Sant'anastasio – Culture, Spelt and Nature in Tuscany

Sant'anastasio is a destination for you if you would like to combine culture, regional products and nature experiences in a manageable Tuscan setting. The place offers historical connections, notable church art, spelt as a product that characterizes the region and various opportunities to experience the landscape actively.

History and Culture around Sant'Anastasio

Until the 18th century, Sant'Anastasio was the head of a small community. This historical role gives the place a clear cultural connection that can be combined with other sights in the surrounding area. The church of Sant’Anastasio e Vincenzo in the village of Sant'Anastasio houses the oil painting “Assunzione e Santi”. The work thus provides a specific art-historical point of reference for visitors who would like to include religious art in their exploration of the area alongside the landscape and cuisine. Colognola is also one of the oldest places in the municipality. The village is situated on a plateau and adds a clearly described topographical feature to the historical character of the surrounding area. When choosing where to stay, therefore, it is not only the history of individual settlements that is relevant, but also the different locations of their historic sites.

Cycling and Protected Nature

The “Le Contee del farro in bicicletta” cycling route climbs uphill towards Sant’Anastasio–Cogna. If you are planning to include cycling in your stay, you should take this specific route characteristic into account: the route is defined by its spelt theme and its uphill direction. Parco dell’Orecchiella is a state nature reserve with trails for trekking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Three different forms of active nature experience are therefore the focus there. When planning, you can choose between hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding without limiting your stay to a single outdoor activity. The protected-area status also makes the park an independent nature destination alongside Sant'anastasio's historical and culinary connections.

Spelt, Agriculture and Regional Festivals

Petrognola is very close to Sant'Anastasio and is active in agriculture and in the processing of typical products, especially spelt. This makes the connection to agriculture just as concrete as the importance of the grain to the regional cuisine. If you value local food culture when choosing your accommodation, spelt is therefore a recurring theme connected with places, agriculture and festivals. The Festa del Farro takes place in mid-July in the nearby village of Sant’Anastasio. It is dedicated to one of the region's symbolic products. The festival therefore does not represent regional cuisine in general, but specifically spelt and its cultural significance. The timing in mid-July is also crucial for your travel planning. Piazza al Serchio and its surrounding area are among the most important producers of Farro IGP della Garfagnana in the Garfagnana. This designation points to the product's strong regional roots and complements the references to agriculture and festival culture with the perspective of production. The Festa del Tordello was scheduled to take place from June 20 to 22, 2025, in Sant'Anastasio and Petrognola. This date is in the past and should therefore be understood as a specific historical event reference, not as a current date.

To the overarching travel overview: Piazza Al Serchio.