Commanding huge panoramic views, the hilltop castle was built in 1112 by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original structure except for the skeleton – imposing walls and a series of tough brick towers – and, inside, a humble 4th-century chapel, the Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos . This houses an extraordinary 14th-century fresco cycle depicting saints, ranging from a giant St Christopher to St Lawrence in the middle of his martyrdom on the grill.
Note that the castle's opening hours are substantially reduced from November to March, so if you want to visit in that period, it’s best to phone ahead.
