The Village of the Archers’ Challenge
Fivizzano is the capital of the municipality bearing the same name. It was originally founded as a checkpoint, rest stop, and staging post for travelers crossing the Cerreto Pass. It also served as an important halt on the ancient road that linked Lucca to Parma, known as the Via Nuova Clodia, which ran over the Lagastrello Pass, then called “Malpasso.” In this way, Fivizzano became a crucial waypoint on the route coming from Luni.
Initially, Fivizzano was both legally and spiritually dependent on Verrucola dei Bosi until 1377, the year a parish and church were built in the town.
For much of the Middle Ages, Fivizzano was closely linked to the Verrucola castle; in documents it is consistently referred to as “Foro Verrucolae”. In 1352 the renowned warlord Marquis Spinetta Malaspina of Verrucola ordered the construction of a “Spedale” (hospital/hostel) in Fivizzano, an essential facility for caring for residents and travelers arriving from, or heading beyond, the Apennines.
Today, Fivizzano is a key tourist hub for the Lunigiana region. Nestled within the Tuscan–Emilian Apennines National Park, it often serves as the lead town and focal point for many tourism projects connected to the park.
Fivizzano’s historic center evokes the Lunigiana’s golden age, with its Medici Square and the many events held there. Chief among them is the “Disfida degli Arcieri”, the Archers’ Challenge. This historical reenactment commemorates the 1572 contest in Medici Square between the town’s own archers (the Terra team) and those from the surrounding villages he quarters of Guardia, Verrucola, Fittadisio, and Montechiaro known collectively as Corte.
Every June, Fivizzano’s old town hosts “Sapori” (“Flavours”), a fair‑market showcasing typical products from across the province, complete with tastings, performances, and demonstrations of traditional crafts and trades.
For more details about the village and the municipality of Fivizzano, have a look at the dedicated website VisitFivizzano.
How to Reach Fivizzano
From Aulla, follow the signs for Fivizzano / Passo del Cerreto. Stay on this road for roughly 18 km, passing through the villages of Pallerone, Serricciolo, and Rometta.
Nearby you can find
Sacred Art Museum of San Giovanni, Malaspina Castle of Verrucola, the Village of Cotto, the Arlia mill, Lago Padule – Sassalbo, Cerreto Laghi, Pieve di San Paolo – Vendaso, Marmitte dei Giganti di Mommio, Pozze di Magliano, Bozzi delle Fate – Cascate di Fiacciano, Aquila Castle, Tecchia di Tenerano, Bocciari Bridge, Historical Museum of the Massacre in San Terenzo and Bardine, Santa Lucia Bridge, Borgo di Equi Terme, Grotte di Equi Terme, Acque Termali di Equi, Santuario della Madonna del Bosco, Prati di Massicciano.
