Lucca and its surroundings

Known as the city of a hundred churches, Lucca is enclosed by towering walls crowned with trees, today transformed into a scenic pedestrian promenade encircling the historic center. The city is the capital of its province and offers a rich calendar of cultural events, concerts, and performances held throughout the old town. Lucca is also home to the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini.

More than five hundred villas were built from the 14th century onward by Lucca’s wealthiest and most influential families in the countryside surrounding the city. These sumptuous estates – often grand in scale – are set within expansive parks and gardens featuring fountains and even artificial lakes, citrus houses, and stables. They stand as a symbol of prestige earned through trade and finance. Each villa, together with the cultivated land around it, represented both a mark of achieved nobility and a place of leisure and fun, as well as a center for managing agricultural and landholding activities.

Many of these villas, though privately owned, are open to the public, and some can be rented for weddings, private events, or extended stays. Just a short drive from Versilia, they are well worth more than a single visit, especially for those who appreciate architecture, with its Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical masterpieces gathered here, and nature, expressed through parks, gardens, and historic green theaters (teatri di verzura). (Source: ForteMagazine; text by Cristina Conti)

Abetone is Tuscany’s premier ski resort, located in the province of Pistoia, with more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) of slopes. It is also popular in summer for its extensive network of hiking trails, scenic walks, and outdoor sports. Forte dei Marmi has a special presence here as well: visitors wishing to stay in the area may book the Casetta dell’Abetone, a mountain lodge owned by the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi and managed by the Sci Club Le Marmotte.

Abetone Tourist Information: Phone +39 0573 60231 - turismo.abetone@comune.pistoia.it
Cutigliano Tourist Information: Phone +39 0573 68029 - turismo.cutigliano@comune.pistoia.it