Ciciana: Church, Nativity Scene and Hillside Trails

Ciciana lies at the start of the Pizzorne hills. From here, you can see Lucca and the towns of the Lucca plain, which is surrounded by the Monti Pisani and the hills of Valdinievole. This gives the town a clear connection to its landscape, while its church, nativity scene and hiking trails offer other specific points of interest. If you are considering Ciciana as a destination for your stay, you can choose between sacred art, the multi-scene nativity and hiking routes with named destinations.

San Bartolomeo: History and Frescoes

The church of San Bartolomeo dates back to the early Middle Ages and was rebuilt in 1284. Its origins and reconstruction therefore belong to different historical periods. Above the entrance, on the exterior, is a bas-relief depicting Saint Bartholomew. Inside, the church preserves two 16th-century frescoes: a Crucifixion with Saints Roch and Frediano, and a Madonna with Saints James, Sebastian and Agatha. The two frescoes differ in their central subjects—the Crucifixion and the Madonna—and in the groups of saints named in each. The passage of time between the church’s early medieval origins, its reconstruction in 1284 and the 16th-century frescoes places its architectural and artistic history in several successive periods.

The Multi-Scene Presepe Poliscenico

The Presepe poliscenico di Ciciana is a multi-scene nativity. Its sequence runs from the Annunciation to the arrival of the Three Kings, with scenes alternating between day and night. The story therefore includes several episodes rather than a single nativity scene, and the shift from day to night adds different visual moods to the sequence. After an interruption of several years, the tradition continued uninterrupted from 1972 onward. In 2023, the Presepe poliscenico had been set up in the sacristy of Ciciana for more than 50 years.

Hiking Routes with Different Points of Interest

The hiking routes can be distinguished by their respective points of interest. The Mulattiera di Ciciana passes below the church of San Bartolomeo; after a few metres, a path branches off to the church. The Itinerario di Tramonte–Ciciana includes a section of the Via Garfagnina that passes through the area after the town of Ciciana. La Sgambata del Ponte follows a different route: it climbs to the imposing, pale Convento dell’Angelo and passes through the panoramic hills of Ciciana and Tramonte. A route description dated 6 October 2024 describes this itinerary. Sgambata is classified as a hiking event held in October; check the specific date before travelling. To choose a route, you can use their different points of interest as a guide: the turnoff to the church, the Via Garfagnina section beyond Ciciana, or the Sgambata with the convent and panoramic hills.

Discover more destinations: Mastiano, Arsina, San Lorenzo A Vaccoli, Montuolo, Farneta, Piazzano, Nozzano Castello, Piaggione

For the main travel overview: Lucca.