"Malgrate: A Silent Beauty Unveiled - Exploring the Enigmatic Tuscan Village"

Hello dearest friends,

Today, unfortunately, I'm at home from work because I'm unwell. This year, too, I continue to fall ill. So, in this post, I decided to share some photos that I had already taken some time ago in the Lunigiana area, precisely in Malgrate, which is practically a fraction of the Municipality of Villafranca di Lunigiana, located in the province of Massa Carrara.

The element that immediately strikes you when you arrive in this village is undoubtedly its picturesque castle, a beautiful medieval fortress with the characteristic round tower that dominates the valley. This castle is essential as it was built in the 14th century, and most importantly, it belonged to one of the most powerful families in the area, the Malaspina family. I would have liked to visit the castle, but as far as I understand, it's open for visits only in the summer. I must say that you can immediately see that it has been recently restored, but I didn't understand who the owner is, whether the municipality or a private individual. Anyway, the crucial thing to keep in mind is that it's open only in July-August, and this is a real shame, especially if people arrive at another time.

However, I didn't get discouraged after this, and so I still went on my usual exploration through the streets of this interesting Tuscan village, which I always find very fascinating and beautiful to visit. There are only a few houses that are not well maintained; for the rest, everything was in order. Some architectural elements of a certain style and value truly impressed me, characteristics that probably made this ancient village unique.

This place is also completely uninhabited; in fact, I practically didn't meet anyone, and most of these are probably second homes or holiday homes. Most likely, there is much more life here in the summer and when the temperature is more pleasant.

As usual, the most complicated thing in these villages is always navigating the narrow streets, which are often real steep staircases that are challenging and tiring to walk. Certainly, an excellent way to stay in shape.

I tried to capture the best corners of this village, and I hope that one day you can visit it in person. In the meantime, thank you for dedicating some time to reading, and I hope to have introduced you to something new. See you soon!