Outdoor Activities and Exploration

• Skippered and self-hired yachting and boat trips around the Gulf of Poets, Portovenere, and Cinque Terre
• Swimming in the Meditteranean at Lerici and Cinque Terre
• Fishing
• Hiking in the mountains and along the Garfagnana trail
• Road Cycling and Mountain Biking
• Rock climbing in the Garfagnana
• Hunting (Wild boar and pheasant in season)
• Snorkelling and ferry trips to the Island of Elba
• Skiing in winter  (approximately forty-five minutes drive away)

Music and Culture

• Painting classes (the area has become a haven for artists)
• Stone carving (Pietra Santa is a world-renowned destination for sculptors)
• Language study (Lucca has many language schools)
• Exploring the hundreds of medieval castles and fortresses of the area
• Open-air music festivals in Lucca and Sarzana
• Opera festivals (including the Puccini Opera Festival in Torre del Lago and open-air opera in Lucca)
• Easy day trips to Pisa, Lucca, and Florence.

Local Festivals

Among the many festivals in Tuscany throughout the year, several are within very easy reach of Casa Michele and Casa Della Nonna, including:

• Carnevale in Viareggio (February/March)
• The Palio of San Ranieri in Pisa (June)
• The ‘Disfida’ festival of archery in Fivizzano (July)
• The festa medievale in Fosdinovo (July)
• La Giostra dell’Orso (Joust of the Bear) in Pistoia (July)
• La Festa della Rificolono (Festival of the Lanterns) in Florence (September)
• Luminara di Santa Croce in Lucca (September)
• The Nativity festival in Equi Terme (December)

Food, Wine, and Shopping

• Wine Tours to the local wine regions
• Porcini Mushroom Picking in season
• Sample the sumptuous foods of the area in charming restaurants and bars
• Regular local markets in Aulla, Sarzana, and Lerici.
• Spectacular street markets in Forte dei Marmi, Florence, Sarzana, and Lerici