Lugliano

Posted on June 18, 2016 by kathy

On a warm, sunny morning, while the boys were busy building guitars, I drove with two of the wives to a nearby village in Bagni di Lucca – Lugliano. Having learned how narrow the village streets can be, we opted to park at the church

1.chiesa di San Jacopo

and discover the rest on foot. Lugliano dates back to 853 AD and as we had anticipated, the main road

2.main road

soon became narrow, cobbled streets

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full of wonderful surprises.

The village had a serenity, enhanced by the sunshine,

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the four legged residents were testament to the tranquility.

The views across the mountains

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and the valley below were spectacular.

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I couldn’t resist the intriguing doorways

as we returned to our starting point.

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The Chiesa di San Jacopo was magnificent when viewed from the village.

47.chiesa di San Jacopo

The wildflowers were lovely

and the gardens had colourful blooms.

We wandered up the road in the other direction

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and discovered the village cemetery

with a striking view across the mountains.

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It was time to return to Benabbio for lunch, with one last view of the Chiesa di San Jacobo.

60.chiesa di San Jacopo 61.chiesa di San Jacopo

Benabbio

Posted on June 4, 2016 by kathy

Benabbio is one of the mountain villages of Bagni di Lucca, dating back to 983AD. It was owned by the Lupari family and cousin Lupo swore to defend the Apennine Mountains against invaders. The drive to the village is narrow and winding with gorgeous views if you dare to look.

1.road 2.road

Past the cemetery,

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the houses at the entrance to the village give a hint of the history awaiting.

The road leads to the small Piazza Santa Maria, with a grocery store,

6.grocery store

newsagent,

7.newsagent

parish church and ristorante. We enjoyed some memorable evenings at Il Cavallino Bianco.

8.Il Cavallino Bianco

There were some intriguing alleyways leading off the piazza.

The stone steps took us further up the hill,

12.walkway steps

passing more rural properties

and the fabulous pizzeria, Acquolina in Bocca.

15.Acquolina in Bocca

Villa San Rocco was situated about halfway up the hill

16.Villa San Rocco

with much of the village to discover beyond.

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There was plenty of spring colour around, both wild and potted.

There were many walking paths through the surrounding hills

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with magnificent views of the stunning landscape

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and the village below.

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There were so many fragments of history to be seen on our wanderings.

Even the four-legged inhabitants look contented to be living in this wonderful village.

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There are too many amazing things about Benabbio to cover in one post, there will be more to come.

Villa San Rocco

Posted on May 22, 2016 by kathy

After leaving Ponte a Serraglio, the next two weeks were spent in the village of Benabbio at Villa San Rocco. The 10 bedroom villa would be home to the five budding luthiers attending the guitar making course and their partners. Villa San Rocco dates back to the 14^th century and is believed to have been a seminary and pilgrims’ rest. In 1688, it was purchased and remodeled by a rich merchant family from Lucca and became Villa Bendetti.

1.outside

In 1960, it was bequeathed to an orphans’ association in Lucca and for the next twenty five years it became a summer residence for orphans and abandoned children. By the late 1980s, the villa was derelict and for two decades it was left to rot. In 2004, it was restored using local materials and traditional workmanship. The name was inspired by the chapel opposite the main gate dedicated to San Rocco, a patron saint of illnesses.

chapel

The entrance hall gives a hint of what lies within the walls of this amazing home.

2.entrance hall

The main salon was warm and inviting and many a musical evening was shared in here.

Some wondrous meals were created in the rustic kitchen

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and enjoyed in the spacious dining room.

8.dining room

The smaller sitting room was decorated exquisitely.

A glass pane on the first floor landing looked down to the chairs below

and along the hall was a lovely view to the front courtyard and chapel.

14.view to front

On this floor, as well as many bedrooms, was a very peaceful yoga room with warming, ambient light.

15.yoga room

The hallway on the top floor

16.upstairs hall1

led to more bedrooms.

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I think ours was the best

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and the scenery on opening the shutters was breathtaking.

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The bathroom was quaint

with more stunning views.

25.our bathroom view

A doorway across the hall from our bedroom opened to a balcony where we would gather for beverages at the end of the day.

The courtyard garden was a perfect spot to relax and enjoy lunch.

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Intriguing alleys led to the workshop where the guitar course took place.

The night time glow was welcoming on returning from dinner in the village.

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Villa San Rocco was a beautiful introduction to the two fabulous weeks that lay ahead.

Montefegatesi

Posted on May 4, 2016 by kathy

Our last day in Ponte a Serraglio was grey and drizzly but we had planned a drive to Montefegatesi and nothing was going to stop us. On the way we passed San Gemignano and took the opportunity to pull over and admire the scenery.

1.San Gemignano 2.San Gemignano 3.view

Montefegatesi is the highest village in Bagni di Lucca at 842m above sea level and was used by Lucca to guard the boundary with Modena.

4.Montefegatesi

We wandered through the village along impossibly narrow streets

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with random cars parked at impossible angles.

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The old wooden doorways had so much character

and the houses were wedged into every available space.

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At the top of the village is a monument to Dante Alighieri built by the villagers in 1908.

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His stern countenance belies the breathtaking vista from his vantage point or maybe he just doesn’t like the rain.

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Returning to the village we were rewarded with more gorgeous views.

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We enjoyed a prosciutto & formaggio panini at the Pizzeria (ham & cheese roll sounds much more enticing in Italian)

38.pizzeria

before the hair-raising drive back down the mountain for our last night in Ponte a Serraglio.

bedazzling bridge

Posted on April 20, 2016 by kathy

Crossing the Serchio River near the town of Borgo a Mozzano is the stunning Ponte del Diavolo, Bridge of the Devil.

1.bridge

Commissioned by Countess Matilda of Tuscany and completed around 1100, it became an important medieval pilgrimage route to Rome from France.

2.bridge

Legend has it that the stone mason was struggling to complete the bridge on time and so, asked the Devil for help. The Devil accepted, with the payment being the soul of the first to cross the bridge. Long story short, a pig was sent across first. The Devil was so angry, he threw himself into the river and disappeared.

3.from other side

On a gloomy day it’s easy to imagine the Devil lurking in the murky depths.

4.downstream

In 1500, the bridge became known as Ponte della Maddalena, from an oratory dedicated to Mary Magdalene, whose statue stood at the foot of the bridge on the eastern bank.

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