Inside Italy’s ‘most Scottish town’ where locals play bagpipes & wear tartan – with its own fish and chips festival
WHILE holidays to places like Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan remain popular, there are several other Italian towns that seem to have flown under the radar.
Popular towns and cities in Italy can get very crowded, but there are still some secluded spots where holidaymakers can relax in peace.
One of those places is Barga — a small destination in Tuscany that’s been dubbed Italy’s most Scottish town.
Located in the Apuan Alps, the walled town has been tied to Scotland since the 19th century when Tuscan families moved to the UK for work.
While many Italian families opted to emigrate to America, Canada and South America, plenty ended up settling in Scotland.
It is thought that around 60 per cent of the town’s 10,000 residents can claim to have relatives in Scotland to this day.
Mayor Umberto Sereni, told the BBC: “Many people from Barga live in Scotland, it is the history of our people, we went to Scotland for work.
“Now we can see many people from Scotland in Barga. We are very proud to be the most Scottish town in Italy.
“Any Scotsman who comes to Barga should feel at home – like in a little Scotland.”
Barga is home to one of only two Celtic Supporters’ Clubs in the country, with a Rangers Newspaper also on display in the town’s museum.
The Tuscan town celebrates its ties to Scotland with a three-week long fish and Chips festival also known as Sagra del Pesce e Patate.
Visitors can expect to see locals playing bagpipes, traditional dancing, a market selling a range of products and restaurants serving a Scottish breakfast.
The festival is celebrating its 39th year and will take place for three weeks in July and August.
Later this year, the Barga Scottish Festival will also be taking place during the first weekend of September.
There are plenty of other attractions in the Italian town, including the Teatro dei Differenti and Casa Pascoli.
The buildings are related to Giovanni Pascoli – one of Italy’s most renowned poets who considered Barga to be his adoptive town.
Other attractions in the Tuscan town include Collegiata di San Cristoforo, which is a marvellous cathedral that’s considered to be one of the most important Romanesque cathedrals in Tuscany.
Barga is a 45-minute drive from Lucca, and it’s a 90-minute drive from Pisa.
Ryanair operates direct flights from London Stansted Airport to Pisa Airport, with return flights costing as little as £30 in September.
And there are plenty of other secluded spots in Italy only locals seem to know about, including Ponza.
Ponza is part of the Pontine archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and it is home to beaches that rival Capri — but for a fraction of the price.
One of the more rustic Italian islands, with its untouched natural landscapes, hidden coves and sea caves.
Everything you need to know about visiting Italy
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in 180 days.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance.
- Italy is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Italy from the UK take between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the destination.
Meanwhile, here are the 100 best beaches in the world to visit in 2024 – and four from the UK have made the cut.
And this stunning Italian town is tipped to be the best place to visit this year.