Discover Vagli Sotto

Lake, bridge and special experiences

Lago di Vagli is an artificial lake created in 1947 by raising the dam on the Edron River. Its history is closely linked to the villages that were flooded: in 1953, Fabbriche di Careggine was submerged by Lago di Vagli; the villages of Pantane and Piari were also lost in the same event. The lake thus combines the landscape with a notable chapter of regional history. The Ponte Sospeso connects the two shores of Lago di Vagli. Designed for bicycle and pedestrian traffic, the suspension bridge is 132 metres long and is one of the largest in Europe. A central section has a glass floor above the lake. For orientation around the Volo dell’Angelo, the meeting point is at the VagliPark ticket office in Vagli Sotto, at the intersection of Strada Provinciale 50 and Via Europa. Guests with bookings are taken by bus from VagliPark to the starting area. The Volo dell’Angelo zipline stretches 1,500 metres over Lago di Vagli, at a height of around 350 metres and at speeds of up to 150 km/h. The Bioparco del Lago di Vagli also makes its own contribution: it includes a long lakeside promenade. Alongside the suspension bridge and zipline, this provides further lake-focused impressions without the individual attractions requiring the same experience.

Churches, sculptures and marble

On the shore of Lago di Vagli lies the Parco dell’Onore e del Disonore. It contains more than twenty monumental marble statues dedicated to figures from contemporary history. The church of Sant’Agostino in Vagli Sotto dates back to the 11th century and has remained practically unchanged to this day. The documented character of the town therefore includes both contemporary historical sculptures and a medieval religious building as cultural highlights. The Casa Abrami Museum is located on the approach to Vagli Sotto. In Arnetola, the Museo della tecnica estrattiva delle cave di marmo documents the social and technological development of marble extraction. Those interested in the connection between landscape, craftsmanship and regional history will find different approaches to the subject of marble here: in the museum, through its extraction and development; in the park, through monumental works.

Campocatino and regional routes

Campocatino is a basin of glacial origin situated at an altitude of around 1,000 metres, with a large meadow at the foot of Monte Roccandagia. Since 1991, Campocatino has been a LIPU nature oasis because of its numerous bird species. In the wider area around Vagli Sotto, the Via Vandelli runs from Vagli di Sopra to the Passo della Tambura and then descends to Resceto.

Cuisine of the Garfagnana

IGP spelt is part of the region’s culinary identity. In the Garfagnana, it is an important ingredient in spelt soup, which is prepared with potatoes, beans and occasionally a few chard leaves. Biroldo is a traditional sausage speciality of the Garfagnana, made mainly from pork head and spices. Both specialities complement the landscape and cultural themes with a specific insight into regional cuisine. For further orientation in this section, you can also discover Castelnuovo Di Garfagnana, Fosciandora, Trassilico, Fabbriche Di Vallico, Renaio, Ghivizzano, Castiglione di Garfagnana and Barga.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lucca.