Holiday apartment in Levigliani: caves, marble and mining history

Levigliani lies among beech and chestnut forests below Monte Corchia and within the Parco delle Alpi Apuane. Choosing a holiday apartment in Levigliani therefore brings together nature experiences, impressive underground worlds and an unusually rich cultural history. You can organise your days in many different ways, alternating between hikes, guided tours and museums.

Forests, mountains and the karst system of the Antro del Corchia

The karst system of the Antro del Corchia comprises around 70 kilometres of explored and mapped caves, as well as up to 20 different entrances. A guided tour follows a steel walkway approximately 2,000 metres long and lasts around two hours. This makes the cave one of the tangible experiences that can easily be incorporated into a varied day of holiday activities, without having to consider nature and culture separately.

Marble quarries and paths on Monte Corchia

The guided tour of the marble quarries starts in the village of Levigliani, returns there and lasts around two hours. Restored Italian military vehicles with four-wheel drive, converted for civilian use, are used for the visit. From Levigliani, hikes also lead through beech forests to mountain huts and panoramic summits in the surrounding mountains. A guided tour of the Gothic Line lasting approximately four and a half hours also begins and ends in Levigliani and leads to defensive trenches on Monte Corchia. The different durations and focuses help you compare suitable excursions for shared discoveries or more active days.

Mining and marble as part of the local history

The mercury mines of Levigliani are considered the oldest mining site in Upper Tuscany and were first mentioned in a document from Pisa in 1153. The section open to visitors comprises an ancient area showing primitive mining techniques, as well as a later area with a rail system for mine carts, regarded as evidence of industrial archaeology.

The economic and social history of Levigliani is presented at the “Lavorare Liberi” Museum through objects, documents and accounts from contemporary witnesses. The Museo della Pietra Piegata provides an overview of the development of marble craftsmanship: this development ranges from roughly worked objects to finely inlaid works and sacred pieces. In addition, a cist tomb of the Liguri Apuani from a nearby necropolis is displayed in Levigliani. In the village, you will therefore encounter both the history of work and craftsmanship, as well as the region’s more distant past.

Choosing Levigliani as a deliberate base

Levigliani can be reached by car via the Strada Provinciale d’Arni, which continues via Seravezza and Ruosina and beyond the village of Retignano. This specific access route is an important consideration when choosing a holiday apartment based on your planned excursions. Anyone wishing to combine caves, marble tours, mining history and hikes will find many different themes in Levigliani for their own travel planning.

Further destinations for individual orientation: Retignano, Palagnana, Culla, Terrinca, Farnocchia.

For the higher-level travel overview: Stazzema.