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Luni: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of La Spezia, Liguria. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Luni

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Aurelia 1, Luni.

Luni, Roman Luna between the Magra plain and the hills

Until a few years ago this municipality was called Ortonovo. It took the name Luni from the Roman colony of Luna, whose remains, including the amphitheatre and the archaeological museum, lie on the plain near the Tuscan border. In Roman times marble from the Carrara quarries was shipped from the port of Luna, and the whole Lunigiana area is named after the ancient city.

The territory has two sides. Up in the hills are the older villages, such as Ortonovo and Nicola, with stone houses, narrow lanes and views over the plain, the sea and the Apuan Alps. Down on the Magra plain are the hamlets that have grown in recent decades, with newer homes, shops and the old Via Aurelia main road. Sarzana and Carrara are a few kilometres away, La Spezia and the beaches are close, and the A12 motorway runs nearby.

In 2023 Luni had 8,117 residents according to Istat, the national statistics institute, 3.4% fewer than in 2011, making it number 7 by population in the province of La Spezia. The estimated average age is 49.1, in line with one of Italy's oldest provinces, and over-65s make up 27.6%. Foreign residents account for 5.7%. Average incomes are a little below the provincial level.

The Civil Protection Department (Protezione Civile) puts Luni in seismic zone 3, like 24 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.134 g. The hazard is moderate, but in the hill villages many houses are stone-built and share walls: before buying, find out the condition of the roof and the party walls.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are available and the report traces the plot. On the plain, near the Magra and the streams coming down from the hills, flood hazard is the first thing to check; in the hills, slope and landslides matter more.

Key points

  • Formerly Ortonovo, home to the remains of Roman Luna.
  • Hill villages and newer hamlets on the Magra plain.
  • Population down 3.4% since 2011; average age 49.1.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected ground acceleration about 0.134 g.

Overview

Luni is a municipality in the province of La Spezia, in Liguria. At the end of 2023 it had 8,117 residents, ranked 7 of 32 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Luni is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (25 of 32) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.134 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 3.4%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 29%). Foreign residents make up 5.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Luni declared an average taxable income of 24,289 euros, in line with the province (25,530 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Luni has 6 schools and 4 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 3 grocery shops and supermarkets, 5 sports facilities and 1 green area.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 17.7% of the land in Luni, compared with 8.0% in the province and 7.3% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Luni is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Liguria in 2026. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Luni.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Luni: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Luni are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 34 inhabited census areas in Luni. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 54 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 0.9%
  • fair 99.1%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 011020. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.