Holiday apartment in Monti: village history, castles and mountain views

Monti consists of a small historic village on higher ground with the castle and a larger settlement on the plain. The Catholic Church of Santa Maria Assunta, also known as Pieve di Santa Maria di Venelia, stands in the elevated part. Monti is located in the municipality of Licciana Nardi in the province of Massa-Carrara. The transition between the village heights and the plain shapes Monti's spatial character.

Church and architectural history in Monti

The Pieve di Santa Maria di Venelia dates back to the end of the 10th century. It was completely rebuilt in the 18th century. The church includes the semicircular apse of the former Romanesque church from the 12th century. The Catholic church and its apse therefore belong to different construction phases of the same church building. Those interested in architectural history can trace several historical periods in this building.

Castello Malaspina and distant views

In the 16th century, Duke Moroello Malaspina transformed Monti's medieval castle into an aristocratic residence. The terrace of Castello Malaspina di Monti offers expansive views over the Lunigiana Valley, the Apennines and the peaks of the Apuan Alps. For those interested in culture, the architectural history takes center stage at the Pieve; at the Castello, the landscape views add another attraction.

Castles and museums in the surrounding region

The Castello Malaspina and Castello di Madrignano are located in the vicinity of Monti. The wider surrounding region of Monti also includes the Vallardi Galleria D'Arte di Gasparini Vittorio museum and the Cardelli e Fontana arte contemporanea museum. The two castles and the two museums are located in different areas around Monti. Those interested in culture can plan these castles and museums as specific destinations in the region surrounding Monti.

Mountain landscape around Monti

The mountains are also part of Monti's surroundings: Monte Giogo, Monte Bocco, Monte Losanna and Monte Sillara are located there. The area around Monti therefore includes both mountains and peaks. The mountains and peaks complement the historic buildings with additional specific landscape destinations in the area surrounding Monti. Those interested in landscapes can take the four mountain destinations into account when making further plans around Monti.

Cycling tour and visiting arrangements for 2026

The MM4-N002 cycling tour from the Bagnone plain to the Taverone plain passes through Monti di Licciana. In 2026, Castello Malaspina di Monti is subject to set visiting arrangements: it can be visited on specified dates and at specified times; advance reservation is required. The cycling tour and the castle visit require different planning steps. If both activities are combined, the date, time and advance reservation for the Castello must be taken into account, while the cycling tour through Monti di Licciana is included in the plan as a separate route point.

Further places for your planning

For more ideas for places to visit, you can discover Apella, Amola, Pontebosio and Tavernelle.

To the overarching travel overview: Licciana-Nardi.