Barga

Barga is a hill town in the Garfagnana, in the Serchio valley about 35 km north of Lucca, known for an unusual bond with Scotland. From the late 19th century onward, waves of Bargini emigrated to Scotland for work in shipyards and the timber trade, and a large share of the town's residents today have Scottish relatives; Barga is twinned with communities in East Lothian and is sometimes called "the most Scottish town in Italy." That connection is celebrated each August with the Sagra del Pesce e Patate (Fish and Chips Festival). The town also hosts the Opera Barga festival, founded in 1967, which stages performances by young musicians in the 18th-century Teatro dei Differenti.

Barga is reached by road or rail along the Serchio valley from Lucca.

The historic hilltop centre is compact and walked easily on foot.

Barga's Duomo (Cattedrale di San Cristoforo), perched above the town with views over the Garfagnana toward the Apuan Alps, and the Teatro dei Differenti are the main sights.

Opera Barga, the town's summer opera festival founded in 1967, stages performances in the Teatro dei Differenti; the Garfagnana's hills around the town also draw walkers.

The Sagra del Pesce e Patate (Fish and Chips Festival) each August is the best-known food event, a nod to the town's Scottish emigrant history.

Lucca lies about 35 km south; the wider Garfagnana and the Apuan Alps are close by.