Lunigiana (pronounced Loonee-janna)

is a magical place starting with its name - the land of the moon. While it remains comparatively undiscovered and unspoilt, it is neither isolated or remote. Situated about one hour's drive from both Pisa and Genoa with regular flights from the UK and one and a half hour's drive from Florence, few tourists have penetrated the cluster of little villages straddling the valleys linking the mountains to the coast.

Lunigiana is a delight. The rolling landscape is liberally sprinkled with castles of Medici or Malaspina vintage, but for lovers of the coast, the sea is no more than half-an-hour's drive away. The local trattorie are numerous and give good value, and the local wine is plentiful and cheap.

The hills that encircle Lunigiana create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere not always to be found in the more exposed plains to the south. The blend of mountains and sea ('monti e mare') appeals to people of all ages. The villagers are friendly and the hospitality warm and genuine, while the innate honesty encountered in bars, shops and restaurants is unique to country retreats unaccustomed to a stampede of tourists.

Historically, Lunigiana was used by the Romans to access the Magra valley from the Po Valley in order to reach the Port of Luni at the mouth of the Magra. The port was so splendidly adorned with marble that the Normans destroyed it believing it to be Rome. In the middle ages the Via Francigena, the first great European highway running from Canterbury to Rome, passed through the area following the course of the river Magra and many inns offered hospitality to Pilgrims near the churches or by the river crossings.

The nearby coast is heavenly, known as the Gulf of the Poets, it is said to be second only to the Bay of Naples in natural beauty - a claim disputed by the locals who count it the top and can point to the number of famous people who made their homes there - Byron, Shelley and D H Lawrence to name a few. An enclave with a group of three islands at its tip, it has fishing villages with exceptional fish restaurants, as well as opportunities for sailing, canoeing, snorkelling or just relaxing on one of the beaches hidden in craggy bays around Fiascherino or Tellaro. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by ferry boat which runs between, Lerici, La Spezia and Portovenere or on to The Cinque Terre, five villages strung along the terraced cliffs looking out to the sea. These villages are completely unspoilt and, until recently, could only be reached by boat or by train. They have now been declared a UNESCO world heritage site and anyone visiting the Cinque Terre should take a walk along the cliff paths which link one village to the next, stop in one of the bars or restaurants and try the anchovies marinated in olive oil and garlic, served with bread and delicate white wine made from the grapes that grow up the steep terraces above the villages.

The Val Di Vara hills behind the coast
If the villages, towns, fishing hamlets and resorts strung along the Ligurian coast are hugely attractive to many visitors, it would be a major mistake not to explore the hinterland, for it supports some of the most serene scenery on earth. The Val Di Vara is part of a landscape that features crystal clear rivers cutting through deep ravines on their way to the olive groves and vineyards forming an undulating backdrop to the majestic Apennines. The whole area comes over as a haven of peace. There is a welcome simplicity in the hilltop villages, chestnut groves and rural dwellings ringed by postage stamp orchards. The valley offers canoeing, riding and many of the small farms and restaurants are based on organic produce. Not all the houses are rustic cottages, however. The Genoese were quick to appreciate the attractions of an unspoilt rural countryside virtually on their doorstep, and the area is liberally sprinkled with their substantial summer houses. During the autumn months the woods and forests attract the mushroom and chestnut gatherers.

On a summer's evening, the hill villages in both Lunigiana and the Val Di Vara offer a choice of 'festas', or festivals, with food and dancing. Some are deliciously simple: a plate of ravioli or vegetable pie made by local women, a glass of robust red wine sitting at a long table with the rest of the villagers and perhaps some dancing in the square under the fairy lights. Others are much grander: Fivizzano hosts a medieval festival where the locals, dressed in costume, compete in bow and arrow competitions and flag waving dances. At Filetto, the whole village steps back in time; the castle is opened up and the cooking offered is from ancient recipes, the narrow cobbled lanes are lit by torchlight and the 'nobles' wander the village on horseback. There is theatre, dance and music with the locals all in medieval costume. And then there are the walks. The hills are criss-crossed with marked paths leading from one valley to the next where rivers with waterfalls and natural rock pools for swimming abound. Or alternatively try the steep walks up to some of the highest peaks of the Apennines and then stroll along the ridge admiring the spectacular views. In springtime these hills are adorned with flowers; there are wild orchids, bright yellow ferns and wild pink carnations, and the lucky may even catch a glimpse of the shy young deer which jump and run along the craggy banks.

This beautiful corner of Italy has so much to offer those in search of a retreat from the stresses and strains of every day life. And yet one more bonus is the fact that it is still possible to buy an ancient water mill, stone farmhouse, simple shepherd's cottage or a medieval castle at some of the best prices in Italy.

Despite the vivid descriptions by famous writers and poets you really have to visit to appreciate its unique blend of olive green, oleandered landscapes and yellow ochred, red tiled townships fringed around by craggy, young mountains, their marble outcrops glistening like glaciers. Even the best of our poets fail to convey the warm scent of a country morning that assails the senses. You have to breathe it. Nor the stillness of a summer's evening accentuated by croaking crickets and flashing fireflies. You have to feel it!