Lucca

Posted on April 6, 2016 by kathy

On an overcast morning, Michael & I drove to Lucca, about 40 minutes from the apartment in Ponte a Serraglio, to explore the ancient walled town.

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We were entranced by Cattedrale di San Martino which dates back to the 12th century.

We walked the cobbled streets lined with enticing shops

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and mysterious laneways.

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We lunched in Piazza San Michele, next to San Michele in Foro which also dates from the 12th century.

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The façade is decorated with coloured marble columns bearing carvings of animals and mythical creatures.

A thunderstorm and ensuing downpour put an end to our day in Lucca.

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A week later, I returned with the girls on a glorious sunny day.

We walked the tree-lined pathways along the top of the wall, admiring the exquisite architecture

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before indulging in a heart starter of chocolate croissant and caffè.

Some serious shopping ensued

and led to the beautiful Piazza della Anfiteatro. Once an ancient Roman Amphitheatre where gladiators and beasts engaged in mortal combat, the shops with their wondrous merchandise now inspire a more gentle encounter.

39.Piazza dell' Anfiteatro

We passed many intriguing doorways on our way to lunch.

Paris Boheme in Piazza Cittadella was a fabulous lunch venue. The food was delicious and the passersby interesting,

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though Luis was a bit shy.

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Puccini’s house was nearby and his bronze eyes watched us a little disdainfully.

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Atop San Michele in Foro, the 4 metre tall statue of St Michael the Archangel killing the dragon contrasted with the blue sky

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as did this Madonna and child.

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Torre delle Ore, a 13th century clocktower, is the highest of the city’s medieval towers.

Climbing the 207 steps to the top worked off some of our lunch and we were rewarded with breathtaking views.

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I’m glad I hadn’t noticed the cracks before the climb.

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A lot of bottoms have sat on these benches.

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We eventually said goodbye to Lucca armed with wonderful memories.

61.Lion statue

Casa Debbio

Posted on March 23, 2016 by kathy

While staying in the apartment in Ponte a Serraglio, the lovely owners, Debra & Jim, invited us to lunch at their other home just outside the village of Vergemoli in the Garfagnana National Park. After a 45 minute drive up a very narrow, winding mountain road, we arrived at our meeting place, a quaint little church on the edge of the village.

1.Arrival

With knees still trembling, I looked back down the road I had just driven up.

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The scenery had a wonderful calming effect

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and a friendly spaniel came to greet us.

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The walk to the house through peaceful countryside

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led to Casa Debbio. Resurrected from ruins in 2012, the house was stunning.

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The views from the terrace were breathtaking.

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Lunch was delicious. We enjoyed antipasto of fava bean dip, prosciutto & cheese

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followed by pork chops cooked to perfection on the barbecue

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accompanied by pan-fried potato & onion, little fat sausages (undoubtedly they have an exotic Italian name), salad and homemade bread. Dessert of strawberry trifle topped off a wonderful afternoon. One last look at the vista

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and we walked back to the car, bracing ourselves for the drive home.

To see more of Casa Debbio and the wondrous changes to the property, visit Debra’s blog https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com and website http://www.casadebbio.com

Bagni Caldi

Posted on March 9, 2016 by kathy

One afternoon, while staying in Ponte a Serraglio, we walked up the narrow, winding road to Bagni Caldi. Famous for its healing waters and natural grottos, the thermal spa town has been a favourite since the 13th century. We didn’t actually make it to the town but the walk held some delightful surprises. This seemed a sensible way to get the groceries home.

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We crossed a tranquil, flowing stream

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and passed a long forgotten chapel.

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This building contrasted sharply with the verdant landscape.

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As we climbed higher, the views became more breathtaking.

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We made it as far as the Hotel Pio X.

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The ominous clouds urged us to turn back.

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It was a lovely way to walk off lunch.

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La Villa

Posted on February 24, 2016 by kathy

A leisurely walk from the apartment in Ponte a Serraglio is the village of La Villa, the commercial centre of Bagni di Lucca. The houses along the way were intriguing, I would love to have seen inside them.

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They had great views of the green hills and the river flowed just outside their windows.

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The delicate wildflowers were putting on a show.

The main street wasn’t too busy

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and we found just what we were looking for.

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The park had a lovely fountain.

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The view downstream from the town bridge was serene.

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I don’t know who this gentleman is but I think he has kind eyes.

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We were a little early for lunch and were forced to endure a beer at the bar next door, complemented by bowls of olives and potato crisps, to pass the time.

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Lunch at Ristorante Del Sonno was well worth the wait. I discovered my favourite pizza – ham, artichokes, olives & egg. I returned to La Villa a week later with the ‘wives’ while the men were busy building guitars. We lunched at Del Sonno,

27.Ristorante Del Sonno

overlooking the gorgeous facade of Teatro Accademico

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and the cute dog waiting outside.

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We then walked off our meal along the river path dedicated to Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. They lived most of their lives in Florence and had a summer house in La Villa from 1853-1857.

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No wonder they wrote such beautiful poetry with inspiration like this.

Ponte a Serraglio

Posted on February 10, 2016 by kathy

When we decided we had to travel to Italy in order for Michael to make another guitar, I wanted to know more about the area of Bagni di Lucca where we would be staying for that two weeks. I discovered that Bagni di Lucca is a collection of 25 villages in the Lima Valley, Northern Tuscany, known for its thermal springs since Etruscan and Roman times. I stumbled across a wonderful Blog, bellabagnidilucca.com and contacted Debra, the maestro of the site. Long story short, we rented her gorgeous apartment in Ponte a Serraglio for a week prior to the course. The one on the corner with the balcony.

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It was very light and airy

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and the floor tiles were exquisite.

The views down river

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and upstream

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were stunning and the piazza opposite was a hive of activity.

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The balcony was the perfect setting to watch the world go by, surrounded by beautiful flowers.

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A short walk along the river

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across a footbridge

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is Villa Fiori, one of the many 19th century noble villas in the area. Sadly, it is in need of some restoration, I’ve added that to my list when the lotto numbers come up.

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