention not only because it's architecturally stunning but also because it has a really funny name: it's called Virgoletta, and it's a hamlet of Villafranca in Lunigiana, a place deeply connected to the Malaspina family and, especially, if any of you are passionate about hiking, the Via Francigena passes through here, one of the most important pilgrimage routes in Italy.
As you can see from the initial photos I shared, many of the houses are adaptations of the old city walls that probably surrounded the village. I must say, I'm always speechless in front of these beautiful constructions that have endured over all these years.
Parts of this place are always so picturesque, like the main street where I took a couple of photos. And then, as I continued my walk, I came across a gentleman taking care of some small kittens. Cats are always like the lords of these places; unfortunately, because in my opinion, many of these cats aren't neutered, they continue to reproduce.
The church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio also looked very nice, but unfortunately, it wasn't open to visitors.
As I continued my walk, I could see how narrow the streets are in this place, and unfortunately, I also noticed some disorder from the people who live here, unlike other villages I've visited in Tuscany. However, these winding streets inside the village are a true maze; it only takes a moment to get lost.
Actually, I ended up in the castle area. Don't imagine the classic castle; let's say its architecture has been modified over the years, and now it looks more like a manor house. But from there, you can enjoy a great view all around the village. And finally, I recommend taking a look at the fountains; Virgoletta is famous for its picturesque and very ancient fountains.
I have to be honest, they're not very well maintained. People should have a bit more respect for these artistic assets, but they're definitely worth seeing.
In conclusion, I can say I was very satisfied with this exploration. It wasn't the village that impressed me the most overall, but I must say how it was built is truly unique, and it's definitely worth a visit.
I hope you enjoyed the photos and that they virtually took you along with me on this journey. See you next time, and I wish you all a good day!