THINGS TO DO
Cooking lessons
For those people who are interested, our Italian cook is available for cooking lessons in our Villa.
Shopping
Tuscany is well known for its high fashion factories of the best Italian designers, such as Gucci, Cavalli, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo and so on. Many designer outlet-malls have recently been built near the factories, in the surroundings of Florence, Pisa and Lucca, and there you will be able to buy designer clothes and accessories at affordable prices.
In any case Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi are known for their excellent shops and boutiques.
Antique fair in Lucca
Lucca has a long tradition in antique dealing. The "Via del Battistero" with its antique shops is today synonym of quality and elegance. The ancient traders had the idea to deal their antiques also in an open-air market, which takes place still nowadays every 3rd week end of the month.
The antique fair of Lucca has thus become one of the best and reputed antique fairs in Italy. In the wonderful scenery of squares and streets around the Cathedral dating back to the 13th century thousands of visitors are attracted by hundreds of exhibitors coming from all over Italy.
Carrara and its marble quarries
One of the biggest natural attractions in the surroundings of Lucca (approximately 40 km) are the marble quarries of Carrara, where Michelangelo chose by himself the marble pieces which would have become his masterpieces, such as the famous David (Florence) or the Pietà (Rome). Marble workers have been extracting for 500 years at least the white Carrara marble in the Apuan Alps and work marbles and granites from all over the world.
The white mountains are amazing, but amazing are also the small and big work-rooms where the most qualified masters are able to transform the stone in wonderful art objects or quality furniture and fittings.
Both work-rooms and marble quarries are open to visitors. A panoramic tour from the sea to the more than 1000 meters high peaks can be done by car and leads you among the "wounded" mountains with its marble quarries.
Caves of the Apuan Alps
In the area of the marble quarries there are two of the biggest and most beautiful stalactite and stalagmite caves of whole Italy, the "Grotta del Vento" (Wind Cave) and "Antro del Corchia" (Antrum of the Corchia Mountain).
They are opened to visitors from March to November. Guided tours of 1, 2 or 3 hours will carry you in this fascinating underground world. For more information see Antrocorchia and Grottadelvento.
Garfagnana
The region in the hills and mountains at the North of Lucca, between the Apuan Alps and the Apennin, is called Garfagnana. Big woods, green grasslands and tiny villages with typical stony farmhouses and country cottages can be discovered by car or on foot.
In the shops and restaurants you will still find genuine food and a lot of craftsmen that haven't "survived" in other regions.
During the summer months the little villages are animated by middle age festivals, village fétes and antique fairs. A jump into another time ...
Amusement
Seaside resorts Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi: the most famous seaside resorts of Tuscany are only 25 km from Lucca. Viareggio has lived its period of splendour in the Twenties and still offers some of its most beautiful hotels and Restaurants dating back to that period.
The most beautiful boats of Italy are built in its shipyards.
Forte dei Marmi is known as the VIP resort, and has the most beautiful shops and spectacular discotheques.
Both resorts have large sandy beaches with typical bathing establishments, with tiny cabins, umbrellas and deck chairs.
Pinocchio Amusement Park for children: you will find the Pinocchio amusement park for children, with a lot of attractions for the youngest, 20 km from Lucca, closed to a magnificent Villa with an amazing park.
Cooking lessons
For those people who are interested, our Italian cook is available for cooking lessons in our Villa.
Shopping
Tuscany is well known for its high fashion factories of the best Italian designers, such as Gucci, Cavalli, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo and so on. Many designer outlet-malls have recently been built near the factories, in the surroundings of Florence, Pisa and Lucca, and there you will be able to buy designer clothes and accessories at affordable prices.
In any case Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi are known for their excellent shops and boutiques.
Antique fair in Lucca
Lucca has a long tradition in antique dealing. The "Via del Battistero" with its antique shops is today synonym of quality and elegance. The ancient traders had the idea to deal their antiques also in an open-air market, which takes place still nowadays every 3rd week end of the month.
The antique fair of Lucca has thus become one of the best and reputed antique fairs in Italy. In the wonderful scenery of squares and streets around the Cathedral dating back to the 13th century thousands of visitors are attracted by hundreds of exhibitors coming from all over Italy.
Carrara and its marble quarries
One of the biggest natural attractions in the surroundings of Lucca (approximately 40 km) are the marble quarries of Carrara, where Michelangelo chose by himself the marble pieces which would have become his masterpieces, such as the famous David (Florence) or the Pietà (Rome). Marble workers have been extracting for 500 years at least the white Carrara marble in the Apuan Alps and work marbles and granites from all over the world.
The white mountains are amazing, but amazing are also the small and big work-rooms where the most qualified masters are able to transform the stone in wonderful art objects or quality furniture and fittings.
Both work-rooms and marble quarries are open to visitors. A panoramic tour from the sea to the more than 1000 meters high peaks can be done by car and leads you among the "wounded" mountains with its marble quarries.
Caves of the Apuan Alps
In the area of the marble quarries there are two of the biggest and most beautiful stalactite and stalagmite caves of whole Italy, the "Grotta del Vento" (Wind Cave) and "Antro del Corchia" (Antrum of the Corchia Mountain).
They are opened to visitors from March to November. Guided tours of 1, 2 or 3 hours will carry you in this fascinating underground world. For more information see Antrocorchia and Grottadelvento.
Garfagnana
The region in the hills and mountains at the North of Lucca, between the Apuan Alps and the Apennin, is called Garfagnana. Big woods, green grasslands and tiny villages with typical stony farmhouses and country cottages can be discovered by car or on foot.
In the shops and restaurants you will still find genuine food and a lot of craftsmen that haven't "survived" in other regions.
During the summer months the little villages are animated by middle age festivals, village fétes and antique fairs. A jump into another time ...
Amusement
Seaside resorts Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi: the most famous seaside resorts of Tuscany are only 25 km from Lucca. Viareggio has lived its period of splendour in the Twenties and still offers some of its most beautiful hotels and Restaurants dating back to that period.
The most beautiful boats of Italy are built in its shipyards.
Forte dei Marmi is known as the VIP resort, and has the most beautiful shops and spectacular discotheques.
Both resorts have large sandy beaches with typical bathing establishments, with tiny cabins, umbrellas and deck chairs.
Pinocchio Amusement Park for children: you will find the Pinocchio amusement park for children, with a lot of attractions for the youngest, 20 km from Lucca, closed to a magnificent Villa with an amazing park.
