The name Porcari indicates that pig farming was a very common activity in this area. The first document that quotes Porcari dates back to 780: it deals with a donation of a piece of land that three Lombard brothers made to the monastero di San Savino (Monastery of San Savino). The noble family Porcari comes from this town: its members were famous because they held political offices in Lucca and in Pisa.

This family died out in the 15th century but today we can still admire their wonderful mansion, Palazzo Rosso. Porcari is located on the Via Francigena at the East end of the wonderful Valle delle Sei Miglia, lying between two mountain chains, with the Apuan Alps in the background.