Hello to all! My husband and I are driving from Parma to Lucca, Google map takes us two different ways, one is a little longer but we don’t mind. One route takes us on E33, I believe South through La Spezia. The other route takes us E35, towards Bologna, then down towards Calenzano. I was just wondering if anyone knows which is the more scenic route, and if there are any must see small towns along the way.
Thanks!
Ivy
ViaMichelin.com has a handy feature: If you zoom way in on its route maps, especially scenic stretches of road will be highlighted in green. I don't see much of that on any of the three routes it gives, but there are bits of green north of Calenzano. There are some secondary roads running parallel to the VM routes that look very scenically promising, though.
Take the A15 (E33) via La Spezia then the A12. It’s faster, shorter and less heavy truck traffic compared to the other option via Bologna. The A1 is very boring from Parma to Bologna, and after Bologna all the way to Firenze Nord (where you take the A11) is mostly in very long tunnels. You will be underground almost the whole time. You will see nothing. The A15 via La Spezia also has some tunnels especially under the Cisa Pass, but they are few and short, so at least you will see some mountains. From La Spezia to Viareggio it’s flat but you can see the Apuan Alps on your left. Even in summer they look like they are covered in snow, but it’s actually the Carrara marble. Either route is on freeways, so once you get into the freeway system if you exit along the way you must pay toll at the exit.
What Roberto said. You'll be following part of the route of medieval pilgrims along the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, just much faster.
E33 and E35 are highway, so a fast route but much less scenic, because built to make the travel shorter in time. Like Roberto says, the A1 in mainly underground, so not scenic at all.
If you want a scenic route on ViaMichelin flag the options "skip toll" and "skip highway". Now you can find the scenic routes who climb the mountains and cross he medieval villages.
One could be the Cisa pass: via Pontremoli and Aulla, two very nice villages to be visited who worth a long stop.
Other two suggestions are leading to the Cerreto or the Radici passes: more winding routes but very scenic.
A longer one could be reaching the Abetone pass.
Be aware that if you choose a route that avoids 'toll highways' you and your passengers must have a stomach that is not sensitive to 'car sickness' . Those roads through the Apennines have plenty of hairpin curves. Time of travel will also double.
