Barga
A hillside town in the Serchio valley, with a Romanesque cathedral at the top looking out to the Apuan Alps, and the home of the poet Giovanni Pascoli close by.
The story
Between the late 19th and the 20th century thousands of people from the valley emigrated to Scotland, especially Glasgow, opening ice-cream parlours and fish-and-chip shops. Many came back or kept their ties: that's why Barga is called “the most Scottish town in Italy”, in summer it holds a fish-and-chips festival and you can hear English spoken with a Scottish accent in its streets. Giovanni Pascoli lived in nearby Castelvecchio from 1895 until his death.
Why go
A unique blend of Romanesque art, mountains and emigration stories, with Pascoli's house museum and the Garfagnana all around.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Barga-Gallicano station, 2.4 km away (about 40 minutes on foot). Alternatively: Castelvecchio Pascoli station, 2.7 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Pisa Airport (PSA), about 44 km away.
- Parking. There are many signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 150 m away, free.
- ZTL. Many Italian historic centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL) monitored by cameras: if you arrive by car, leave it outside the centre and check opening times and permits on the town council's website (your hotel may be able to register your plate).
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from May to June and from September to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. From July to August it is hot: average highs exceed 30 °C. The wettest month is November (about 97 mm), the driest July.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from 2 to 9 °C | 9° 2° | 56 |
| Feb | from 3 to 10 °C | 10° 3° | 69 |
| Mar | from 5 to 13 °C | 13° 5° | 55 |
| Apr | from 7 to 17 °C | 17° 7° | 48 |
| May | from 12 to 21 °C | 21° 12° | 70 |
| Jun | from 16 to 27 °C | 27° 16° | 49 |
| Jul | from 19 to 31 °C | 31° 19° | 25 |
| Aug | from 19 to 31 °C | 31° 19° | 40 |
| Sep | from 15 to 25 °C | 25° 15° | 59 |
| Oct | from 12 to 20 °C | 20° 12° | 90 |
| Nov | from 7 to 14 °C | 14° 7° | 97 |
| Dec | from 4 to 10 °C | 10° 4° | 72 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 355 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
On foot and on the water, nearby
- ★ Rafting and canoeing on the LimaWater sports · Rafting and canoeing, Kayaking · Beginners, with a guide · 11 km
- The arch of Monte Forato from FornovolascoTrail · EE · 7.1 km · +640 m · 4.5–5 hours round trip · 11 km
- ★ Orrido di BotriWater sports · Canyoning · Beginners, with a guide · 11 km