Trassilico is the village we look at from the terrace of Casa Debbio. It always looks wonderful draped across a ridge in the Apuane mountains…whether it is sunny,
cloudy,
hidden in mist,
completely hidden in mist and cloud,
back in the sun,
covered with snow,
or shining under a full moon.
After looking at it from a distance for years I thought it was time to visit. A friend and I drove down the mountain from Vergemoli and up the mountain on the other side of the valley.
We first came to Verni, a pretty little town with a delightful entrance.
Like all the lovely mountain villages, Verni is full of narrow streets, beautiful views, interesting rooftops, doorways and sleeping cats.
You can see Vergemoli from Verni.
And you can look up to Trassilico.
A few kilometres further, on a not very good road, and we arrived at the entrance to Trassilico. It is always a good idea to park outside these little towns and walk in.
From the car park we could see the old fort at the top of the town…which is where we headed.
The hamlet of Trassilico has been inhabited since Roman times. The medieval fortified complex on top of Trassilico was already in a state of decay in the 15th century and rebuilt in the 17th century.
There are wonderful views from the top.
We could see Vergemoli and I could just pick out Casa Debbio through the trees. It was a bit hazy, so the photo is not all that clear. While we were there we could hear the music that our neighbour Sisto plays when the mood takes him. It came loud and clear across the valley, making our trip to Trassilico all the more delightful.
The Garfagnana is full of delightful villages to explore…it will take me years to find them all.
Click here to see the post about Sisto and his music.