Virgoletta is a medieval village perched on a hillside along the Bagnone stream, in the municipality of Villafranca in Lunigiana. The village has deep historical ties to the Malaspina family. Originally held by the Corbellari, it later passed to the Malaspina dello Spino Secco and, briefly in the 15th century, to the Genoese Campofregoso family.
Encircled by defensive walls over ten meters high, Virgoletta reveals its history along its main street through "talking portals"—stone doorways adorned with bas-reliefs depicting auspicious symbols and tools of ancient trades. The Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, built in 1585, houses a 17th-century altar containing relics of four saints, brought to Virgoletta from Rome in 1666. A 15th-century altarpiece by the so-called Master of Virgoletta further enriches the church’s interior.
Via Calzolari leads to the Malaspina Castle, marked by the family crest and featuring an open courtyard. The wings of the castle date back to the 16th and 17th centuries, while the original defense tower offers panoramic views over the valley. A riulin—a small covered passage or rivellino—skirts the tower, guiding visitors toward the mountains and the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve.
The exploration of Virgoletta concludes at the village fountains, known as the Fountains of Virgoletta, where marble-faced spouts provide fresh spring water. These fountains once served as resting stops for pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena.
