Il Mulino Vecchio in Fabbriche di Valico

There is an excellent restaurant in the small village of Fabbriche di Vallico, about 30 minutes from Bagni di Lucca. The food is good, local fare served by cheerful people…what more could you want?

The village is beside a small, but fast flowing river. We parked in the central car park and wandered through the village



The restaurant takes its name from the still operating flour mill, which is beside the restaurant building.

The mill dates from 1726. It still uses flowing water from the torrent to drive the machinery to make flour from chick peas, chestnuts, farro and wheat. The water flows under the mill.




We were given a tour of the mill before making our purchases. Grains are ground in different rooms.

On the ground floor is the shop where you can buy the flour.

After selecting our flour we walked next door to the restaurant. It was a cool day so we sat inside. There is an open area which would be lovely in summer.

The food is typical of the area. We enjoyed our delicious lunch and mill tour.


Fabricche di Vallico is a pretty drive from Bagni di Lucca, well worth a visit.

Casino tour

This weekend FAI (a bit like the National Trust) organised walking tours of the Casino and Bernabo Spa in Ponte a Serraglio. The tours were extremely well attended on Saturday and Sunday, bringing lots of new people to the area.

Our tour began at the casino. It is the first purpose built casino in Europe. Carlo Lodovico di Borbone commissioned Giuseppe Pardini to build it in 1837.

We then walked up the hill to the Bernabo Spa. It has been beautifully restored and offers a range of treatments along with a fabulous deep marble bath and natural steam rooms.



There is a great view of Ponte a Serraglio from the terrace in front of the spa.

From there we walked down the hill and stopped briefly in front of what was the English Club, which is now the home of a friend.

We walked back to the casino for an inside tour.

The entrance and sitting room.

This was once a ballroom.

This is the orchestra stage.

The beautiful ceiling.

Detail of some of the decoration.



Delightful Virgilio gave us some lessons in the types of games that were once played in the various casinos that were operating in the area.

Look out for any future walking tours with the FAI.

Back in Bagni di Lucca

I have returned to beautiful Bagni di Lucca after being away for almost 4 months. I love the winter here, especially the view from my balcony in Ponte a Serraglio.

Time for a walk to see familiar things.

Spring will be here soon, I love that too.

It is good to be back in bella Bagni di Lucca.

Almost winter

I am currently in Brisbane, Australia and we have experienced our first seriously hot days. The temperature has been around 35 degrees coupled with high humidity, an all night storm with rain, strong wind and incredibly loud thunder.

I missed the gorgeous autumn in Bagni di Lucca so I looked at some of the photos I took in past autumns.





I will miss the lovely cold winter days with the possibility of snow…I hope there will be some when I return in late February.