Pieve Di Brancoli: Romanesque Churches, Trails and Expansive Panoramas

Pieve Di Brancoli combines impressive scenery with an unusually rich cultural history. Around the Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli, the Brancoli Cross and several smaller churches, you can discover trails through the Brancoleria, traces of wartime history and expansive views across the Tuscan landscape. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Pieve Di Brancoli, the area offers a wide range of options for planning your trip: historical sightseeing, a moderate circular hike or an excursion to a scenic mountain ridge.

Churches and Romanesque Traces in the Brancoleria

The Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli was elevated to the status of a parish church in 1097. Particularly unusual is the architrave of its south-facing portal: a mysterious relief there bears the figure known as “Brancolino”. The church is also an important stop on the network of Itinera Romanica routes. This allows a visit to be combined with an interest in Romanesque architecture and historic trails, without the landscape becoming merely a backdrop.

Other sacred buildings also give the surrounding area its distinctive character. The small Romanesque church of San Lorenzo in Corte is located in the Brancoleria on the road from Vinchiana to Pieve di Brancoli. In Piazza di Brancoli, Santa Maria Assunta features pre-Romanesque bas-reliefs on its façade and portal. Sant'Ilario in Brancoli has preserved almost completely the original appearance of its interior from the 7th century. The individual stops offer different focal points, making them well suited to a varied cultural exploration.

Hikes to the Brancoli Cross

The route from the Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli to the Brancoli Cross follows Stations of the Cross and passes trenches and fortified communication trenches from wartime, which are connected with the so-called “Gothic Line”. Another hike through the Brancoleria leads through olive groves and centuries-old chestnut forests to the scenic cross. A circular hike ends in front of the Pieve di Brancoli with a final visit. This allows nature, history and church sightseeing to be combined in different sequences.

The circular hike through the Brancoleria described here is 10 kilometres long, includes 350 metres of ascent and has a moderate difficulty level. A hike that continues beyond the Pieve di Brancoli climbs approximately 2.5 kilometres to the Brancoli Cross. It runs mostly along a road suitable for vehicles; at the end there is a short, optional forest trail. The different distance details help you assess your preferred day plan and distinguish between the longer circular hike and the shorter ascent.

Panorama at the Brancoli Cross

The Brancoli Cross stands on a projecting mountain ridge overlooking the Serchio Valley and the plain of Lucca. It is also the highest point on the circular route to the Romanesque parish churches of the Brancoleria. From the 360-degree panoramic viewpoint, the view extends across the plain of Lucca, the Monti Pisani, the Apennines and the southern Apuan Alps. In clear weather, the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago may also be visible.

A distinctive feature of the viewpoint is the new Brancoli Cross, which is 18.40 metres high. It was inaugurated on 23 August 1958. The Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli is situated in a scenic location on the gentle slopes leading to the high plateau of the Pizzorne. To drive there from Lucca, follow the SS 12 towards Bagni di Lucca as far as Vinchiana, then follow the signs to Piazza di Brancoli. Guided tours of the Pieve di Brancoli can be booked by telephone at +39 328/5331903 or by email at pievedibrancoli@gmail.com. This allows you to choose accommodation or a holiday apartment according to the desired balance of sightseeing, hiking and panoramic views.

Discover More Places

If you would like to extend your trip planning beyond Pieve Di Brancoli: Ciciana, San Macario In Monte, Balbano, San Lorenzo A Vaccoli, Monte San Quirico, Montuolo, San Pietro A Vico, Aquilea

To the higher-level travel overview: Lucca.