Piazza al Serchio, San Michele and Minucciano

When we are in Lucca looking for a train home, it will usually be destined for Piazza al Serchio, a small town pretty much at the top of the valley of the Serchio river.  San Michele stand a mile or so on, and is an almost perfect medieval village. A few miles farther on, is the hilltop town of Minucciano.

Since we rarely drive up the valley, we took advantage of the good weather to explore this area by car,

A prominent mountain visible all around the Garfagnano - the Pania di Corfino

The doglioni - black volcanic intrusions - whose fantastic shapes are a feature of Piazza al Serchio.  We watched a pair of peregrine falcons who were nesting on the central pinnacle

The train line up the valley was finished in the 1950s - this mothballed engine is one of fifty commissioned for use in the Appenines

Picture postcard perfect San Michele

Minucciano - Giving San Michele a run for its money

A street in Minucciano, with local resident considerately trying to be invisible for the photo!