Vorno

The hamlet is a frazione of Capannori in the Lucca hills, where beautiful vistas and outdoor trails abound. A drive through the hills bring you to elaborate villas with gardens to peek at, pieces of history still dotting the landscape. there are swaths of olives, forests with chestnuts, simple down-home cooking in country locales to enjoy.

The town was founded around 1000 AD and was part of the territory of the nobility of Lucca, passed around among the wealthy and influential. The ancient church called Pieve di San Pietro was built in 867 as a primitive Lombard chapel but transformed to a much larger church in the 12th century. It is enriched with paintings from the 1600s and 1700s.

The Via Francigena that connected Rome to the outlying territories (ending in Canterbury) is nearby and draws walking enthusiasts from around the world to put their feet on the ancient path at some point in its long journey across Italy. Why not this area? The outlying hamlets around here are just lovely to explore. The hills are studded with olives and chestnuts as well as grape vines, from the Rio di Vorno river up to the higher reaches of Mt. Pisano and Mt. Serra.

There is an astronomical observatory just two kilometers from town uphill on the via della Valle where there are nice star-gazing options free of light pollution.

Another interesting feature is in the hamlet of Pieve di Compito where the grow camelias! Be sure to go to the village of the camelia flowers to see for yourself.

Famous art cities like Lucca, Pisa, Firenze, and Massa-Carrara are all in reach, as is the sandy Tuscan coast, so you can enjoy a beach day on the Mediterranean.

Of course, Tuscan food and wine are highlights, so indulge!

Photo: LigaDue (CC BY-SA)