The region was part of the Gothic Line in World War II, and was the scene of fierce fighting between the Allies and Germans from October 1944 until April 1945, especially during the Battle of Garfagnana at the end of December 1944.

[6] An iconic red telephone box from the UK was gifted to the people of Barga and placed in the town centre, where it now operates as a book exchange, dubbed "the smallest library in Tuscany".

The "Sagra" is a feature of Italian rural culture: communal meals for several hundred people, eaten in the open air, often in orchards, vineyards or sports grounds.

In Barga itself, there is the "Cena in Vignola" in the vineyard below the Duomo, and in August the "Sagra del pesce e Patate" (Fish and Chips festival) in celebration of the Scottish connection.

The Italian Touring Club has recently assigned the "orange flag" of the "I Borghi più belli d'Italia" ("Best Villages of Italy"), a distinguished sign recognizing the peculiarity of its beauty and of its quality.

In 2008, Barga became the first medieval historic centre in Italy to be mapped and equipped with QR codes (2D barcodes) for all of the churches, palazzo statues, restaurants, bars and places of interest.

The British writer Len Deighton wrote his novel SS-GB at a rented hut on the outskirts of Barga, using a manual typewriter bought in the town.

[10] Main sights include: In 1991 the local sports centre named "Il Ciocco" hosted the second edition of UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.