FAQ

In the Tourist Office IAT Garfagnana it is possible to collect for free road map and brochures about the valley.

Required maps and guides on sale

Alpi Apuane fg. 101/102 scale 1:25.000 Ed. Mulgraphic – Firenze
Alpi Apuane della Garfagnana scale 1:20.000 Ed. Multigraphic (Fi)
Appennino Tosco-Emiliano fg. 15 e fg. 18 scale 1:25.000 Ed. Mulgraphic – Firenze
Alpi Apuane scale 1:25.000 Edizioni 4Land -Bolzano
Cartina dei sentieri Alpi Apuane Edizioni Moriconi

Adami Michela +39 333 7294941 crinidellalpe@gmail.com
Bertagni Attilio +39 333 5846159 bertagniattilio@alice.it
Bertolini Antonella +39 347 17898696 abertolini30@gmail.com
Bini Manuel +39 380 1241224 binima76@gmail.com
Bonaventuri Giziano +39 334 1815450 giziano@ufficioguide.it
Bonini Daniele +39 340 4876237 info.wildtrails@gmail.com
Bozzi Elisa +39 349 6416663 info@ilcavalloenquiso.com
Fiori Alessandra +39 329 3435564 alefiori2018@gmail.com
Fontanini Nicholas +39 348 5154999 info@guidewildtrails.com
Fruganti Enrico +39 333 7530872 ilsemedulivo@yahoo.it
Lunardi Marco +39 329 2015805 info@rifugiodonegani.it
Marchi Stefano +39 328 9077578 info@agriturismolapalazzina.com
Mori Mirco +39 327 5705234 mircomori@gmail.com
Musetti Danilo +39 328 6772893 info@apians.com
Orsoni Francesca +39 328 3197046 orsoni.francesca@gmail.com
Pedri Lucia +39 336 666795 info@garfagnanarafting.com
Pellizer Pier Luigi +39 328 5369047 pgpelz@libero.it
Saisi David +39 328 6772917 david.saisi@gmail.com
Tortelli Riccardo +39 333 6937950 riccardotortelli@gmail.com
Yates Bell Rupert +39 347 5139794 tuscantrails@gmail.com

Local Hiking Guides Associations of Garfagnana
Apians
BoscoAperto
Garfagnana Adventure
Garfagnana Guide
Wild Trails
Garfagnana Rafting

Shops opening hours: 9-13 / 15.30 – 19.30. Closed on Sunday and Monday morning. The grocery shops are closed on Wednesday afternoon.

Supermarket opening hours: 8.30/19.30 Open on Sunday morning

Weekly Markets are from 8 to 12.30 in the following villages:

Tuesday– Piazza al Serchio
Wednesday- Gallicano
Thursday– Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
Friday – Fornaci di Barga
Saturday – Pieve Fosciana

In Castelnuovo di Garfagnana on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday there is the Fruit and Vegetable Market from 7.00 to 12.00 at Mercato Ortofrutticolo in Via della Centrale.

On the 1st week end of each month in Loggiato Porta there is the Farmer Market.

The tourist fishing license for inland waters is valid for 15 days from the time of payment in the postal account no. 26730507  in Tuscany Region’s name – Fishing tax, amount € 10.00 

Minors under the age of 12 are not required to obtain a license as long as they are accompanied by an adult held responsible for the fishing acts.

The fishing license is not required for the fishing practice inside the “lakes for paid fishing” where the most coveted prey is certainly represented by the brown trout.

Rules for epigeous (above ground) mushroom picking (Tuscan Law No.58/2010)
The authorization for mushroom picking is given by the Tuscany Region and it is valid within the whole region. For hunting within national and regional parks you must read the respective rules that might require additional authorization and/or different collection procedures from the ones outlined by the regional law.

Tuscany residents
• Residents who want collect epigeal mushrooms in the wild, strictly within the Municipality of residence are not required to carry any authorization;
• for the collection of wild epigeous mushrooms outside the Municipality of residence one must make a deposit in the postal account no. 6750946 in Tuscany Region’s name or a bank transfer IBAN code IT87 P076 0102 8000 0000 6750 946, or a payment via IRIS, the Tuscany Region’s platform for payments on Tuscan services.

The receipt must indicate it is for the purpose of ‘Raccolta funghi’ as well as the collector’s personal details (name), moreover it must be retained and carried at the time of collection, along with an identification document.

Price:
€ 13,00 for personal six month authorization
€ 25,00 for personal yearly authorization

N.B. In the case of residence in classified mountainous areas, these amounts are reduced by 50%. People between 14-18 years old who attended an information and education course by the article no. 17 of the Tuscan law 16/1999 have the same discount.

Tourist Authorization for non-residents in Tuscany
In the case of non-residents in Tuscany, the payment must be made to the postal account no. 6750946 in the name of Tuscany  Region or a bank transfer IBAN code IT87 P076 0102 8000 0000 6750 946.

Price:
€ 15,00 for the daily tourist license.
€ 40,00 for 7 day tourist license.
€ 100,00 for a yearly tourist license.

The date or indication of the week must be added after the text in the reason section containing ‘Raccolta funghi’

It should also be remembered that:
• The personal information of the mushroom picker must be on the receipt in every place that requires it; similarly, in the case of payment made by the person who exercise parental authority on behalf of an underage child, the field should be filled with the minor’s personal details.
• The payment receipt must be kept and brought with you at the time of mushrooms picking together with a valid ID card.
• 3 kg daily maximum limit. The daily picking limit per person is 3 kilograms, except in the case of a single specimen or more specimens weighing more than 3 kilograms; the daily maximum limit increased up to ten kg only in the event that the residents in the classified mountain areas of Tuscany collect within their municipality of residence. There are no limits, however, for agricultural entrepreneurs and members of agroforestry cooperatives who, in possession of the certificate of authorization for the recognition of fungal species issued by the mycological inspectors, carry out the collection, for the purpose of supplementing their income, in the province of residence. In this case it is necessary to send a certified notification of the start of business (SCIA) to the office for productive activities (SUAP).
• Prohibition for some species. it is forbidden to pick the following species, the cap diameter is inferior to:
• 4 cm for Boletus Edulis (porcini);
• 2 cm for Hygrophorus marzuolus (dormiente) and for Lyophyllum ambosorum (prognolo).
It’s forbidden to pick the Amanita caesarea (ovolo buono) when the gills are not visible.

• Conditions for harvest: mushroom picking is allowed in the woods and uncultivated land where access is allowed and where it is not reserved for commercial mushroom harvesting. In regional and national parks or in protected area, the harvesting may be subjected to different rules and may require the possession of authorization permits issued by various associations, each with their own specifics rules.
The harvesting can be conducted from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. During the harvest it is forbidden to use tools that ruin the mycelium, the soil’s surface layer and the vegetation root (rakes).
• It is forbidden to use plastic bags, The mushrooms should be stored in rigid, aerated containers, such as baskets, which help to spread the spores.

Info URP Tuscany Region toll-free number 800-860070

The paid collection areas are located:

√ Soraggio Valley (Sillano-Giuncugnano) ASBUC email vallesoraggio@gmail.com tel +39 335 6474857  Mr. Antonio Sacchini
√ Fosciandora Coop. Le Tre Terre cell +39 371 418 2149
√ Careggine Ass. Monte Sumbra email montesumbra@gmail.com cell +39 346 2719688
√ Sillicano, Poggio, Filicaia (Camporgiano) Ass. Monte Volzi cell +39 338 2332865 Mrs. Guidi Antonella

N.B. Fabbriche di Vergemoli has instituted a ban on collecting on Saturday and Sunday throughout the municipal area.

Train
Lucca- Aulla railway line (with bike transportation)
Check the timetable
Railway stations:
Barga-Gallicano
Castelvecchio Pascoli
Fosciandora
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
Villetta-San Romano
Poggio-Careggine-Vagli
Camporgiano
Piazza al Serchio
Minucciano-Pieve-Casola

Call Center Trenitalia
89 2021 or 06 3000
If you are abroad and you wanto to contact the call center the number to dial is +39.06.68475475

Bus
From Lucca and Versilia the bus line is Autolinee Toscane to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana.
From Castelnuovo di Garfagnana bus service for the different villages of the valley (not on Sunday and Holiday).

Check the timetable (Servizi extraurbani) or visit Destination Tuscany

Taxi service
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana +39 0583 62312
Piazza al Serchio +39 0583 605820
Corfino +39 0583 660202
Careggine +39 366 5907142

We are in the mountains and rainy days can mess up our holiday program.
Here are some suggestions for a plan B, in case of bad weather.

Dedicate the day to shopping for typical products, clothing, souvenirs that you find in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Gallicano and Piazza al Serchio.
Visit the tourist cave Grotta del Vento . Here the temperature is always 10.7 ° C and the dripping is continuous; a unique experience in all weather conditions.
Visit the Museums
Book a tasting in a farm hoiliday or in the mountain huts reachable by car, you will not miss a nice lit fireplace to chat and wait for the rain to stop!
Indoor tennis in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana tel +39 (0) 583 639174
Book a visit to a dairy or winery
Give yourself a relaxing day at the Terme di Bagni di Lucca.
Take the train to Equi Terme, you can visit the Caves and the Geo-Archeo Park.
Famous historic and commercial centers such as Lucca, Pisa and Florence, as well as the sea of ​​Versilia, La Spezia and the Cinque Terre are within easy reach from Garfagnana.

Enclosed between two mountain ranges, the Garfagnana valley is characterized by a fairly humid and rainy climate, with temperatures that are never particularly rigid. If the Apuan Alps, in fact, tend to attract humid winds of Atlantic origin which generate numerous rains, the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines shields the cold currents from the north, favoring substantially mild average temperatures.

In winter, in fact, the mercury column rarely drops below 5 °, except at the highest altitudes where, often, between December and March the snow whitens the mountains, while in summer the climate is very pleasant thanks to the temperatures. which hardly exceed 24 °. The rains, quite frequent, are concentrated above all in the autumn and spring months,; July is the driest month.

The accommodation facilities that accept our  pets are highlighted on the website with a special symbol. However, it is advisable to ask for confirmation when booking.

Dogs on the paths must be on a leash, the presence of numerous wildlife can be a reason for sudden and very dangerous escapes. Furthermore, especially on the Apennine side, great attention must be paid to the presence of livestock guardian dogs.

NB: It is not possible to enter Visitor Center of the Orecchiella Park and the Grotta del Vento with the dog.

Single Emercengy Number 112 (Police, Carabinieri, Fire Brigade and Medical Servicec – also for mountain resque)

First Aid Hospital in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana +39 (0)583 6691

Police in Bagni di Lucca +39 (0)583 805615

Carabinieri in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana +39 (0)583 643100

Vigili Urbani Unione Comuni Garfagnana in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana +39 (0)583 644949

During the year, the Tourist Office IAT Garfagnana organizes educational tours aimed at journalists, photographers and the media. Contact us if you are interested in participating. We can also provide bibliography, texts and photographic material.

• Send a mail to: comunicazione@turismo.garfagnana.eu

During the year, the Tourist Office IAT Garfagnana organizes educational tours aimed at tour operators and travel agencies. Contact us if you are interested in participating. We can also provide bibliography, texts and photographic material. We can also provide logistical support for visiting accommodation facilities.

• Send a mail to: promozione@turismo.garfagnana.eu