Upon arrival, it is advisable to park your vehicle on the ring road or ‘circonvallazione’ close to the railway station, a pleasant Neo-Classical building.
Immediately, you will be confronted with the magnificent walls of the town, the monument of Lucchese civilisation par excellence, built for defence purposes but never used in battle. By contrast, today the walls have a very familiar and domestic air as they are now regarded as the town park.
A great sense of dignity and civil decorum strikes visitors as they walk along the path across the grass towards the bastion or Baluardo di San Colombano.
Above the red brick wall, the contrast of the imposing trees and the beautiful cathedral bell tower, together with the baptistry dome against the skyline, give a serene air to these ramparts which consequently lose much of their military arrogance.
Once inside, proceed up the ramp of ‘sortita dei cavalleggeri’ (cavalry exit) and cross the ‘piattaforma della cannoniera’ (canon platform). This platform was designed so that the canons would remain hidden behind the bastion, ready to prevent enemy invasions.
Take the steps on to the walls. These ramparts have long since lost their warlike stance and have now endowed the town with a magnificent elevated boulevard, the only one of its kind in the world.
One can walk or cycle around the walls, the full circuit is just over 4 km, which offer superb views of the old town on one side and of the surrounding hills on the other.
The century-old trees, which impressed famous travellers in the past, and the wealth of green areas help to create the perfect ambience for contemplation and pleasant strolls.
By heading west through this green leafy tunnel, thus going on the ‘passeggiata buona’ or the good walk, you will pass under the loggia of Porta San Pietro, one of the three original gates of the 16th-century ring of walls, just in front of the LUCCHESI NEL MONDO office in Lucca. Shortly afterwards, you will see the Baluardo di Santa Maria, where the Antico Caffè della Mura is located.
This beautyful Neo-Classical building dates back to 1840 and was built as part of the plan, drawn up by the Bourbons (lords of the Duchy of Lucca from 1815 to 1860), to transform the ramparts into a park. It has always been a landmark for the people of Lucca and a meeting place for those enjoying a peaceful stroll on this shady, elevated boulevard.
At this point we will leave the walls and walk towards the old town centre along Via Vittorio Veneto, crossing Corso Garibaldi and into Piazza Napoleone. This square, the largest in Lucca, was laid out by the Baciocchi family after substantial demolition work was carried out, with the intention of making Palazzo Ducale the new focal point of the town.
The palace was built on the site of an ancient fortress, which was designed by Giotto but later demolished, and always housed the local government irrespective of the regime. Famous architects worked on the building at different stages and in different periods, including Bartolomeo Ammanati in the late 1500s and Lorenzo Nottolini, the Neo-Classical architect at the court of the Bourbons, to mention just two.
The visitor should at least enter the first courtyard called ‘degli Svizzeri’ to admire the 16th-century portico. If you venture up the large staircase (by Nottolini) you may get to see the beautiful reception rooms on the first floor, ‘la sala degli Svizzeri’, ‘la loggia dell’Ammannati’, ‘il salone dell’Ademollo’ and ‘la sala di Maria Luisa’, which are used on special occasions for public ceremonies. (Palazzo Ducale now houses the Governing Body of the Province of Lucca).
In the first room, you can see the huge portrait of the Buonvisi family attributed to the Flemish artist, Franz Pourbus. This is a rare and precious record as it depicts one of the historical Lucchese families, who as merchants travelled extensively and accumulated extraordinary wealth and knowledge.
Back in Piazza Napoleone, where the statue of Maria Luisa di Borbone reigns, we will head north up Via Vittorio Veneto into the heart of the medieval town.
A few metres up on the right lies Via Pescheria, a dark and narrow alley which will take you into Corte del Pesce, the old fishmarket. It is worth making this slight detour as the picturesque façade of the well-preserved 14th-century house, in the second courtyard, deserves to be seen.
Returning to Via Vittorio Veneto, we will proceed to Piazza San Michele leaving Palazzo della Potestà, the most important Renaissance public civic building on our right. Here, in this beautiful square which surrounds the Church of S. Michele, the infinite sense of space and the strong emotions this ambience evokes, especially at dusk or at nightime when the square is delicately lit, are indeed unique.
The architecture in the square ranges from Medieval to the remakes of the early 1900s but the layout of the original Roman forum dominates. A strong sense of order and hierarchy is dictated by the monumental Chiesa di San Michele which bears testimony to how the Lucchese style resembled, though only at times, the Pisan Romanesque style. Note the detail on the remarkable façade. The interior of the church is also worth visiting.
Numerous streets lead off Piazza San Michele, also known as Piazza delle Catene (Square of Chains) because of the iron chains linking the small, elegant pillars which enclose the square.
The composer, Giacomo Puccini, was born in the nearby Via Poggio in 1858 and his birthplace can be seen all year round.
On the north side of the square, hidden behind the transcept of the church, is Via Santa Lucia. Here, the old shop fronts, the helpful shopkeepers, the traditional furnishings, the elegant shop windows and the unusual and often valuable goods on display are a mere indication of the commercial interests Lucca and its people have always boasted.
From here you can either continue on towards Via Fillungo, the main shopping street in town, which will take you east bypassing the wonderful Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, or head west towards Via San Paolino and the Roman part of town and on to the walls again.
There are numerous excellent restaurants and trattorias in the area, some of which are quite famous. Simple, tasty local dishes are guaranteed even in those restaurants whose name does not appear in the guide books.
Another possibility is to head towards Via Roma with its 16th-century palaces and medieval houses.
On the right-hand side corner of Via Cenami and Via Roma is the stately Palazzo Cenami, once property of the Arnolfini family, a very well-known Lucchese merchant family, whose portrait by Van Eyck is to be seen at the National Gallery in London.
The position of this 16th-century Florentine-style building, at an acute angle to the intersection of Via Roma and Via Cenami, highlights the ashlar work on the grey stone façade and the typical stone benches where many sit to chat.
Further on is Piazza Bernardini where Palazzo Bernardini (now the seat of the Association of Local Industrialists), built in the early 1500s by Martino Bernardini, is situated. Here again one can see the Florentine influence which is most evident in the internal courtyard.
On the ground floor, the stone upright of the first window frame to the right of the entrance is curved and supported by an iron bar. Legend has it that the “linchetto”, a traditional Lucchese poltergeist, cast a spell on it so that it would never stay in place, thus leaving the building forever incomplete.
To the right of Palazzo Bernardini are the two Palazzi Balbani which, like many others at the time, were built by joining and restructuring the existent 14th-century houses. The Balbani family were also merchants and were very active on foreign markets( Lyons, Bruges, Anvers, Venice and Palermo.) They too adhered to the Reformation which was stirring in northern Europe, along with many other prominent Lucchese families ( for example the Burlamacchi, the Diodati, the Micheli and the Turrentini), and were persecuted, condemned and consequently exiled.
If you go under the slightly hidden archway (in the corner on the right side of the square as you come out of Palazzo Bernardini) and go along Via del Gallo, you will find yourself in the antique dealers’ section of town.
Proceed on to Via del Battistero which is lined with the shops of the local art dealers,frame makers, bookbinders, printers and the workshops of the local craftspeople who carry out remarkable restoration work. In this ‘small world’ the visitor can admire some beautiful pieces of Lucchese Neo-Classical furniture, fine tapestries and paintings, antique prints and ornaments and can be part of the hustle and bustle on the 3rd Saturday and Sunday of the month when the ‘Mercatino dell’Antiquariato’, the antique fair, takes place.
The streets and nearby squares are lined with dealers’ counters and stalls and people come from all over Italy to admire, value and buy the pieces, at times the masterpieces,exhibited.
Heading westwards, turn left at the top of Via del Battistero, skirting the wall of Palazzo Gigli (which now houses a branch of the local bank ‘Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca’), until you come to Piazza San Giovanni, a small square which leads into the sumptuous Piazza del Duomo.
The Church of S. Giovanni and San Reparata has just recently been reopened to the public after a long period of archeological research and restoration.
The church and the adjacent Baptistry have proved to be a wealth of archeological interest and bear testimony to centuries of history from it being a “domus” or house in the period of the Roman Republic, baths during the Roman Empire, an episcopal basilica in early Christian times and during the early Middle Ages until it was partially restructured at the beginning of the 1400s.
These marvellous findings are a result of the extensive research conducted in the recent past and the information is now easily accessible to all. The Baptistry has been renovated and a visit is recommended to admire the splendid interior of the ogival dome. Today a venue for classical music and opera concerts.
The terraced garden on the right-hand side of the church of San Giovanni will surely catch your attention before you are drawn into the Piazza del Duomo, where the Cathedral dedicated to Saint Martin dominates.
One is immediately struck by the Romanesque façade of this majestic church with its superimposed galleries and carved columns. Furthermore, the uneveness of the porch is quite evident as the third barrel-vault to the right is substantially smaller than the other two.
The cathedral is the symbol of the profound Christian faith professed, for centuries on end, by the local community and its august, simple architecture is a reflection of this. The most famous masons at the time came from Como and many of them, including Guidetto da Como, worked on the building.
Inside, the shrine built by Matteo Civitali to shelter the Volto Santo or Holy Visage, a miraculous wooden Crucifix which ended up in Lucca in legendary circumstances, again bears testimony to the faith of the local people whilst the white marble tomb of Ilaria del Carretto(wife of Paolo Guinigi, lord of Lucca) a masterpiece by Jacopo della Quercia, bears testimony to conjugal love.
The solemn Gothic interior of the Cathedral creates an ambience which offers spiritual comfort to those seeking it.
A visit to the nearby Museo della Cattedrale, which has been just recently opened, is highly recommended.
As a museum it is quite modern and boasts some very interesting architectural features.
Quite a variety of priceless goldsmiths’ art treasures are housed and displayed here, among which the golden vestments of the Volto Santo, the elaborately decorated Gothic Crucifix known as “dei Pisani” and the 13th-century Limoges chest, a unique piece in gilded copper bearing beautiful enamel work.
Piazza San Martino features other remarkable buildings such as Palazzo Bernardi, later Micheletti, which was designed by Ammannati in the late 1500s.
The building,which is of modest proportion, has a large, walled garden which the passer-by can see to some extent , as two windows and a portal are set in the enclosure walls in true Lucchese style. The palace and its towering trees introduce an element of space to the square thus breaking its monumental layout.
Piazza Antelminelli is the name given to that portion of the square on the right side of the Cathedral, as the houses of the family of the same name were demolished in order to lay out this section. The Neo-Classical fountain in the centre, designed by Nottolini, is a fine example of how this famous Lucchese architect enjoyed the effects of dissonance in architecture.
The Casa dell’Opera del Duomo, in front of the Cathedral on the left, is a fine example of a Lucchese 13th-century house. (It now houses the Banca del Monte di Lucca and has housed the local pawnbroker’s since 1517.) To this day, the archways on the ground floor, which were once open, and the mullioned windows on the upper floors can be appreciated.
If at this stage you walk alongside the outer wall of the Cathedral you will come upon Palazzo Arcivescovile which looks onto a beautiful green area at the rear of the church. Proceed right across the pathway towards the walls and the Baluardo di San Regolo is on your right. Return to the railway station where you have parked.
The aerial route that recalls the mythical Babylonian gardens and the Renaissance utopia of the multi-level city is juxtaposed with the suggestions of the subterranean route, hidden and only discernible at times, which evokes ancient defence strategies where war and peace materialise in the continuous relationship between darkness and light, between the inside and the outside of the fortified enclosure. The city-walls park contains fragments of memories from all ages, military and civil witnesses of the town: the Mediaeval and Renaissance walls, visible on some bastions, the house of the public executioner, the sally ports and barracks (used today as cultural centers hosting a newspapers library, a library for students, showrooms and areas for meetings and stages).
The “Antico Caffé delle Mura” was built in the 19th century when the Bourbons wanted to stress the recreative vocation of the park. In 1820 the botanic gardens were founded in the area of the bastione S. Regolo where in the past, during peace time, the people played football. The botanic garden with its collection of grassy plants, “igrofile”, and blossom trees represents the direct link between the gardens of the town and of its territory.
From the garden you can reach the “hortus conclusus” in the building of San Micheletto which recalls the typology of monastic gardens with the votive image and the walks with fruits trees and plants symbolizing the devotion to Holy Mary.
In via “Elisa” (the Napoleonic route leading to the gate opened at the beginning of 19th century), the garden of “Villa Buonvisi-Bottini” delimited by the boundary wall enriched with windows, hosts the “Nimphaea” of the 16th century, attributed to Bartolomeo Ammanati, covered with sponges, stuccoes, marble emblems, it concludes the scenic and the visual perspective of the villa, and it recalls many Baroque and Mannerist examples of architecture in the gardens of the villas close to the town.
It synthesizes and anticipates the refined and cultured aspects that show a close relationship between the cultural setting of Lucca and of the cities of Florence and Rome.
Palazzo Pfanner (17th century) is still property of the family, but it is opened to the public.
It charms the visitor with the visa vie offered by the building, with its scenographic stairs and of garden which spreads between the Palace and city-walls, with a central prospect signed out by a theory of allegoric statues; in the center is an octagonal fountain with statues of the four elements emerging from the four sides.
The path ends with the facade of the lemon-house, which establishes a close relationship with the town visible through the city-walls, seen from a private prospect, and through some of the important monuments, (such as the bell tower of San Frediano) visual pivot of the garden.
The town and its territory are physically and symbolically united by the city-wall park that makes of Lucca an extensive garden where Mars is defeated by Nature, and that offers an exceptional panoramic view on the urban landscape and on the outskirts, where monuments and secret gardens, churches and villas, are spread in the spectacular framework of the monumental urban city-walls.
Two are the symbolic towers of Lucca. They can be visited.
The Guinigi tower, with the ilex trees at the top, and the Clock tower offer a marvelous view of the town and of the surrounding territory.
The tower is part of an imposing construction commissioned by the Guinigi family, wealthy and powerful merchants of Lucca in the 14th century, now the only evidence of the more than 250 towers that enriched the city in medieval times.
It is 44.25 meters high, the top is a roof garden where large, now century-old holm oaks have been planted; it can be reached after climbing 230 steps.
The view from that height is particularly impressive; in addition to the Old Town, the hills of Lucca can be seen in the distance.
The Clock tower thanks of its position in the very center of the town (on one of its sides runs Via Fillungo, the main street of Lucca) in 1390 the Republic decided to rent the tower and place on it a public clock, which since than gave name to the tower.
The tower was restored and the functioning of the clock was entrusted to Lambruccio Gilio Cerlotti, the most famous goldsmith of Lucca of that time.
The tower belonged first to the family of the “Quartigiani” then was acquired by the “Cerlotti” family and finally in 1471 became property of the Republic, after twenty years of negotiations complicated by further transactions and hereditary affairs. For these reasons the fabric was also called by the inhabitants “The tower of dispute”.
The present aspect of the tower dates back to 1754, with its four sides on the top, the wide dial with one hand, and the three different bells that sign the hours and the quarts. In that year the clock was installed by Louis Simon from Geneva, one of the most important artisans of the time. Since then the clock is still working.
The Municipal Administration has opened the tower to visitors after having restored it for safety reasons, without altering the original aspect of the monument.
It offers to the inhabitants of the town and to the tourists a new perspective of Lucca in alternative to the view point from the Torre Guinigi.
Another curiosity is offered by the visit of the tower: the mechanism of the clock which works perfectly, and the meridian which was discovered during the recent work of restoration on the top of the tower.
Bell towers
The bell tower of St. Martin’s Cathedral and the bell tower of St. Frediano Church can also be visited.
Montecarlo medieval village was built around the Rocca del Cerruglio in the 14th-century.
Prince Charles of Bohemia commissioned an unknown architect to draw up a plan for a town at the base of the fortress. Special attention was paid to the landscape and to the layout of the streets, which are much wider than those in other villages of feudal origin.
Due to its strategic location (it borders with Valdinievole), many Tuscan-Longobard margraves had their country residences in Vivinaia. Emperor Enrico II stayed here in 1022 and Pope Benedict IX and Emperor Corrado II il Salico spent some time here in 1038.
It was fortified during the 12th-century and in later years became a free town until it fell into the hands of the Florentine enemy in the 15th-century.
The Citadel played an important role in the many wars that took place in this part of Tuscany. The eight hundred Teutonic Knights, whom the Duke of Brunswick called on to conquer Lucca, stayed here for seven months before invading the town on April 13, 1329.
Two years later the Florentines raided the citadel and set fire to it.
The fortress proper was enlarged in two different periods: first when Paolo Guinigi was Lord of Lucca in the early 1400s and then in the 1550s by Cosimo I dei Medici.
It is the first building on your left as you enter the town but it can be visited by appointment only.
The visitor is always pleasantly surprised by the calm and serene atmosphere that reigns within the town walls where this gentle folk, who have dedicated their lives to agriculture and wine-making over the centuries, dwell.
The Church of Sant’Andrea Apostolo, in the centre of this small town, was completely renovated in the 1780s according to the plans drawn up by the Varese-born architect Giuseppe Vannetti.
It is also worth asking to visit the Teatro dell’Accademia, where to this day recitals and performances are still held in the tiny 18th-century hall. (phone (+39)-0583-22371 for information.)
Excellent local wine can be tasted and bought at the Wine Consortium.
Before leaving Montecarlo, its enchanted streets and mysterious vaults, a walk around the walls (the full circuit is 850 m) is highly recommended.
The Torre del Belvedere, the highest of the nine towers, lies opposite the Torre dell’Apparizione (so called because the Madonna is said to have appeared there on Jan. 24, 1400 thus causing the enemy to flee) and the Torre di Santa Barbara is situated near the fortress.
If, by chance, you happen to be in the area the first week in September, a visit to the “Mostra dei Vini DOC” is a must. It is an annual wine festival that knows few rivals in Tuscany.
Versilia is undoubtedly one of the most famous seaside resorts in Italy and abroad.
Its popularity stems from a unique combination of features that together offer the right answer to any sort of tourism.
The landscape itself, is one of the richest in variety; twenty kilometers of sandy beach with first-rate bathing establishments, natural parks and pinewoods, pretty countryside and a large lake.
Dominating all this are the Apuan Alps with their marble quarries, which combined with the sea create a spectacle unique in beauty
It is the ideal place for sport. Sailing and windsurfing are very popular and there are also specialized schools where these sports are taught. Tennis, jogging, horse-riding, skating, cycling and trekking can satisfy anyone’s taste. For golf lovers, there is an 18- hole golf course in the northern part of Versilia, two kilometers from the sea.
Locations from the sea to the mountains are included such as: Viareggio, Camaiore, Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi, Seravezza.
Don’t miss a visit to places such as: casoli the town of graffiti, anthro of Corchia, the former Henraux Quarry in Seravezza, see visit section.
Viareggio, is a town that fascinates visitors with its beauty, culture and tradition; famous precisely for the best-known Carnival in Italy and the world, it hides many other places of interest that it would be a shame to miss.
The heart of Viareggio is its long beach of fine sand. With more than 10 kilometers of coastline, Viareggio’s beaches offer a perfect place to spend summer days between sun and sea, with several bathing establishments offering full services, including umbrellas, sunbeds, and beach bars. If, on the other hand, you happen to be in Viareggio during a cooler season, don’t miss the opportunity to take a stroll by the sea.
To breathe in the authentic atmosphere of Viareggio, take a stroll through its charming historic center. The cobblestone streets are bordered by elegant Art Nouveau buildings, evidence of the city’s historic prosperity. Don’t forget to explore the Church of St. Andrew, an architectural masterpiece dating back to the 17th century.
Torre del Lago Puccini, also known as Torre del Lago captivates visitors with its unique combination of natural beauty and culture. Located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Massaciuccoli, this coastal town in Tuscany offers breathtaking views and great tranquility. The lake, nestled in a nature reserve, is surrounded by rich flora and fauna, creating a perfect environment for nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts.
The villa of the well-known composer Giacomo Puccini is located here . Torre del Lago Puccini, precisely because of this, hosts the famous Puccini Festival every year, which takes place in a charming open-air theater located right on the shores of the lake. Musical performances and performances of Puccini’s most famous operas create an exciting atmosphere, in a journey between music and are that attracts many visitors each year.
Viareggio is famous for its spectacular Carnival, one of the largest and most famous events in Italy . Definitely, the month of Carnival (February, usually) is the most interesting month to visit the city, because it allows you to take part in the unique events of this event, such as the Corsi Mascherati and the district festivals.
With its well-organized and well-equipped marina, among the best on the West Coast, Viareggio attracts luxury yachts from all over the world.
Viareggio is also the center of world-famous shipyards ( including Benetti Azimuth, San Lorenzo, Codecasa, Rossi, Perini Navi,…) that build Luxury Motor Yachts (and also sail yachts) from 30 to 150 meters, with an important effect on the local economy.
Prominent figures from the jet-set, sports, and business come to Viareggio to see their super boat designed and launched.
Fishermen’s boats also depart daily from the harbor, supplying stores and restaurants with fresh fish.
Pietrasanta is also known as Little Athens.
Located at the foot of the Apuan Alps mountain range and crossed by the Via Francigena, Pietrasanta is known for being the historic capital of Versilia and for its long tradition of artistic marble working.
Michelangelo himself came here to negotiate the purchase of marble for the facade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence.
But if one has never wandered into the narrow streets of this town, one will hardly be able to understand the true essence of this place. Here, the intermingling with art, the sense of beauty, and the aesthetic quest are not exhausted in the presence of works of high artistic or architectural value, albeit present and of considerable prestige.
What sets Pietrasanta apart is the eccentric air one breathes there.
A laboratory of ideas and creativity resulting from the meeting of numerous artists, sculptors, collectors and personalities from the art world who have made this place an open-air museum as well as a favorite destination to move to or spend time in while waiting for the next inspiration.
In Pietrasanta I strolled several times literally enraptured by the succession of art galleries, gipsoteche, ceramics workshops, artists’ houses, temporary exhibitions, antique stores, boutiques of high fashion and precious textiles.
A continuous visual stimulus that enraptures even the least interested, such is the elegance, attention to detail, and beauty.
Walking through the streets of the center it may happen to meet eclectic characters, artists, intellectuals. Even in the premises, the amazement experienced outside is repeated: designer tables, some Botero reproductions hanging on the walls, the soft lights creating shadow play on the ceiling, menus printed on rice paper.
Located between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, the Serchio River Valley starts in Castelnuovo Garfagnana and descends through alluvial terrain passing Gallicano, Coreglia, Barga, Bagni di Lucca and Borgo a Mozzano before ending at its opening at Ponte a Moriano, which is inside the commune of Lucca.
It is a wide valley with an open rolling floor, surrounded by a series of smaller valley which cross each other and became steeper and steeper, on the Apennines and on the left towards the white peaks of the Apuan Apls, This landscape is an environmental paradise, with sharp mountainous forms sitting next to gentler hills.
It ranges from 150 to 2000 meters in elevation and is home to different crops, forests, and towns and villages which create a single environment.
All the streams run towards the Serchio, the centre of the Basin, flanked by the convenient Railway Line and Provincial Road.
This geographic-economic community does not, however, correspond to a similar historical community.
It is almost as if there were two: the Este Garfagnana and the Lower Serchio River Valley which includes the Val di Lima.
This distinction is still felt today by the local population, and enriches life in the small town and fortified villages, with different dialects, customs, folklore and art. The two “historical” capitals are very near to each other, almost opposite each other on the river: Barga and Castelnuovo.
After 1429 the Communes of the upper valley where in fact taken from Lucca and occupied by the Este family. The Este rulers had their seat in Castelnuovo Garfagnana, the most famous of these, Ludovico Ariosto, was a guest of this city.
The lower part of the valley, with its centre in Barga was also known as Barghiano, On this side of the valley the hilly areas around the valley floor, fluvial terraces and better-exposed slopes are more populated.
Barga is situated at an altitude of 410 meters in the middle of the valley, on an inclined alluvial fan, cut across the lower side by the path of the Serchio.
It is a very old city, after the year 1000 it was one of the strongest and most contested castles of Lucca.
This lasted until the middle of the fourteenth century when it fell under the rule of Florence.
The upper part houses the old city center, still intact, with the famous Romanesque cathedral rising above it.
The lower part is home to Fornaci di Barga, a growing industrial and shopping area.
Castelnuovo Garfagnana is also of medieval origin, and is situated at an altitude of 270 meters, below the spot where the Serchio runs into the Turrite, its tributary. It is the center which connects and encloses all of the beautiful towns and castles of the upper valley like Castiglione, San Romano, Camporgiano, Piazza al Serchio….
Under the Apuan Alps, at the feet of the quarrymen’s town of Vagli, submerged to generate electricity has become an attraction and censer for sports during the summer season.
The Val di Lima is also part of the Serchio basin, but in many ways is a region in itself. Deep and excavated, in the lower part between the straits of Popiglio and the confluence with the Serchio, within the province of Lucca, it is particularly eroded and embedded, enclosed between counterforts which plummet to the curving valley floor. Harsh and bare, the upper part is still dominated by enormous chestnut groves.
The main center is Bagni di Lucca, situated 150 meters above sea level: its territory is the same as the old Vicarship of Val di Lima, part of the former Republic of Lucca. It started out as a small group of villages located by the alkaline hot springs, used for “baths” and “water cures” until the twelfth century.
After a long period of decline, the baths in Bagni di Lucca returned to popularity thanks to Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister, and then Maria Louisa Bourbon, who used it as their summer residence. It became a place for spa treatments and vacations, the beautiful scenery of the area, the cool air in summer, have helped maintain its popularity as a holiday spot, particularly for well-known foreign visitors.
A visit to places such as: Devil’s Bridge (Borgo a mozzano), Wind Cave in Fornovolasco, Verrucole Fortress San Romano in Garfagnana, Vagli Lake and Park in Vagli di Sotto.
Lucca is a gem, but all of Tuscany has beautiful places to visit.
If the length of your stay allows, we give you some tips for seeing some places outside the Lucca area as well, always with the critical spirit of someone who knows the places.
One tunnel after another crosses the mountain, pushing all the way to the heart of the Ravaccione Gallery quarry no. 84 , “Michelangelo’s favorite place for the quality of the marble.” Soaring walls that rise following the incessant cutting of the blocks; rooms that open one after the other
Ravaccione Gallery Quarry no. 84 , via Torano-Piastra, 84 – Loc. Ravaccione (Carrara)
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Locality Fantiscritti – Miseglia, Carrara (MS) km 60
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Via dei Colli, 54100 Massa (MS)
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Small town in the hills, with a beautiful view of the marble quarries and place where the world-famous Lardo di Colonnata is produced.
What to do:
Montemarcello is a Ligurian village located in the municipality of Ameglia (La Spezia). It stands on the promontory that divides the mouth of the Magra River from the Gulf of La Spezia, 266 meters above sea level.
Climb to this small village via Bocca di Magra; you will enjoy a splendid view: the Magra flowing into the sea, the Apuan Alps, and ancient Roman Luni. When you get to the top, walk along the short path that takes you to the panoramic view of the Gulf of La Spezia with, in the background, the islands Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto and their wonderful sunsets. In fact a preview for the Gulf of Poets and the Cinque Terre.
What to do:
The Cinque Terre are five characteristic ancient seaside villages located in Liguria between the cities of La Spezia and Genoa. They extend along a jagged stretch of coastline about 10 km long and are surrounded by nature in a hilly terraced area of dry stone walls with vineyards and olive groves.
In the Cinque Terre National Park, the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are connected by a dense network of trails and are known worldwide for their rare beauty.
What to do:
Arrive by car or by train (Lucca-Viareggio-Spezia) to La Spezia station. Here you take the 5 terre train, with a day ticket you can stop in the various villages. You can also take a boat that connects 4 of the 5 villages (except Corniglia).
Vinci is famous for being the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Arrive by car in Vinci.
What to do:
Located in the countryside of Pisa, it is an example of a small town that has excellent waste management with which it promotes art; one of the largest waste disposal and treatment sites in Tuscany that has been able to turn trash products into energy and redevelop the area with events and concerts that come to life in the nearby amphitheater but also large white sculptures that emerge powerfully from the earth.
Arrive by car in Peccioli, park and walk into the village and get on the elevators.
What to do:
Just a few kilometers from Peccioli (8 km and 10 minutes by car) is the most colorful village in Tuscany. It is called Ghizzano, with just 350 inhabitants, and as of 2019 it is famous thanks to David Tremlett’s colorful Via di Mezzo (see Instagram).
Located in the countryside of Pisa, The “Theater of Silence” is a natural amphitheater carved out of the beautiful setting of Lajatico, created at the behest of Maestro Andrea Bocelli
What to do:
Only 20 km from Lucca, it can be reached by car or train or buses.
City with a prestigious university, Master’s, Research Centers in science, Computer Science, Physics, Medicine
What to do:
Only 60 km from Lucca, it can be reached by car (45 min), leave cars at Guidoni parking lot near the airport and from there take the superficial streetcar to the center.
Or by train (1h 30min/ 1h 40min)
There is so much to see in Florence, but also a lot of hustle and bustle, so it is always sweet in the evening to return to the relaxation offered by Lucca.
