Piano di Follo: History, Pieve and Green Spaces

In Piano di Follo, local history, cultural heritage and municipal green spaces offer different points of interest to consider when planning your trip. The town’s development from the medieval settlement of San Martino and the Pieve di San Martino shape its historical character. Green spaces and named road connections add leisure options and help with navigation.

Local history and the Pieve di San Martino

Piano di Follo developed from the medieval settlement of San Martino. The Pieve di San Martino in Pian di Follo is traditionally dated to the year 960; its origins are attributed to French pilgrims. This traditional date and the attribution to pilgrims mark the church’s early historical significance.

Parts of the original Pieve remain, including boundary walls, traces of two original naves, a façade with a portal and monolithic architrave, and a massive square bell tower. A monolithic architrave is made from a single piece of material and is a specific feature of the façade’s design. The Pieve also preserves four large 15th-century frescoes. Together, these surviving architectural and artistic features offer different points of reference for the town’s history.

Another historical connection is the Via di San Martino. Documented in the year 1000, the road connected Piano di Follo to Montalbano via the Val Durasca. Its named stops add a link between these places to the settlement’s history.

Green spaces and leisure activities

The municipal green spaces in Piano di Follo are equipped as parks and children’s play areas. They also have facilities for roller skating and dancing. Thus, their specifically mentioned uses extend beyond children’s play areas. If you compare destinations by the leisure activities they offer, you can take these different options into account when making your decision.

The municipality of Follo is located in the Montemarcello–Magra–Vara Regional Nature Park. This is a regional reference at the municipal level and adds a landscape context to the local points of interest.

Roads and routes for orientation

The provincial road from Piano di Follo to Piana Battolla continues west toward Beverino and the Aurelia, and east toward Ceparana and Albiano. Another provincial road runs uphill from Piano di Follo through the Val Durasca and ends above the city of La Spezia at the Aurelia. These details help distinguish the directions and endpoints described.

The Ippovia nel Parco riding trail is 16 kilometers long. It runs from Sarzana (Bradiola) to Calice al Cornoviglio and passes through Arcola, Santo Stefano di Magra, Vezzano Ligure, Bolano and Follo. Route details can change, so check the information before planning your trip.

Regional food at the Fiera di Sant’Isidoro

Stalls at the Fiera di Sant’Isidoro offer typical regional food. The specific offerings may vary. This gives you a culinary point of interest to consider when planning your trip, without assuming that the same food will always be available.

Discover more destinations: La Spezia, Lavaggiorosso, Vignana, Le Grazie, Fiumaretta di Ameglia, Sorbolo, Maissana, Zignago

Go to the main travel overview: La Spezia.