Pontremoli (Massa Carrara)

Inhabitants 9.347
Area 182,68 Sq km
Altitude 230 m. asl
A15 motorway exit - Pontremoli

Pontremoli territory stretches over narrow strip of land between the Magra and the Verde rivers. Dominated by the Pignaro Castle, in the past century the town enlarged towards Verdeno; on the left bank of the river, it reached the church of S.Pietro.

Pontremoli is not far from the sources of the Magra; here the countryside is very different from anywhere else in the valle because the Apuane Mountains are very close; within a few kilometres peaks over 2000 meters high dominate the landscape. The valleys are narrower than in the rest of the region, and their slopes much steeper. Many streams rich in trout make the area an excellent resort for fishing; the fishing season is open from February until September.

The hills teem with game, in particular with wildboards, attracted by the green cool slopes of the mountains. This area is of historical interest as well: in the Middle Ages the pilgrims heading towards Santiago de Compostela (or, the other way round, towards Rome) used to stop here, along the via Francigena.