DIRECTIONS TO ‘CASA A CORTE, VIA BARSOTTI, GUGLIANO, NEAR LUCCA’ FROM PISA AIRPORT.
On leaving Pisa Airport take the north / south Auto Strada (green signs) towards Genoa / Livorno (this should take you around the front of the airport and to the left as one looks from the airport entrance & lead you to the motorway in approx 5 mins.
On the Auto Strada the direction you now require is North on the A12 to GENOA (and not south to Livorno). You must be careful when pulling out on to the dual carriageway as the cars may be coming fast & the run off is small in Italy.
Prior to getting to the motorway you will stop at ALT (ticket machine) to get a ticket.
When arriving at the motorway you will have to take a ticket (biglietto) and there will be 2-3 lanes with a sign showing a hand taking a ticket & coins (these are the lanes to use).
(the price this summer 2022 is Euro 2.80 approx).
Head North on this road (Petrol stations available should you require) towards Genoa/ Pisa Nord for about 10 mins and you will cross the river Arno (which flows to Florence).
You will then see a Motorway green sign to Firenze A11. Take this road to the right.
After about 500m you will take another right turning to Firenze/ Lucca.
(This stretch is being upgraded so minor changes may occur)
Continue heading towards the mountains for approx 10 mins and you will see a narrow turning on your right to Lucca Ouest.
Hand in ticket @ ALT & pay.
Go thro’ and turn left towards Lucca (McDonalds ahead) heading for Abetone / Garfagnana.
Continue, and you will rise over a railway/ road. You shortly will arrive at the walls of Lucca & you take the turning to the left towards ABETONE. Carrying on in a clockwise direction around the wall (on right), and at a roundabout, stay in the middle of 3 lanes. At the next small round about turn left to Abetone (away from the walls of Lucca), keeping to the right hand lane and at the end (800m?) of the road turn right to Abetone.
Stay on this road with the river hidden on your left hand side for about 5 mins heading towards Abetone/ Ponte A Moriano.(approx 15 mins journey time from ALT). There will be a few petrol stations shops on right side.
You will arrive at a big (dangerous) junction where our Supermarket (Esse Lunga) is diagonally to the right. (You can turn left here, over the river and then right, but I suggest for safety you continue straight on for another 2 km approx) towards Ponte A Moriano.
Arriving at Ponte A Moriano, you will have some shops on your left and right. On the sharp bend an Ice Cream parlour is on your left, with the square just after on the right. (This is our local shopping area with a very good grocer just beyond the square on the far right which does take away meals etc, bank, chemist, butcher, petrol and Tues am market.) Turn left after the square, sign posted Castlenuovo, cross the river on an old bridge, and immediately turn right for 200m and then 1st left towards Mastiano. (on the right by a car park is a plant shop that sells local wine).
After the left turn, continue and you will go under a flyover and there will see a small farm with chickens on your left and a large Cemetery on your right.
You are now in the countryside; continue along the road for about 2km- after big gates and vines take a right hand slip road up a hill just to the right of a brown sign to Il Volpe Restaurant (This is a tarmac road and not a dirt track- similar to another turning a 30 seconds earlier.)
This road takes you up the steep hill and will require the use of your horn; there are several tight bends (climbing up) and at the top of the hill there is the hamlet of Mastiano & few houses on your right & left. The road is steep and narrow so be careful; continue straight on at the junction, with olive trees on your left & right.
On the bend after a (yellow) house turn left towards Gugliano through a small road with woods either side and then a stone track for 800m from the farm.
After 2 km approx you will cross a walled small bridge- take the right fork down the hill.
There is parking for 1 or 2 cars in my Stala (barn) just by my wooden gate. This will keep the cars cool. Please do not leave the car in the road in case the farmer needs to pass by.
We hope you have a really good stay and arrive at the house in a relaxed manner!
Please note that minor alterations may occur, but we hope our directions have eased your journey to the house.