The weather has been beautiful for the last few days. We had a bit of rain, which we needed and the days are becoming cooler. The sunset this evening was spectacular.
A Ponte a Serraglio sunset
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Tag Archives: Bagni di Lucca
This morning at Ponte a Serraglio
The sun has just hit my balcony and it is going to be a beautiful day…..again.
The first photo was taken from my balcony and the rest from the bridge below. I think you can see why I love it here.
It has been a long, hot summer. The river is low and things are not as green as usual. Autumn will soon be here to turn the leaves gold……lovely.
Villaggio Globale
One of the reasons people come to Bagni di Lucca is to ‘take the waters’. The area has been popular for centuries for the health giving properties of the mineral springs in the area.
Villaggio Globale is one of the establishments catering to the needs of health seekers from all over the world.
It is in a beautiful setting beside a stream in Ponte a Serraglio. The charming Demidoff temple is beside the main building.
The original Demidoff Hospital was meant for the poor and was built by architect Piero Ruelle in 1825. It was the initiative of the Russian Prince Nicolai Demidoff, who wanted to reward the village for the benefit he achieved from the thermal waters of Bagni di Lucca.
The little bridge was commissioned in 1837 to architect Giuseppe Pardini by Anatolio Demidoff, son of Nicolai.
Today the Villaggio Globale is an International Holistic Centre offering therapies including thermal baths, Ayurvedic treatments, Shiatsu massage and Reiki treatment.
The centre is always busy on weekends….the car park overflows….something must be working. http://www.global village-it.com
Click here for a review of Villagio Globale
Una notte spettacolare
On Saturday night at La Rondine Gallery in Ponte a Serraglio there was an evening of spectacular entertainment. Jake Cartwright was joined by his friends, Guy Dowsett and Henna Kaikula for a performance of original music and acrobatic brilliance. Jake and Guy provided the beautiful music and Henna amazed the audience with her charismatic contortion.
In the words of others, Henna ” has been called a graceful snakewoman and acrobat who can do anything with her body” and ” seems to be able to twist herself inside out in a playful defiance against the laws of nature.” I will add that she is also charming and engages with her audience delightfully.
I wish that she wasn’t so fast…..then I would have been able to get better photos of her performance.
The tiny gallery filled with people spilling out on to the street to see the performers. Everybody was delighted and we were all left wanting more.
I hope there are lots more evenings like this in Ponte a Serraglio.
The Anglican cemetery gets a makeover
On Saturday 8th September there was a small ceremony to celebrate the restoration of the Anglican cemetery in Bagni di Lucca.
The cemetery was opened in 1842. Henry and Elizabeth Stisted obtained permission from Carlo Lodovico, Prince of Lucca, to build an Anglican church and a Cemetery of Anglican rite for the British community living in Bagni di Lucca at the time.
There are 139 people buried in the cemetery. Appropriately, Henry and Elizabeth Stisted have their final resting place there. Evangelina Whipple settled in Bagni di Lucca in 1912 and worked to help the families of refugees and was called to the front in WWI. She wrote a book about Bagni di Lucca…A famous corner of Tuscany. She died in London, but wanted to be buried next to her friends in her adopted home.
There are several other well known names buried in the cemetery, including Rose Cleveland, the sister of US President Stephen Grover Cleveland and Ouida, a famous novelist.
Quite a large crowd gathered for the celebration, many of whom had never been to the cemetery before. Work has begun on the resoration. Rows of cypress trees have been planted to replace the original plantings. The grass has been cut and the overgrowth removed and some of the tombstones have been cleaned.
Visitors sign a book to commemorate the opening.
Local historian Dottore Cherubini and our mayor Dottore Betti spoke at length on the importance of the cemetery and the need for the restoration to be completed.
A large crowd attended the celebration.
Some of the sites have been cleaned….but there are many more in need of restoration.
Henry Stisted’s grave.
The grave of Louise de La Ramee, known as Ouida. Her tomb was made by sculptor Luigi Lucchese Norfini.
I actually liked the graves as they were, but I do understand that some would deteriorate without restoration. I think it is wonderful that people care enough about Bagni di Lucca’s history to take care of it in this way.
I did a post last year about the cemetery last year on Bagni di Lucca and Beyond. Click here to see the cemetery before the restoration had begun.
Changing seasons
One of the things I love the best about Bagni di Lucca is the obvious change in the seasons. I come from a sub tropical climate where there is not a lot of difference.
There is a view that I have been photographing for a year to document the lovely changes.
I like all the seasons ( except when it gets really hot in summer ). Autumn is particularly lovely in Bagni di Lucca…..and it is about to start.
A celebration of Dante Alighieri in Montefegatesi
On a beautiful summer evening in July, Dante Alighieri devotees were invited to an evening of poetry. The crowd gathered at the monument to Dante, high above Montefegatesi, to listen to Sergio Frati recite from memory, hymns from the Divine Comedy.
With help from fellow Dante lover, Giovanni Pacini, Sergio had the crowd enthralled.
What a wonderful way to spend a summer evening.
The views from the Dante Monument are spectacular.
It wouldn’t be an Italian evening without food, and after the recital everyone congregated for dinner at a very long table outside the club.
After dinner the group went to the town theatre where there was a historical exhibition of emigration relating to Montefegatesi.
Sergio then recited another three sections of The Divine Comedy, telling the story of Paolo, Francesco, Ugolino and other characters from Dante’s masterpiece.
I am sorry I wasn’t there for what looks like a fun evening. The photos and story were made possible by Emanuele Lotti of the Bagni di Lucca Trekking Club. Thank you Emanuele for helping us to keep up with what is happening in Bagni di Lucca.
Click here to see more on the Bagni di Lucca Trekking Club.
Dante Alighieri keeps watch over the village.
Montefegatesi revisited
I had only been to Montefegatesi in winter, so I thought I should take a look in warmer weather. Last time I was in the village I took the high road to the top. This time I went the other way, winding down towards the bottom.
Come for a walk through the tiny streets of Montefegatesi in lovely spring.
This white furry bundle is not a cat.
It is a cute little rabbit roaming free on a terrace.
I’ll be back soon to Bagni di Lucca for late summer and autumn…..can’t wait.
Click here to see the previous post on Montefegatesi to see the high road and the statue of Dante Alighieri watching over the village.
The opening of a new museum in San Cassiano
There is a new museum in San Cassiano to house the 14th century sculpture in wood of a horse and rider, identified as San Martino, by artist Jacopo dell Quercia. The sculptor is also famous for the carving of the tomb of Ilaria Guinigi in the Duomo in Lucca, and the Fontana Gaia in Siena, among other things. San Martino was known for his generosity and compassion and it is said that he cut his cloak in half and gave it to a poor freezing peasant to keep him warm in winter.
Previously the sculpture had been kept in the local church.The Chiesa Monumentale di S.Cassiano has been known since 722. The facade is from the period between 9th and 12th centuries.
At 11.30 people began to gather in front of the church for the ceremony.
The mayor of Bagni di Lucca, Dottore Massimo Betti, gave a speech about the importance of the Lima Valley. The area of San Cassiano had a population of 1800 people in the 16th century, at a time when La Villa and Ponte a Serraglio had a combined population of only 570.
After more speeches by those responsible for setting up the museum, the priest and the onlookers toasted the new museum.
Then everyone filed in to see the sculpture.
I was not at the museum opening, but Heather Jarman from Sapori-e-Saperi was, and kindly sent the photos and details of the event so we can all share it. Thank you Heather.
The new museum will be open every Saturday from 9.00 – 12.00 and 15.00 – 19.00. For information and booking at other times call: (39) 0583 809275
For a previous post on San Cassiano click here.
Take the bus to Florence
Florence is an easy day trip from Bagni di Lucca. It is possible to drive there in about 90 minutes, but driving in the city is difficult and parking is scarce and expensive, so I usually catch the bus. CTT (usually blue) buses go regularly in the mornings from Bagni di Lucca to Lucca and from the bus stop in Piazza Verdi (there is a bus office here where you can get timetables) take the DD (direct) bus to Florence. Once again, it is the blue CTT bus. It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get to the centre of Florence.
UPDATE! The bus no longer drops you near the station, but just outside the centre. You will need to cross the road and look for the tram stop. Take the tram one stop to the station. I believe it is free, but I am not completely sure about that.
The bus trip is very pleasant. I always sit on the river side of the bus to Lucca to get good view of the spectacular Ponte della Maddalena. The bus follows the Serchio river to Lucca and the scenery is gorgeous all the way.
Ponte Maddalena
The bus trip from Lucca to Florence is also interesting. The direct bus takes the autostrada and the scenery along the way is delightful. My favourite part of the trip is the area around Pistoia, where on either side of the road there are plant nurseries. Row upon row of perfectly manicured shrubs and trees are grown to be sold all over Italy and beyond. The photos are taken from the bus so there is a bit of reflection.
Please check the timetables before your travel, but here are the best connections I have found. Take the 7.45am bus from La Villa which gets into Piazza Verdi in time to catch the 8.55am DD bus to Florence. You should arrive at about 10.10am. On the way home I catch the 3.40pm bus from Florence which arrives in Lucca in time to catch the 5.10pm bus to Bagni di Lucca which will get you home by 6.00pm. Or there is a bus from Florence at around 5.15pm which will have you in Lucca to catch the 7.00pm bus to Bagni di Lucca.
If you catch the 7.45am or the 5.10pm bus from Lucca to Bagni di Lucca say hello to Massimo, he is almost always driving these buses.
You can buy bus and train tickets at Tabacchi and some bars. There is also a bus ticket office in Lucca and Florence. Don’t forget to validate your ticket as you enter the bus.
It is also posible to catch a train from Bagni di Lucca to Lucca. It leaves from Fornoli. Local buses will take you to the train station, but probably won’t actually coordinate with any of the trains (don’t ask me why). The road to Fornoli has no footpath for some of the way, so be careful. If you catch a train from Lucca to Florence try to catch an express, which takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. The regular trains take about 2 hours and stop at every station along the way. Validate your ticket before you enter the train at one of the machines on the platform.
The website for the bus is www.vaibus.it
For trains go to www.trenitalia.com
Have a great day in Florence.
Click here for another post about getting to Bagni di Lucca.
Bella Bagni di Lucca 