I just returned from 4 days in Montecatini Terme located about half way between Florence and Lucca. I stayed at the Grand Hotel Nizza et Suisse very centrally located and this became my base for exploring the town and the area. Shopping galore in this town, you’ll find lots of Italian designer clothing and accessories in all price ranges. Thermal water and mud treatments are easily available in several spas in town. About 20 minutes away we visited Fattoria Il Poggio in Montecarlo, an area well known amongst Italians for fine wines. This large winery is open 7 days a week for group visits to the winery followed by lunch and wine tasting. They produce their own olive oil, soaps, pasta, pates besides their fine variety of white and red wines. About 30 minute drive from Montecatini you find Lucca, the majestic Renaissance-era walled city with its walls still intact. Originally founded by the Etruscans, Lucca became a Roman colony in 180BC. The rectangular grid of its historical center preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the Roman amphitheater can still be seen in the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and should not be missed. It is one of the most beautiful piazzas in all of Italy. You can’t miss the trip up to Montecatini Alto either by car or by funicular. It was a castle of Romanesque origin, 980 feet high, and was the seat of the municipality until the year 1905. It was the origin of the Montecatini that we know today; the only existing town was the one on the hill. However in ancient times, people knew that the waters in the swamps had curative powers, and it is believed that the thermal patrimony of Montecatini was probably already known to the Etruscans. Montecatini can also be used as a base to visit Florence which is about 50 minutes away by train. The hotels are less expensive for those traveling on a budget and you will find yourself in the midst of more Europeans than Americans.
