Lucca and its surroundings

Lucca and Montecarlo, just a few kilometers from Montecatini Terme, are two of the most renowned Tuscany cities for food and wine.

In fact, they are part of the recently established Wine and Oil Route, created to let travelers meet the excellence products of Lucca, Montecarlo and Versilia, in an extraordinary itinerary that leads from the green hinterland to the posh coast of Tuscany.

Discover the great historical importance and beauty of these two cities and enjoy the wine and quality products of their territory.

1 or 2 days tour

Lucca and its surroundings

You can reach the cute historic center of Lucca by its famous walls. If you have a chance to visit it in spring or autumn, when the weather is sunny, you will find that there is nothing better than a walk on its walls, in the shade of the many secular trees of its avenues. Inside, you can still breathe the medieval atmosphere: centuries-old towers, small paved streets, churches and more churches (in fact, Lucca is called the City of the 100 Churches). If you love shopping, stroll along the main streets full of local brands boutiques, but if you want to go hunting for wine, you need to leave the city center and reach the hills all around Lucca. The Colline Lucchesi are a real gold mine for wine and food tastings: farmhouses, wine shops and factories where you can buy the latest Colline Lucchesi DOC wines.

Useful tips:

  • What to buy: excellent leather products and ceramics and baskets of food and wine products
  • What to taste: Lucca's cuisine is famous for its simple but tasty dishes, such as soup with spelled beans; garmugia, a soup made of fresh vegetables; lucchese rovelline, beef cooked in a special Tomato sauce, and for dessert the lucchese soup
  • What to sip: obviously the Colline Lucchesi DOC wines, such as Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Trebbiano Toscano and many more

Montecarlo di Lucca

Reach this small panoramic village on the hills between Lucchesia and Valdinievole and you will understand immediately that it really worth a visit. The tiny stone streets, the squares where kids play football, the colored houses that overlook the silent countryside. Everything has the flavor of a long lost Tuscany, where the hustle and bustle of the great cities does not arrive. In Montecarlo you come mainly to visit historical monuments and to enjoy the local cuisine. After a visit to the ancient Pieve di San Pietro and the Wine Museum, reach the Teatro dei Rassicurati, the smallest Italian theater in Italy, which was so loved by composer Giacomo Puccini. Finally, choose one of the taverns in the central street and hang out for a glass of local wine: you will not regret it.

Useful tips:

  • What to taste: Montecarlo is home to the Montecarlo DOC wine, one of the best wines of the Lucca area, born in 846 BC. An antique and precious wine that you can only find here.

 

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3 Days in Montecatini & its surroundings

3 Days in Montecatini & its surroundings

Montecatini is more than a thermal bath par excellence destination in Italy. It is one of the most fortunate locations in Tuscany. It boasts enormous green areas. The atmosphere is peaceful. It is near important highway connections. It offers various vacation types for those who choose it as their holiday point of relax and recreation.

Whether one stops for only 3 days or a week, one will find what he or she is looking for. Relaxation. To be lost in the green beauty of the city. To go on a shopping spree. To taste the most enjoyable gourmet dishes that you ever have experienced. The staff of the Grand Hotel Francia & Quirinale does more than just welcome you. It will take you by the hand and show you, affectionately, all that Tuscany is waiting to offer you!

The location is good, a few minutes walk to the centre of Montecatini, which is a lovely town Debbie S TripAdvisor

How to reach us

By car

From the autostrada A1 Milano – Napoli: get off at the Florence-Certosa exit, and follow the street signs that will lead you to the center of Florence and finally Porta Romana. After passing along Via Romana and then through Via Maggio, turn to the left just a short distance before the Lungarno Guicciardini Bridge. Then go straight to the traffic light. Turn right at the traffic light and cross the Carraia Bridge. At the traffic light go straight along Via del Moro, turn right at the first corner into Via della Spada and go to the very end finally reaching the traffic light. Go straight along Via degli Strozzi and there you will find Palazzo Vecchietti 200 meters on the left.

Palazzo Vecchietti is located in a ZONA A TRAFFICO LIMITATO (ZTL), a limited traffic area. Don't let that concern you. When you arrive be sure to give us the license plate number of your car, and we will take care of everything for you. Upon request, we can reserve a place in a private pay garage that we are associated with, and they will offer a pick-up and delivery service for you.

By train

From the Stazione (FS) Santa Maria Novella you can take a taxi or walk to Palazzo Vecchietti on foot—a comfortable ten-minute walk. When you exit the train station, keep to the side of the Santa Maria Novella church, go along Panzani continuing straight on. Then turn right into Via Vecchietti after about 500 meters. Go straight to the intersection of Via degli Strozzi, and after 200 meters turn left.
At Via degli Strozzi 4, you will find Palazzo Vecchietti.

By air

Whether you are arriving at Florence or Pisa's airports, we can arrange transportation to, and/or from, these airports in a private limousine. Or, you can reach us by taxi or public bus transport.

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