Cascio was originally a feud of the Porcaresi family, then, in 1292, it was bought by the Municipality of Lucca which then built a small fortress. With the passage of the property to the Estense Duchy, Cascio became an important center on the border and for this reason, in the 17^th century, it was surrounded by new and more powerful walls and took on the appearance of a fortified village that still distinguishes it today.

The irregular quadrilateral walls, accompanied by five semi-circular towers and two sentry boxes, were 435 meters long and equipped with a walkway for the patrol, along with two big gates. Nearby are the ruins of the church of Santa Maria Maddalena, better known as the Romita di Cascio, most likely built in the 13^th century near a medieval fortification called “Il Castellaccio”.

Cascio links its name to a gastronomic treat of the Garfagnana, the famous “Criscioletta” (a type of pancake) cooked since in 1969, during the festival in honor of the patron St. Lawrence.