Lucca nestles in a lush, green , fertile plain through which flows the river Serchio with the majestic Appenine and Apuan Alps in the background. It is very conveniently situated only 20 mins drive from the international airport of Pisa, 50 mins from Florence and only 20 mins from the famous Versilian Coast ( Viareggio, Lido di Camaiore and Forte dei Marmi)

The city of Lucca is entirely surrounded by medieval fortress walls and is known as the town of one hundred churches. The historical town centre is almost completely closed to trafffic and passing through the gates one is transported back in time to another age. It is possible to meander on foot or by bicycle through the narrow paved streets and high buildings which date back to Roman times: they seem to lean out to touch one another in the sky. There are ancient palaces, museums, churches, all rich in history and culture. There is a vast assortment of elegant but small shops, restuarants , many of which are world famous, trattorias , bars , cinemas and the famous Teatro Giglio where Puccini and Verdi operas are played to a packed house. The local market is on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in Via Bachettoni, just inside the walls and the antiques market is on the third weekend of every month.

The countryside surrounding Lucca offers some of the most picturesque views in Italy; the antique summmer villas and estates of the noble Lucchese families with their landscaped gardens , vineyards and olive groves, the ancient farmhouses which produce the best quality olive oil and genuine wines and the medieval, picturesque hilltop villages , easily accessible , offer it's visitors the perfect place for a holiday to suit every one.

There are numerous sports activities; tennis, horse riding, communal swimming pools, archery, mini golf and a little further away at the Versilian coast ther is sailing and wind surfing.

Many of the villas and their parks may be visited during the spring and summer , including the Villa Reale, Marlia, Villa Torrigiani, Camigliano and Villa Bernardini, Vicopelago.

Travelling north on the ss.12 Via Brennero one finds the spa town of Bagni di Lucca with a thermal swimming pool , made famous in the 19th century by poets Byron and Shelley. On the other side of the Serchio River is the town of Borgo a Mozzano with it's beautiful and famous Devil's Bridge or Ponte della Madelena . The panorama gradually changes from gently sloping hillsides covered with olive groves, vineyards and chestnut woods to a more mountainous terrain covered mainly with pine woods. This area is know as the Garfagnana the capital of which is Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, a town with all possible amenities. This is one of the most beautiful areas of the Province of Lucca where you can find peace, tranquility and hospitaltiy offered by local inns and trattorias where one may relish the genuine Tuscan foods at very reasonable prices.

Giunigi Tower