Tuscany Ride a Bike offers a bike ride from Lucca to Pisa, along the river park of Serchio and then the slopes of Monte Pisano. Today it's an easy trip, thanks to the moderate slope and very funny because you can admire the full plain of Lucca with the Apuane Alpi as a backdrop, see the watchtowers of Ripafratta and then arrive in Pisa, the leaning-tower-city, following the ancient route of the aqueduct.
In the Middle Ages it wouldn't have been so easy, because you would have had to cross a border between two free and proud cities, often fighting with each other: those cities are Lucca and Pisa; in defense of this border were built many fortresses and watchtowers along the river and the Monte Pisano blocked the road to enemy armies. Actually many buildings have been lost, but some principals can be seen even today such the Ripafratta castle, which stands by the river and the road.
Lucca was a rich town, thanks to the textile trade with Northern Europe, and Pisa was a powerful maritime republic; those towns were often at war with each other for commercial rights, control of the territory, diocese's borders, but also for the great medieval battle between Guelphs (supporters of the Pope), and the Ghibellines (supporters of empire).
During the Middle Ages, several wars alternated with peace treaties, but these territories were the scene of all kinds of fights, from raids in villages carried out by mercenary troops of John Hawk, sieges of castles such in Caprona, even cited by Dante, open field battles and chronicles of a naval fight on the lake of Bientina (today just a marsh), when in 1147 the ships of Pisa attacked the castle controlled by Lucca, using 50 boats with above troops and war engines.
Furthermore, many great leaders joined those wars as the famous Uguccione Faggiola (remembered in “Divina Commedia” by Dante), the surprising Castruccio Castracani, who in exile became the strongest leader of Italy in a parable that was even admired by Machiavelli, but also Guido da Montefeltro and the terrible John Hawk, the english mercenary!
Actually the rivalry between Lucca and Pisa isn't yet gone out and pops up during local celebrations and sporting events ... but do not worry! The border is no more active and no one in Ripafratta will never ask you to show your passport...so enjoy the hike with us!