Via Francigena - Stage 27 - From Camaiore to Lucca

After visiting the historic center of Camaiore and the ancient Badia, you climb towards Monte Magno and through the Freddana valley, you reach Valpromaro. From here a path through the woods leads to Piazzano.

We then descend into the valley of the Contesola torrent and, crossing the Serchio river at Ponte San Pietro, we quickly reach Lucca, where we enter from the ancient San Donato gate.

Good availability of water: refreshment points in Camaiore, Monte Magno, Valpromaro, San Macario in Piano.

What to see
Montemagno - Home to the ancient Hospital of San Michele, here are the remains of a castle attested since the 11th century. In the nearby town of Pieve a Elici, the church of San Pantaleone and the medieval castle can still be visited, while the next town of Rotaio, full of archaeological remains and ancient bridges, has a castle with triangular walls.

Lucca - The city of Lucca, which owed much of its wealth to the economic traffic linked to the Via Francigena, could be reached, coming from the Lucca plain, via two roads, called respectively 'via de supra' and 'via de subtus', the first of which crossed the locality anciently called 'Feliciaio', while the second passed through the settlement of Lombard origin called Tempagnano.

The first destination of the pilgrim who entered Lucca was the famous wooden crucifix called 'Volto Santo', a statue-reliquary preserved in the cathedral of San Martino that legend has it was sculpted by Nicodemus. The best known story is of Leobino who, on a pilgrimage in the year of our Lord 1282 to the city of the Volto Santo, entered the Cathedral and began to play and sing because he had nothing else to offer and suddenly, from the right foot of Jesus, the large silver sandal slipped off and rested on his knees, twice. The silver sandals (17th century) are exhibited in the Museum together with the precious equipment to dress the crucifix of the Volto Santo on May 3rd and September 14th. In the city, numerous hospitals attached to the main churches welcomed and refreshed the pilgrims.

The National Museum of Villa Guinigi instead preserves the relief depicting San Jacopo (second half of the 12th century), coming from the Altopascio Hospital, another destination well known to pilgrims. Since the tomb of San Jacopo, the apostle credited with Christianizing Spain, was discovered in Galicia in the 9th century, the stations of the pilgrimage routes were dotted with images of the saint in the guise of protector of pilgrims, with staff and shell, or as 'matamoros', on horseback while he strikes down the infidels. The image preserved in the Museum shows a less usual iconography, the saint is seated on a throne inserted in an arch, holding a scroll on which is written IACOBUS DEI ET DOMINI NOSTRI IESUS XRISTI SERVUS. Clearly inspired by 4th century sculpture, the work, which together with its pendant depicting Saint Peter, is one of the most interesting productions of Pisan-Lucca sculpture from the second half of the 12th century, was probably part of an altar frontal, suggestively reconstructed in the Lucca Museum.

Accessibility: on foot, by mountain bike