A day in a Lunigiana city that may surprise you, from Saints, pilgrims and bombs to a dark, forboding fortress with a view that's now the natural history museum
Aulla has some surprises, despite the fact that few have heard of it. First of all, it's pretty modern. Why is that? Well, Allied forces bombed it pretty much to smithereens during the war. One of the bombs hit the apse of the church where a saint was buried--and it was a dud. So there's that. Archaeological investigations (which you can see) lead to the discovery of the bomb and its eventual removal to be set off in a safe environment.
What does that mean? Well, compared to those other medieval villages you've puttered about in, this one has real parking. Lots of it. And more people actually manage to get their cars in between the lines! And there are wide sidewalks. Honestly, you don't have to press your timorous body against a crumbling 12th century wall when the inevitable SUV comes rambling towards you down the narrow strip identified on the map as a street.
So let's get to it. First we'll check into our apartment, and then we'll see the archaeology in that apse and learn all about pilgrimage in the 10th-13th centuries.
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847 m (0.5 mi)
1 min
Just down the street from our apartment is this inexpensive yet highly thought of 1 bedroom apartment in a good position in town. If you like the price and want a kitchen, this is ideal.
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Choose the option that fits you the best
228 m (0.1 mi)
If you're looking for a hotel, the Demy is just about the only thing going in this town.
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Choose the option that fits you the best
1.1 km (0.7 mi)
2 min
Now you're ready for a stroll about town and a coffee and pastry. Let's head on over to one in the historic part of town, the Bar Giardino.
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504 m (0.3 mi)
1 min
When it's time for lunch, do what the Italians do and have your big meal of the day in what I consider Aulla's best restaurant.
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2.2 km (1.4 mi)
6 min
Now that you're really full, It might be time to take a hike up to the Brunella Fortress to work some of the calories off and get the overview of the city and the two rivers the city is nestled between.
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2 km (1.2 mi)
5 min
Are you ready for more? Here's a visit to the Parish church of San Caprasio to have a peek in the apse for the state of the archeology there, and then next door to the Museo di San Caprasio where you'll learn pilgrimage in the Lunigiana along the "Frankish route" called Via Francigena.
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392 m (0.2 mi)
1 min
If you'd like something light for dinner, and are staying in an apartment where you might have a stove, get some food from our favorite gastronomia.
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