Summer in Bagni di Lucca has been unusually cool and wet. The crazy weather continues. One day it is warm and sunny.
The river is calm and low.
Then we get driving rain and storms and the river turns into a raging torrent, much more likely in winter.
There was a huge hail storm in Florence the other day that left the streets looking as though they were covered with snow…crazy stuff.
What will autumn and winter bring?
As I walked beside the Lima River at Ponte a Serraglio I noticed a dark shadow in the water on the edge of the river.
On closer inspection I discovered a school of tiny fish, most likely trout.
I don’t suppose many of them will reach maturity, but it is encouraging to see them in the river.
If you look closely in the photo of the waterfall in the river at Ponte a Serraglio you will see a seagull. I watched this bird over several days and he always appeared in the same spot on a ledge in the middle of the overflow.
He is clearly standing there waiting for a fish to come hurtling through the water towards him. It must work because it is his regular place.
It seems odd to see seagulls in a mountain village, but the sea is quite close as the crow, or in this case, the seagull, flies.
Our ducks seem to be disappearing slowly, but the seagulls are always on the river.
This beautiful white sanctuary set into the edge of a rocky cliff just past Gallicano, has been around since about 1,000AD. The church is carved into the rock and has been expanded over the centuries to include the presbytery and the sacristy. The double colonnaded facade was added in the 18th century.
The Calomini hermits took care of the sanctuary until 1868 and now it is in the care of the Lucca Capuchin Fathers. They have done a great job… take a look.
The wooden doors are beautifully carved.
The interior is beautiful.
You can clearly see that the church has been carved into the rock.
The view from the front of the hermitage is wonderful.
To get to the Hermitage, take the road to Gallicano, then look for the signs to Vergemoli and La Grotta del Vento. The sign for the Hermitage is about 1 kilometre past the end of Gallicano. It is not always open, so it is a good idea to phone ahead. 39 0583 767003.
There is a parking area beside the sanctuary. Look for the excellent restaurant just a short walk from the parking area where they serve delicious meals, especially local trout.
Local news…
There will be a celebration on Saturday 23rd August for the conclusion of the exhibition of textiles, Nodi della Memoria, at the Casino in Ponte a Serraglio. Fesivities begin at 17.00 with the opening of the exhibition; at 21.00 there will be a shop and at 22.30 there will be music and refreshments on the terrace.
To book, please phone Tina: 0583 805815 (9.00 – 12.00) or Gemma: 349 8499704
There is a delightful new art installation in the river directly below my apartment in Ponte a Serraglio. If only I was there to see it.
The best way to see it is to go to the site of the clever people who did it.
In collaboration with Home of Artisans and British artist Carol Newmarch, there was a demonstration of pottery making in Ponte Serraglio as part of the Art Festival. The street was closed and the crowds gathered for a fun and informative display.
The Art Festival is going from strength to strength and it is great to see lots of interest from locals and visitors alike.
Thank you Belinda from Home of Artisans for sharing the photos with us.
I hope you will all drop into Belinda’s gallery to see all of the lovely things created by artists from all over the world.
The second Bagni di Lucca Art Festival is well underway in Ponte a Serraglio and La Villa. I would love to be there to see it, but I am in Australia for a while. Luckily for us Francis is there to report on the fun.
Go to From London to Longoio to see the latest from the festival.
The first public casino in Europe was built in Ponte a Serraglio in 1837. Here is an old postcard of the casino.
The building looks much the same now, but the hotel next door is now a private house.
It is no longer an operating casino and is only open for special events. If you get the chance, go inside to see the beautifully renovated interior.
The annual art competition will take place this Sunday 13th July in the grounds of the Villa Fiori at Ponte a Serraglio.
The day will begin at 8.00am. Lunch will be at 12.30 with delicious produce from the area. There will be games and painting for children and the competition will be judged at 6.00pm.
It is always a great day. Here are some photos from past years.
Don’t miss Colori e Saperi..head off to Villa Fiori to watch the artists at work and have some summer fun in Ponte a Serraglio.
The Motogiro Italia (vintage motorbike race) came through Bagni di Lucca on Friday. The original Motogiro began in 1914, with 56 riders, only 18 of whom finished the race. It has changed many times over the years and there have been lots of years when the race didn’t go ahead for several reasons.
It is now distance rally, with time trials over several days and competitors are escorted by Polizia over the 1,000 miles (1,637 kilometres)
There were several Australians in the race, including a couple of regular visitors to Ponte a Serraglio, so lots of Australian flags were raised in their honour.
It was great fun to see the old bikes come through Ponte a Serraglio.
…and even more fun to see our friends arrive…and depart.
The race ended a bit later in the day at Montecatini Terme. I’m sure the riders would have been very happy to get off their bikes for the last time.
Bella Bagni di Lucca 