Italians have been going abroad to work for quite some time. 872,598 persons left Italy in 1913, the highest total ever. You can find out more from the Library of Congress or you can go to the Museo dell’Emigrazione della Gente di Toscana in Little Lusuolo in La Lunigiana and see some of the artifacts and records of those who left from this largely agricultural community. The museum is inside the castle, which is a wonderful conglomeration of ruins and restorations, anchored by an ugly external elevator. The entrance is quite nice though.
The small museum takes up just a couple of large rooms, and features pictures, postcards, graphs and statistics. You’ll learn where people went and how they got there.
There are no services in Lusuolo, but head over to nearby Mulazzo, known for Dante’s stay, and have your choice of local grub or Spanish food at El Caracol
Map of Lusuolo
Rating:
Unique: Emigration Museum inside the Castle, open weekend afternoons.
When to Go: Spring or Fall. Summers are hot.
Region: La Lunigiana, a historic territory mostly inside of Tuscany Map
Days: 1
: Train station: No.
Parking: Relatively easy
Recommended Hotel (nearby): Ristorante Albergo El Caracol” Restaurant has very good Spanish cuisine as well as local Lunigiana cuisine
Local Wines to Try: Colli di Luni vermentino (white), Vermentino Nero (red—and rare)
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