Stazzema

Inland
Nearest train: Pietrasanta, 8 km
2,856 residents

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Stazzema is the only comune in Versilia that lies entirely in the mountains: seventeen villages spread across the Apuan Alps, from Pontestazzemese, where the town offices are, to Cardoso, Pruno, Volegno, Levigliani, Retignano, Farnocchia and Arni. The highest point is the summit of the Pania della Croce, at 1,858 m.

The name is known above all for Sant'Anna di Stazzema. On 12 August 1944 soldiers of the SS division "Reichsführer-SS", guided by Italian fascist collaborators, killed the civilians of the village and the refugees sheltering there; most accounts give 560 dead. Since 2000 the place has been the Parco Nazionale della Pace, with the Museo storico della Resistenza and a Via Crucis path up to the ossuary at Col di Cava.

The mountains draw walkers and cavers. Above Cardoso, Monte Forato has a natural rock arch with a 32 m span. At Levigliani a guided route leads into the Antro del Corchia, one of the largest cave systems in Europe, and the small Museo della Pietra Piegata covers local marble.

Stazzema suits hikers, people who want to understand the war in Tuscany, and travellers happy with mountain roads and few shops.

Events in Stazzema1

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Saturday 31 October1

19:00

Halloween at Mulina Oscura – 3rd Edition

StazzemaNightlife

What to see

Parco Nazionale della Pace, Sant'Anna

Memorial park at Sant'Anna di Stazzema, established by law in 2000, with the Museo storico della Resistenza, the church, and a Via Crucis path to the ossuary at Col di Cava.

Antro del Corchia

Cave system inside Monte Corchia, with a branch open to visitors since 2001 and reached by shuttle bus from Levigliani.

Monte Forato

Mountain with a natural rock arch of 32 m span; on some days the sun can be seen rising through it from the coast.

Museo della Pietra Piegata

Small museum in Levigliani with marble sacred art, coloured Apuan marbles and old stone mortars.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

Church just outside Stazzema village with a white marble façade and three bells cast in the 16th century.

Pania della Croce

At 1,858 m the highest point of the comune, known as the "queen of the Apuan Alps".

Getting there and around

By car: By car, head inland from Seravezza up the Vezza valley towards Pontestazzemese; the road continues over the mountains to Arni. Sant'Anna lies apart from the other villages, on hills above the Camaiore valley, so plan it as a separate trip.
Train and bus: Buses are few: on weekdays a handful of runs link Pontestazzemese with Seravezza and with villages such as Pruno and Cardoso, and the summer timetable is thinner still.

Stazzema climate by month

Month	Day	Night	Rain days (≥1 mm)	Rain
January	9°	0°	14	155 mm
February	11°	2°	11	153 mm
March	13°	3°	12	144 mm
April	16°	6°	12	138 mm
May	19°	10°	16	161 mm
June	24°	14°	10	82 mm
July	27°	16°	7	56 mm
August	28°	16°	9	84 mm
September	23°	12°	12	162 mm
October	18°	9°	13	232 mm
November	13°	5°	16	232 mm
December	10°	2°	14	195 mm

Averages 2016–2025 from reanalysis data (Open-Meteo); a single year can differ a lot.

Questions visitors ask

What happened at Sant'Anna di Stazzema?

On 12 August 1944 soldiers of the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reichsführer-SS", with Italian fascist collaborators, massacred the village's civilians and the refugees there. Most sources give 560 dead; the Parco Nazionale della Pace speaks of more than 500 civilians, among them 130 children, and only some of the victims have been identified by name. In 2005 a military court in La Spezia sentenced ten former SS men to life imprisonment, confirmed in 2007.

Can you visit the Antro del Corchia?

Yes, on guided tours: a branch of the cave has been open to the public since 2001. Visits start in Levigliani, where a shuttle bus takes you up to the entrance; check the current schedule before going.

How do you hike to Monte Forato?

The direct route is CAI path 12 from Cardoso, with more than 800 m of ascent. A longer loop of about 10 km and 5 hours starts at Fornovolasco on the Garfagnana side and reaches the arch over the Foce di Petrosciana; the ridge section (CAI 110) is for experienced hikers.