Our family has lived and worked in Garfagnana for several generations.
Isola Santa Lake – Careggine Huts (Lu)
In the heart of Garfagnana, within the Apuan Alps Park, with a unique privileged view of the Isola Santa Lake below, a jewel set among the wild cliffs, our family has its roots going back generations.
It was way back in 1966 when our grandparents had the foresight to open a shop selling basic necessities here. A beacon for the residents of this area, a welcoming haven and refreshment point for mountain enthusiasts passing through.
Imagine life in the Apuan Alps at that time:
for every small need, a twenty or thirty minute walk through the woods, then the main road and finally the wait for the " postal bus " to reach Castelnuovo di Garfagnana or Versilia, destinations for work, study and other daily needs.
The rugged paths, especially in winter, were the only way for children and adults, testifying to the isolation suffered by this tenacious community.
In this context, our shop soon became a vital point of reference, an immediate success for both locals and climbers and mountain lovers in general, attracted by our hospitality and the comfort of a refreshment.
Years later, the opening of the new road gave a strong boost to our dreams. Thus the family created the current panoramic restaurant, a natural evolution of our vocation for hospitality.
But our vision didn't stop there.
The opportunity arose to acquire the nearby, characteristic village, which time and the heavy post - war emigration had reduced to a state of complete abandonment. It wasn't an easy decision, but the family got back into the game.
With an ambitious project and thanks to the valuable support of local institutions, a meticulous building restoration project was undertaken. First, the accessibility of the ancient alleys was restored, a prelude to the patient and almost complete renovation of the charming and characteristic houses with roofs made of local stone slabs, testifying to the Garfagnana building tradition.
Today many experts recognize this place as a “ panoramic nature resort” as well as a virtuous example of recovery in the name of eco - sustainable tourism, of which our family is deeply proud.
