GARFAGNANA AND VILLE LUCCHESI

1° Day Lucca

Your group arrives in Lucca in the early afternoonwhere you will go on a tour of the beautiful ancient part of the city entirely surrounded by a Renaissance wall; visit to the Dome of San Martino, very popular among the pilgrims along the Via “Francigena”, Piazza Napoleone, the impressive medieval streets like Via Filungo and Via degli Antiquari, the Basilica of San Frediano, Piazza Anfiteatro, a walk along the curtains and ramparts of the sixteenth century wall, Piazza San Michele with the beautiful Romanesque church bearing the same name. In Versilia accommodation and evening meal in hotel.

2° Day Garfagnana

After breakfast in the hotel you head for the green valleys of Garfagnana, stopping at antique medieval suburbs surrounded by woods full of chestnut trees that are centuries old. Through the valley of the Serchio river and the next stop is at the famous medieval Ponte del Diavolo in Borgo a Mozzano. Next stop the medieval town of Barga, where you will visit the Romanesque dome with its splendid thirteenth century pulpit. Lunch in Barga in a characteristic restaurant where you will savour the garfagnana cuisine. In the afternoon a visit to the fortified town of Castiglione Garfagnana, then back to Versilia via Lucca. Evening meal in the hotel.

3° Day Ville Lucchesi

After breakfast in the hotel departure for the Ville Lucchesi, an excellent example of the typical elegant residence of important noble families of the Republic of Lucca. Villa Torrigiani Santini: a magnificent baroque villa owned by the ambassador of Lucca at the court of Versailles. Tour of the gardens and interior still fully furnished. Villa Reale di Marilia: the favourite residence of Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. Then a visit to the huge park and magnificent gardens with their “verzura”, a very original type of theatre. Return to hotel and lunch.