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In the magical land of Lunigiana, the feats of the noble Picedi Benettini family began long before Dante Alighieri mentioned this part of Liguria. They were men of arms, jurists, and prelates who happen to be equally in love with nature, their beautiful estates, and, more in general, with humanistic culture.

The Picedi Benettini family was already present in the old city of Luni, with several abodes, estates, and a patch of land where Villa il Chioso was eventually built. Vineyards and local traditions have actually been intertwined with the history of this family for centuries. Built in the XVII century, this residence, in particular, was set in a huge estate of some 7.5 acres with vineyards, olive trees, and animal breeding facilities. Inside the park, there’s still a Benedictine parish church from the XI century.

TODAY

The park is very rich in refined botanical species, including a specimen of a monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria Araucaria imbricata). Inside the villa, there’s a permanent exhibition of the original archaeological excavations.
Last but not least, the Picedi Benettini farm still produces the local Chioso (Baccano di Arcola) e Ceserano (Ceserano di Fivizzano) wines, along with olive oil made with their organically-grown own trees. The types of olive oil by the Picedi Benedettini has been awarded the Denomination of Controlled Origin (D.O.C.) recognition for “Colli di Luni” variety and the Regional Geographical Indication (I.G.T.) certificate for “Val di Magra” variety.

WORTH KNOWING:

In September, a Wine festival is held in the park.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)