Beep beep... Move along: Mille miglia race is coming to Lucca this weekend!

Wandering in the city, it makes you already feel in another dimension of time, but then on Saturday and Sunday here in Lucca it will be like a real blast from the past!!

The main event, connected also with the 500th anniversary of the Walls, is the Mille Miglia race, have you ever heard about it?

Here on the official website you can read the history of the most beautiful race in the world. Basically, the city of Lucca is waiting for more than 400 old epoque cars: Ferrari, Alfa Romeo Spider, Maserati, Fiat, MG, Nash-Healey, Porsche.

So here are all the times, places and details for Saturday May 17th take a note and a map with you: 

• at 13 the cars will start to arrive in Lucca, 80 Ferrari and Mercedes Tribute are expected, they will introduce the arrival of the actual race cars Mille Miglia. They will be located on the walls, just behind San Frediano's church and the Real Collegio, here some local typical products will be offered. 
• Later the cars will move to Napoleon's square, around 14.30 they will pass in front of the stage and...
• At 15 o'clock the Mille Miglia race cars will begin to parade. Entering from Saint Peter's gate, they will come inside the city, then on the walls towards Elisa's gate for a chrono/time competition on the San Paolino Bulwark. 
• They will get checked by judges in Napoleon's square. Here you will have the chance to see the wonderful Freccia Rossa. 
• The cars will reach the Amphitheater square, passing by Piazza San Michele, Piazza San Salvatore, Via San Giorgio, Via Fillungo and Piazza Scalpellini. They will continue in Piazza San Frediano, Via della Cavallerizza and then they will leave the city from Santa Maria's gate. So find a place on this itinerary and be ready with your cameras! 

More events connected to the passage of the cars, in Piazza Napoleone: 

- a beautiful choreography: 50 Fiat Cinquecento will represent the number 500 to celebrate the anniversary of the City Walls

- a cigar demonstration: how the Tuscan cigar is still made by hand.

- did you know that two lucchese people, Barsanti and Matteucci have been recognized as the inventors of the spark-ignited internal combustion engine? I mean they were from Pietrasanta, province of Lucca.... so there will be an exhibtion dedicated to them and old engines.

The City Crossbow team and San Paolino district (drummers, flag wavers, historical costume, archery) will welcome the old cars at Porta San Pietro, then from 15.30 till about 16 they will be in Napoleon's square and then they will do a parade, till Piazza San Michele, where they will entertain and perform till about 18.
Instead in Piazza Anfiteatro, from 16.30 till 18, you will find another flag wavers and musicians parade by S.Anna district.

My dear ladies, if cars and engines are not your favourite subject, leave your husbands there and move to the Cathedral square, San Giovanni, Piazza del Giglio, Piazza San Giusto, Via del Gallo and Via del Battistero to browse and find the best bargain: a vintage necklace, a bag, some antiques hand painted china cups, plates and more at the fabulous Antiques Market. (Saturday&Sunday 9-19) I am sure you will love it! 

Saturday night (May 17th) will be the European Museum night so do not miss the chance to visit two interesting city museums: 

• the Puccini Museum, where the local celebrity Giacomo Puccini was born and lived till the age of 20 years old.  Free entrance and exceptionally it will be open from 21 till midnight (last entrance at 23.30).
• Even the National Museum of Palazzo Mansi, in Via Galli Tassi will be open from 19.30 till midnight (last entrance at 23.30) and entrance ticket is 1€. It is a wonderful noble lucchese residence, beautiful 17th century frescoes everywhere, a painting gallery and a gorgeous bedroom for "just married" couples and vip guests. 

Have you been told that Lucca is the city of music? So here we go, a free concert at Santa Maria Corteorlandini church on Saturday night at 21.15 dedicated to the Holy Music as a Bridge through Time. 
Polyphony and Spirituality will be the main protagonists of the performance: Convitto Armonico is a choir born in 1990 with the purpose to study the ancient vocal music. It will be accompanied by an organ played by Marco Montanelli. Music by: Monteverdi, Lauridsen and Whitacre.
The concert is part of the Sagra Musicale Lucchese, one of the oldest festival in town, this is year is the 51st edition. 

This is the right weekend also to visit the many many villas spread in the lucchese countryside. Starting from tomorrow May 16th till Sunday, seven of them will open their gates to public to visit the gardens and the mansion for the Ville in Fiore event: Villa Gambaro, Lazzareschi, Mazzarosa, Pierotti-Bagneschi, Villa Leoni, Palazzo Buonvisi and Bove. They are all very close between them, but you will need a car to get there and to move easily. Each villa has its own program: arts&crafts market, typical local product market, flowers, wine, oil and beer and much more...





Then on Sunday late afternoon if you are still not tired and exhausted from a busy weekend, join the free Zumba class at 18.30 at the Cortile degli Svizzeri. Just in Piazza Napoleone, go through the arch of the palace, next to the Stella Polare bar. 

Jump, move and dance and I am sure you will sleep tight and then let me know how was your weekend in Lucca! Have fun!! 

Tourist for a Day: Siena.

Last Saturday 28 dec,  I was free from arrivals and business matters so I decided to take a day off! … A whole day only for me and my boyfriend. We decide to be "Tourists for a Day": we will go to Siena!!  … just like all my guests do… just to understand if it is really worth it! 

Last time I visited Siena, I was very young. I went there on a sunday - trip with my parents and sister.. 25 years ago? Maybe 30? I know! It’s unbelievable … but as always happens…. you choose to massacre yourself with a 24 hours flight … and you leave the beauty of your country to the others… we are really stupid.

Anyway!! Yes. Siena is beautiful as described in all the books, guides, websites …blogs and so on. It is worth it. And if you come to Tuscany you cannot miss a day-trip there.

It is very similar as Lucca and at the same time very different….It is slightly smaller than Lucca.  Lucca is completely flat. Siena is "up and down". I am sure my guests will love to know it. It is much more crowded than Lucca. On the other side it is a jewel… and when you start walking throughout the daedal of medieval streets … you forget everything, you forget similarities and differences, you forget where you have parked the car, and you forget how to come back to the train station… (now I can understand why so many guests get lost so often!!) When the cathedral  appears to your eyes  at the end of the narrow and shadowed road.. it is vibrant…. it is really exiting. It’s beautiful. Nothing more than beautiful. 

After a first quick glance to the cathedral, we went  straight to Piazza del Campo.. almost desert in this end of the year.. ( a very good reason to come to Tuscany off season is that the number of people you share your emotion really decreases. In my personal opinion this increases the value of your experience) 

..  We walked all the Palio track… admired the majestic buildings overlooking the square .. until I found myself to take pictures to pigeons on the Fonte Battesimale more than to the monument itself. We all are always surrounded by pigeons. Tuscany must be the favorite place of all the pigeons on the world… … while taking pictures to pigeons.. I felt..  from my shoulders something was calling me: Sure! La Torre del Mangia was calling me. With my passion of climbing everything is possible to climb.. could I miss it?  So we decided to walk up to the top of the tower. Almost 90 meters high.. I don t know how many steps… I haven t counted them..  but many!! We were so lucky to find a sunny and clear day.. without any wind.. despite it is the end of december the weather was really pleasant… it helped to enjoy the breathtaking view on the town and the surrounding countryside. Unforgettable. 


We stayed on the top for 20 minutes… ( have a look at the couple! They have kissed for 20 minutes. I have arrived and they have already kissed. I was going away and they are still kissing. Twenty minutes is a very long time, isn't it?) 

We took our way back to the Square… Some Shots in the Square… a quick piece of pizza.. and go!!! Straight to the Museum of the Cathedral… Could I miss the just restored marble mosaic floors and the Libreria Piccolomini? I could not!  Amazing. The Church is incredibly decorated, pretty impressive. You realize that the 2 euros paid for the visit become acceptable. I mean:  it's not good you have to pay for visiting a Church. I have never liked it and I have always though that art and history must be open to everybody and free.. but when you get into such a place you immediately understand that the strength and the work to preserve everything from the time and the ruin must be rewarded. The restoration of the original pavement is the result of an enormous work… The preservation and the maintenance of the decorated walls in the Piccolomini Libreria is another enormous art… this room is a huge treasure..  We were really astonished.. If I can use an italian common say: A Bocca Aperta… … without any mentions to all the other riches in the church… from the marble pulpit to the the cupola with its golden stars, the altar itself…  The visit to the Cathedral took more or less an hour, maybe slightly more… and it was becoming late… but it has not finished yet….

We have been miraculated. Just out the Cathedral we were admiring the simmetry, the colours and the sunset light on the culumns of the facade… and our eyes bumped into … never the less than Steve McCurry exhibition  which I knew it was ended at the beginning of november. I have accepted it: I’ve lost it!! I could not imagine such a gift from this Christmas!!  It is still open til january the 6th. It was my day. Memorable.

Season Greetings from LUCCA!

I wish you all a   M e r r y   C h r i s t m a s  .. and a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful… New Year.
All my best to all of you!

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

Peace

Joy 

Health!!!

.. maybe some Luck???

A nice warm review

It is always a pleasure receiving good reviews... Bob and aw are two my old friend.. they have already stayed in Lucca three times... that's what they write after their third visit.

As always, our two weeks ini Lucca were wonderful, and a major part of the reason is the lovely apartments in which we have stayed. 

We stayed at Calandrino for two weeks in September, 2012. It was our second stay at this location, and our third visit to Lucca. The apartment itself is fantastic, a perfect home away from home. We love being inside the walls. And Calandrino is the perfect location. Each morning we crossed the street to the tiny bakery, that always had wonderful fresh breads, pizza etc. A block away is a small grocery store that could easily fulfill all our needs. For bigger shopping trips we took a short walk to the supermercato outside the walls, again, an easy and fun excursion. Evenings were spent on our terrace, window shopping on nearby Via Fillungo, or listing to opera at the Church of San Giovanni, again an easy walk. Everything is so handy. And what a city for walking in. We enjoyed different restaurants each afternoon, and walked off the calories along the wall, people watching every day. Lucca is our favorite city in Italy, small but big enough to provide history, culture, and good food and wine. 

And staying at one of Debora's apartments means a worry free vacation. Everything is exactly as described, fully furnished and exceptionally clean. And Debora is the perfect host, readily available to assist with any questions or concerns. Grazie Debora!

We are looking forward to our 2013 visit. 

Dow and Bob 

THANK YOU!! 

Coming back to Lucca

It was 2 years ago when I first came to Lucca.

A short visit to Tuscany was coming to an end with an overnight stop there. My friend and I were both delighted and disappointed as we walked around Lucca. The disappointment was the fact that we had so little time in a place that clearly deserved much more!

The next morning, however, news broke about the volcanic ash cloud covering Europe, and we realised that we were stranded in Lucca. With an extra six days to explore the city, our first impressions were confirmed - Lucca is a beautiful, interesting, magical place.

I knew I would return.

This Easter, my sister, niece, nephew and I rented the Tornese Apartment, in Le Scuderie della Cavallerizza. The booking process was smooth and straightforward, and with Debora’s care and efficiency, we were confident we’d made the right choice.

The accommodation is extremely comfortable, a renovation of very high quality with everything we needed to ensure a relaxing holiday. Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the walls was a real treat, and my niece and nephew loved having the bikes to ride around Lucca. From a convenient location in Piazza Santa Maria, we could set out each day either up onto the walls or through the streets to uncover more of Lucca's treasures and charms.

This time, I was pleased to discover the house where Puccini was born is now open to the public. How exciting it was to see his piano, read his letters and look up into the attic that inspired La Boheme.

Some things haven't changed like the nightly concerts in San Giovanni church to keep alive the music of Puccini and other operatic composers. This is one of the pleasures of Lucca, as is humming the tunes along Fillungo on the way back.

The walls of Lucca are amazing both in their original construction and in the part they play in modern Lucchese life. It is a joy to take part in the passegiata around the walls, joining the joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists and other visitors.

A stroll through the little streets and alleyways is rewarded time and again with exquisite architecture and breathtaking beauty. We came upon many unforgettable churches, palaces, cafes and views as we sought to leave no part of Lucca undiscovered.

Some specific things we enjoyed were as follows. The Guinigi Tower is worth the climb to get your bearings and see Lucca from another angle. The trees at the top are an added fascination.

The Cathedral Museum is a brilliant resource, giving a taste of Lucca's rich history.

The Botanical Gardens and the Pfanner Palace and Gardens are both delightfully peaceful spaces, carefully maintained as is Lucca generally.

One of the things Debora arranged was a guided tour of Lucca with her colleague, Maria. Maria’s detailed knowledge of Lucca and her expertise in the history of art combined to provide many insights into the city and its cultural heritage. This was an enjoyable morning during which I learned so much.

From Lucca it is easy to make day trips to other cities. We visited Florence and Pisa. The train service is reliable and inexpensive, and Lucca train station is a short walk outside the walls.

I'm sure there is even more to learn and enjoy about Lucca, and I am determined to come back and find out.

　

Coming Soon....

Oh I am so excited!! I am so pleased to anticipate you this great property which will be ready for your stay in about a couple of months. Let’s see .. from May yes! you could rent this great place for your holiday. This is really the latest in comfort! This is really something difference.

Ok I am telling you everything… from the beginning.

 This detached villa is dates back to the early seventies… about 40 years ago …

At the end of 2009 the owner, a friend of mine called me for an advice: “does it make any senses restoring the villa to rent it to your clients? do you think they would like it? How should I do it ? ” He wanted to understand which kind of restoration works he needed to do. 

My answer, in these cases, is always the same: do it as it was for you! … As you should rent or even buy live it with your family! The most comfortable and nice you do it the best answer you have from the vacation villas rental people.

Well, after our first meeting things have really grown up!

I knew he is going on.. he continuously kept me updated but I could not imagine which level of quality he gets ! I went there two days ago for a visit…. and I was impressed. Amazed.

First of all some words on the Location. It joins one of the most sunny location of the hill of Piano di Mommio just above the beaches of Viareggio in Versilia. A few steps from the village itself of Piano di Mommio where you can walk  to the groceries,  supermarket and pizzerias.

The beaches are about 4 km away. It means you can drive there in less than 10 minutes.  

Lucca is about 20 km – 30 minutes driving. Camaiore a nice small town to visit is less than 10 minutes driving away as well as the great town of PietraSanta.

After that now I try to explain with this my bad English what you will find once here at villa.

A huge terrace with wonderful panorama of the valley leading to the beaches.

An unusual - personally designed - pool with a Jacuzzi area

A spacious and modern living room and a “avant-garde” fire place and a fully equipped kitchen

Four bedrooms and two bathrooms and up here..

From all the windows what you can admire the typical Tuscan landscape made of olive oil trees countryside and an unforgettable quietness. Every window is a painting…. nothing less than a real painting.

Ok.. I know.. until here actually nothing new!!

But this great owner went beyond and really though your comfort and have provided the villa with A sauna a small A small space provided with Jim items and a Turkish bath!!! And of course Air conditioning in every rooms and wifi will be not missing. Have you understood??  This is a private S.P.A. The latest in comfort in a so traditional landscape!! Never seen something like that in our countryside.

Not only – Another important news is that the owner belongs one of the most antique and famous Bagno in Viareggio and he is very pleased to offer a whole day at his Bagno where you could join our typical local way of beaching…

And now enjoy some pictures I took straight away! Use your creative fantasy to understand how it will be once ready.