Montereggio in Lunigiana, is a small mountain village with a rich history dating back to the fifteenth century. The Lunigiana got a kick start on the book trade in 1471 when Jacopo da Fivizzano started printing in the town of Fivizzano.

In 1493 a local, Sabastiano da Pontremoli (a reference to another Lunigiana village, close to Montereggio) went to Milan to learn printing and returned to Montereggio to become the first bookseller. By the 16th century, many of his countrymen had started loading up wicker baskets full of books and selling them first in Pontremoli, then further out into the plains. Eventually they covered northern Italy into Germany.

As the historic center of all this book selling, Montereggio went on to to host Italy’s premier literary prize, the Premio Bancarella for the first time in 1952. Since then the Premio Bancarella has been awarded in Pontremoli.

What signs of this activity are to be found today? Little nooks in the village are filled with books. You put your money in the boxes. Trust is underrated these days, but it all works.

A little outside of town is the Albergo Ristorante La Gerla d'Oro. Eat there; the food is wonderful.