Santa Lucia: Hiking Trails and History

Santa Lucia combines the history of a historic village with several described hiking trails. The routes pass through the hilly landscape between Camaiore and the Capezzano plain, or climb up to the village; along the way, you’ll encounter olive groves, an old washhouse, and views across Versilia. When planning your trip, you can take into account both the character of the village and the different routes.

Hiking Trails Around Santa Lucia

The Santa Lucia–Canova–Villa Cavanis trail is one of the hill trails between Camaiore town center and the Capezzano plain. It is described as a historic route with scenic and panoramic features and includes the old “di Cànova” washhouse. A document from 1018 mentions this washhouse—a remarkably early written reference to a place along the hiking trails around Santa Lucia.

Another option is the circular hike from Capezzano to Santa Lucia. It is part of the “Camaiore Antiqua” project, which comprises 15 circular trails. The described route leads from the cemetery along a steep path to the village, then follows the municipal mule track to the Canova washhouse. The Acquarella can be identified by its length and endpoints; by contrast, the steep section from the cemetery into the village defines the route described for this circular hike. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

The Sentiero dell’Acquarella runs for 3.9 kilometers from Villa Cavanis in Capezzano to the church square in Santa Lucia. The route passes through nature and olive groves before reaching the small village in the municipality of Camaiore. Along the way, there are views of the entire Versilia coast; on clear days, islands in the Tuscan Archipelago can also be seen. Since visibility and trail conditions can vary, it’s worth checking conditions and trail signage before setting out.

An older route brochure also describes the “Traversata delle Frazioni Camaioresi”: it runs from Santa Lucia along the slopes of Monte Gabberi to Fibbiano Montanino. The different route descriptions each emphasize different aspects—some focus on distance and endpoints, others on the sequence of paths or the scenery. If you’re planning a hike as part of your trip, refer to the details for the specific route and check conditions locally.

A Village with Historical Connections

The village’s name, too, has a long history. The Borgo di Santa Lucia was mentioned in the 13th century under the names “Vegghiatoia” or “Vegliatoia.” During a bishop’s visitation from 1465 to 1467, Santa Lucia a Vegghiatoia was listed among the churches of the Pieve di Santa Felicita. These historical references give the present-day village name a historical context without conflating the hiking trails with the village’s history.

The Canova washhouse connects this local history to a specific building. Washhouses were essential structures in pre-industrial times; the Canova washhouse is considered historically valuable. Its mention in a document from 1018 and its inclusion on the described route make it a tangible point of reference for anyone interested not only in the landscape but also in the history of everyday life in earlier times. The trail, the building, and the historic village names thus offer different perspectives on Santa Lucia: movement through the hilly landscape, visible landmarks along the way, and the village’s recorded names.

Discover more destinations: Capezzano Pianore, Pedona, Montemagno, Orbicciano, Fibbiano, Buchignano, Torcigliano, Monteggiori.

For the main travel overview: Camaiore.