We stayed just outside Barga in Tuscany for almost a month in September 2022. It is a delightful hilltop town about 37 km north of Lucca by road.
And it can be very Scottish!
Weird but true.
During the time we were there they had a whole weekend of activities planned to celebrate their Scottish heritage (so perfect timing which we have a happy knack of doing – see our visit to Oberammergau for another example)
On offer were Whisky tastings, Scottish dancing, displays of different clan kilts, literature about Scotland and so on. The weirdest of all – to us anyway – was the number of Italians wearing kilts and speaking English with a broad Scots accent! Needless to say it was great fun.
The origins of this cultural quirk go back to the end of the 19th Century when Italians from Barga started heading to Scotland for work and business opportunities. Over the years both money and people have returned from Scotland to Barga thus ensuring the strong Scottish link is maintained and celebrated.
But Also Very Italian
But Barga has so much more to offer. For one, it’s a small place that is not overrun with tourists, even at the height of the tourist season. Once we had driven into town we could park and walk just about everywhere, including up to the old town.
There are lots of restaurants and bars scattered about both the old town and the commercial centre of town. Some are not obvious to the casual passerby, while others stand out and invite you in to sample their fare.
We were introduced to the Pasticceria Fratelli Lucchesi on our first day and it became our favourite spot for a morning coffee and pastry. We also used to stop in there to partake in the delightful Italian practice of Aperitivo if we were coming through town in the late afternoon or early evening.
Sometimes we did both on the same day! 🙂
Superman Has a Change Room in Barga
When you walk from the commercial area of town across the bridge to the entrance of the old town, you will come across one of Superman’s changing stations.
Well actually, you will come across an old fashioned red telephone booth. It’s stuck on the side of the road and although Superman has not yet been seen in the vicinity, there is an amazing array of free books inside the booth. A good proportion of them are in English.
When you are traveling like we are, space is at a premium and so having a free library available was a real plus. We borrowed a few books, read them and returned them before we left although I don’t think there is any requirement to return them to the same spot.
Old Town Barga
The old or original town is perched on a ridge with the Duomo dominating the skyline. It’s best to park outside and walk into the area as the streets are narrow and twisting. Residents of the old town do drive in and park over night but you need to know where you are going and how long and wide your car is – to the last millimeter!
But its actually best to walk so that you don’t miss out on all the restaurants, shops and art galleries tucked away around every corner. We spent many an evening just wandering around the old town taking in the sights and sounds of life in a small Italian town.
Mushrooms Everywhere
September is mushroom gathering season in the fields around Barga. Almost everywhere we went there were people in the fields picking the daily crop of mushrooms. Interestingly – for us at least – was that this explosion of mushrooms was mirrored on the menus of the local restaurants. Some even had entirely separate menus of mushroom dishes on offer over this time. Talk about eating local!
Have You Heard of a Spinone Italiano?
No, nor had we. But we met one and looked after her for a while and what a delight!
We are actually talking about an ancient breed of Italian hunting dog. It has a long history but came perilously close to dying out after WW2. Luckily, although still not numerically strong, the breed has gained some traction and is on the comeback path.
And so it should be because, if our example is anything to go by, they are a breed that deserves to flourish. They make ideal family dogs, as well as hunting dogs. They hardly ever bark, are gentle and loyal but do need to have space.
How to get to Barga?
We arrived via train from Milan. There are a few local train stations close to Barga but not all trains stop at all of them so you need to be sure of where you can get off.
The train line runs along the floor of the valley close to the Serchio River while Barga itself is quite a way up a hill. So if arriving by train at whichever nearby station you choose, don’t count on walking into town. It’s a fair distance – and all uphill!
However, there are bus services and taxis from the stations that will get you to Barga in no time, and once there, you can certainly get around town on two feet!
Lucca is only about a 30 minute drive down the road and Pisa’s International Airport is about a 100 minute train ride from Barga-Gallicano. If you come in from the airport you will need to take the dedicated train from the airport to Pisa Centrale and then change trains.
Is Barga Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! You will be enchanted with the town and the surrounding villages.
When is the best time to visit Barga?
Whenever you get the chance!
The town has something happening every month of the year and there are churches, museums, art galleries, fresh markets and all manner of other attractions to visit in and around Barga.
Click Here to find out what is happening when.
Read about other interesting places we have visited.
