Reasons to Visit

LA Gattaiola is the perfect location for every kind of holidaymaker. For those who wish to do nothing, sit in the garden, relax by the pool, gaze at the endless views and, when all this becomes too much, there is plenty to do for those who wish to be kept busy..

Lucca is a curiously recondite city. It abounds in treasures and surprises, but few of them are patent...Gradually you will become aware that there is a matter of interest hidden away in the old town abundant enough to last a lifetime; gradually the full fascination of this unique place grows upon you; with difficulty you tear yourself away from it...but never do you succeed in rooting out of your heart the sweet ennobling memories of this most favoured spot of God’s earth. And perhaps the warmest corner of all in your heart will be reserved for the Lucchesi themselves. What a people!

Montgomery Carmichael, In Tuscany, 1901

Known by locals as ‘little Florence,’ well-heeled Lucca has much to offer its visitors - in fact, the Blue Guide to Tuscany runs to some 16 pages on Lucca and its immediate surroundings alone! Built on Roman foundations but with older Etruscan traces, Lucca shows its long heritage most visibly in the piazza which takes it shape from the Roman amphitheatre on which it stands, Piazza Anfiteatro. The church of San Michele in Foro was built on the former Roman forum as the name suggests (see photo above) and markets are still held on the site. But, Lucca’s more recent history can be seen from its massive intact and tree-lined walls where the modern-day Lucchesi are seen to take their passeggiata (stroll). Its people can also be seen strolling along the Via Fillungo where they can take an ice-cream, sip a caffé or a hot chocolate so thick the spoon will stand up in the cup or nibble on a slice of pizza in between shopping—especially for the famous lingerie of Lucca.

Lucca has an array of towers the most famous being the tree-topped Torre Guinigi (see photos above), plus around 100 churches within its walls, museums including an archaeological museum and Puccini’s birthplace, art galleries, palaces and a botanical garden. Close to Lucca are a number of Renaissance villas to be visited, the closest of which to Gattaiola is Villa Bernardini at 5 minutes distance, but there are also Villas Grabau, Mansi, Oliva, Reale and Torrigiani to keep the tourist busy (www.villelucchesi.net)

If this isn’t enough, then there is the Mercato Antiquario (Antiques and Crafts Market) held in the centre of Lucca the third Saturday and Sunday in every month.

Or, for wine-lovers, try the Strada del Vino (Wine Route) tasting the local wine along the way. For the gastronome, set the taste buds tingling by sampling some of the mouth-watering local produce to be found in the city’s shops ranging from the local Lucchese olive oil—the most prized of all Italy’s oil—wild boar sausages, farro (spelt), locally made pasta, cheeses, hand-made chocolates, breads and cakes such as Torta di Verdura or the aniseed flavoured Buchellato. Better still is to dine in some of the local restaurants, for example, Ristorante Mecenate popular with Italians for its Lucchese cuisine is just a couple of steps away from the Casale and is a noted Slow Food restaurant with a Michelin mention. Or, Villa Bongi at Montuolo with its beautiful terrace and views in summer just a couple of kilometres away from Gattaiola. A list of local restaurants both inside and outside the city walls and to suit most budgets is available at the apartment and bookings can be made on behalf of guests. If this doesn’t satisfy the appetite, then a host of local festivals take place celebrating all manner of food during the year such as chestnuts, porcini, polenta, rigatone, bruschetta and zuppa where the locals gather to eat and to party

For the gardener, make a trip during March and you’ll probably catch the 3-weekend Camellia Festival of the Pieve di Compito area www.camelielucchesia.it and a little later towards the end of April/beginning of May the Azalea Festival takes place at Borgo a Mozzano. In late April, the 5-day Santa Zita Flower Market takes place in the Piazza Anfiteatro in Lucca and in early September the 3-day Murabilia plant and flower show takes place on the city walls

For opera lovers, then the Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago is a must. This festival of the Lucca-born composer’s work is held every year during July and August and tickets can be bought on-line

Missed the Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago? Don’t worry, there is a permanent festival dedicated to Puccini’s work based at the Basilica di San Giovanni in Lucca and the programme lasts all year which means guests can usually catch some Puccini during their stay at any time of the year (www.puccinielasualucca.com). There are numerous other classical music events throughout the year

Opera not your thing? There’s always the Lucca Summer Music Festival which caters for popular music lovers. This festival takes place in one of the main piazzas in the city and has attracted such names in the past as Jamiroquai, Van Morrison, Emerson Lake & Palmer and James Brown, Eric Clapton, Simply Red - 2007 names are Elton John, George Michael, Dionne Warwick, Norah Jones, Steely Dan and Joss Stone

Settembre Lucchese is one of the biggest events in the Lucca calendar. A month-long celebration at the heart of which is 13 September with a candlelit procession (the Luminaria di Santa Croce) to celebrate the city’s most famous religious relic, the Volto Santo, through the streets of the city where the buildings are lit with candles and a market fills Piazza San Michele (see photos below). It culminates in a spectacular firework display ending at midnight and which can be viewed from the city walls—or a more comfortable view can be had from La Gattaiola! During September there are cultural and musical events staged throughout the month and local restaurants celebrate Lucchese food

Lucca Comics and Games exhibition starts during October and runs into November each year and is an event which has taken place here since 1966 attracting over 400 exhibitors from all over the world and 85,000 visitors

Visit at Easter, which is the most important time in the Catholic diary, and head to Saltocchio just north of Lucca to see the streets lit by candles and Biblical scenes depicted in the residents’ gardens (see photos below)

Or at Christmas, when the Christmas markets sell locally made crafts and food produce and the shops stay open until midnight in the run up to Christmas. Or, you can grab a concert or see the presepe (nativity scenes) created not only in Lucca but found in the villages all over the province

Lucca is a city of cyclists. Our neighbour tells us it takes him a mere 7 minutes to cycle from his house to the city walls! It is easy to hire bikes for the day in the city or for the more serious cyclist and for those who bring their own bikes with them, there is plenty of good cycling terrain to keep them occupied with beautiful scenery to admire along the way such as the Serchio Valley cycle trail. Or try the Lucca to Viareggio route or Lucca to Pistoia (further details of these routes are available at the apartment)

Lucca’s tennis courts are just a 5-minute drive away at Vicopelago. Courses are run by the Scottish-based firm Tuscan Tennis

For those who golf, a small golf club can be found 5 minutes from Gattaiola at Vicopelago. But for the more serious golfer, three 18-hole golf courses of high reputation can be found at the Cosmopolitan Golf Club at Pisa (€50 weekdays or €60 weekends), Montecatini Golf Club (€65) and at the Versilia Golf Club at Forte dei Marmi (€50 Weekdays (closed Tuesdays), €60 Weekends—October-May, €85 June/September, €90 July/August)—all within around 30 minutes’ driving time from Gattaiola

Open from around mid-December to April, the best ski resort in the Apennine mountains and the most important in central Italy is only around 40 minutes from Gattaiola. Equipment hire and daily passes are around €40 per person. For the less experience and novice skier, English speaking ski instructors can be hired for lessons. The ski runs are suited for all levels of ability. A webcam for people to view current conditions is easily accessed at www.abetone.org

But, Abetone is not only for the winter as it has swimming pools and tennis courts and its ski– and chair-lifts are used for nature-loves, mountain walkers and trekkers in summer. If you want to take in the scenery in this part of Northern Tuscany, then a day-trip high into the Garfagnana and Apuane Alps is recommended and whilst in the area, why not try the

Located north of Lucca in the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Apuane, the Grotta del Vento offers cave tours lasting from 1 hour to 3 hours. Take something warm to wear though as the temperature underground is only around +11^oC even in summer!

If taking a spa is what you hanker for then there are several within easy driving distance of Gattaiola. One of the best is Grotto Giusti at Monsummano Terme (around 20 minutes away) where, from €14, people can bathe in the thermal swimming pool or for €40 try out the hot subterranean thermal waters appropriately known as Purgatorio and Inferno with the deepest of the waters underground being the hottest at around 34^O. Other spa treatments can be taken such as hydro-massage at a supplement. Or, you could try the famous spas at Montecatini Terme. Popular with nineteenth-century English writers, Bagni di Lucca now offers a different experience with a full range of treatments offered from just a thermal swim in the pool at €10 to ‘cures’ and treatments lasting 1-6 days with prices from €68-370, with steam baths, massages, body and face scrubs, etc

Lucca is famous for its lingerie-it is a city which made its wealth in the silk-trade, but going only a little further afield from Lucca will bring you to the factory outlets of designers such as Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, Roberto Cavalli and Fendi. Special tours of these outlets can be arranged for guests

Love Italian food and want to learn more about cooking the local food? We can arrange cooking classes with some of the best local chefs and/or cooks and it may even be possible to arrange some classes at the Casale. Love the Italian language and want to combine it with your holiday and, even possibly with some sightseeing, or simply want to brush up your Italian? We can help with both in finding both but this depends on budget, availability and size of party interested. Please email for further details

Want to buy your own place in the area? We can probably help with putting you in touch with reputable local estate agents and you can stay here at the apartment making it your base during your buying or viewing trip. Having gone through the process ourselves we can be on hand for friendly advice, help and information. Off-season short housebuying trips or week-long or longer trips can be arranged at other times. Let us know what you’re looking for, how much you want to spend

You don’t have to look further than Collodi, the home of Pinocchio for something to keep the children young and old alike amused. It has mosaics depicting the adventures of Pinocchio, statues, a maze and playground and is only around 30 minutes away from Gattaiola. Villa Garzoni is also worth visiting whilst here which is where the author created the wooden puppet

It is only 20 minutes from Gattaiola to the centre of Pisa and the Leaning Tower in the Campo dei Miracoli but there is more to Pisa than just its lop-sided tower. Don’t forget the Palazzo dell’Orologio in the Piazza dei Cavalieri where the mayor of Pisa, Count Ugolino was walled up with his sons in 1288 for treason and recounted in Dante’s Inferno and later in Eliot’s The Wasteland. Try also its museums, markets and shopping and not to mention its festival in June. There is a candlelit procession, a rowing regatta and a tug-of-war in medieval dress

Just 45 minutes or so from Gattaiola to Florence makes it ideal for a day-trip. If you can’t face the hassle of its one-way system, then take the train from Lucca. There’s loads to see and do. Start with the well-known, such as the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi (don’t queue for hours for tickets, reserve them ahead—055.294883 for the Uffizi, Accademia, Bargello, etc) if for nothing else than Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, the Accademia for Michelangelo’s David, the Brancacci Chapel for Masaccio’s Expulsion of Adam and Eve, the engineering feat of Brunellesci’s Duomo, the Bargello for Donatello’s David and then, when you’ve had your fill of art and culture, shop in Europe’s largest covered market or for Florence’s famous marbled paper

Siena is not just about its Palio held twice a year in July and August and its Campo. It has a wealth of sights and sites to keep the visitor happy from its black and white striped marble Duomo to its famous sweet and fruity Panforte (www.terresiena.it)

Known as a medieval Manhattan for its many towers, San Gimignano is a delight and even more so when you climb one of its towers to take in the sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Don’t miss the Museo Civico though for the wedding scene frescoes

One of the world’s most famous, oldest and authentic carnivals takes place during January/February and, unlike the carnival in Venice, this is not staged just for the tourists. Despite its reputation for poking fun at the world’s politicians, this is an event well-suited to families as it has a vibrant, happy and family-oriented atmosphere—the carnival floats are amazing! Viareggio is only 30 minutes from Gattaiola. Viareggio is not all about carnival either. Visit in the warmer months for the beaches and do as the Italians do, hire a sun-lounger and umbrella for the day and soak up the Mediterranean sun

Nowhere quite like it in Tuscany!