Located on the top of the Caprione promontory, Montemarcello dominates both the Gulf of La Spezia and the Magra Valley from above. It seems that the name dates back to the Roman era, commemorating the victory over the Ligurians by Consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus in 155 BC. The Roman influence is clearly visible in the urban structure of the village with its streets that cut at right angles to resemble a military camp of the time, a unique characteristic among the villages of the valley.

In 1286, the Bishop of Luni, Enrico da Fucecchio, had fortifications built on the promontory, including the circular tower located at the northern entrance of the village. However, the birth of the village dates back to 1474, the year in which Montemarcello was established as a parish, while the walls, of which only some sections remain today, were built in 1485.

At the western end of the village is the parish church of St. Peter, whose construction dates back to 1474, deeply renovated in the 17th century according to the canons of the Baroque style. Inside are preserved some works of considerable artistic value.

Montemarcello, with its characteristic narrow streets and well-preserved houses, has become a destination for journalists and writers. Since 1985, it has been at the center of the Montemarcello-Magra-Vara Regional Park; in particular, the nearby Botanical Garden is worth visiting, which allows you to discover, through guided paths, the flora and fauna of the Park and to enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Magra Valley and the Apuan Alps.

Along the road to Montemarcello, the convent of the Discalced Carmelites, founded in 1176 as the Monastery of the Crow, is worth a stop. Of the ancient monastery, the perimeter walls of the church and the chapel inside are preserved, where the famous Romanesque wooden Crucifix, also called the Black Christ, of considerable size, is preserved, which is among the most important of its kind in Italy and Europe.

Furthermore, according to tradition, which originates from a letter by Friar Ilario (preserved in the Laurentian Library in Florence), the supreme poet Dante Alighieri allegedly stayed in the ancient monastery, entrusting some cantos of the Divine Comedy to the friar.

Montemarcello was awarded in 2006 as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Staying at Downtown Blue Apartment, you can easily reach this stunning ancient village with unique charm either by bus service or by car.