-(T)-TOURIST CLASS HOTEL
PROPERTY TYPE - HOTEL
3 STARS
BAGNI DI LUCCA HAS BEEN SO CALLED SINCE 1862.
BEFORE THEN IT WAS CALLED BAGNO A CORSENA HAVING
BEEN KNOWN SINCE LATE ROMAN TIMES. IN 1101 THE
COUNTESS MATILDA OF TUSCANY HAD THE PONTE DELLA
MADDALENA ETHE DEVILES BRIDGEE BUILT SO THAT SHE
COULD REACH IT FROM ITS HEALTH-GIVING SPRINGS. IN
1245 THE EMPEROR FREDERICK II SET OUT TO VISIT IT
WITH ALL HIS COURT, POET, ARTIST AND PERSONALITIES
SUCH AS MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE, IPPOLITO DEESTE,
VITTORIO ALFIERI, FERDINAD III GRAND DUKE OF
TUSCANY, PAOLINA BORGHESE, THE SISTER OF NAPOLEON,
METTERNICH, FIELD MARSHALL RADESTSKY, SHELLEY,
BYRON, MONTESQUIEU, PUCCINI, MONTALE AND TOSCANINI
WERE ALL FOUND HERE, TAKING THE WATERS AND
PLANNING FUTURE ACTIVITIES AT LEISURE. #BCTODAY
BAGNI DI LUCCA IS A CHARMING LITTLE SPA TOWN,
NESTLING IN THE GREEN VALLEY OF THE RIVER LIMA AT
THE FOOT OF THE APENNINES, WHICH LIE BETWEEN
TUSCANY AND EMILIA. THIS POSITION LENDS TO IT
SOMETHING OF THE ASPECTS OF A MOUNTAIN RESORT IN
SPITE OF ITS ACTUAL ALTITUDE OF JUST LESS THAN 500
FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL. CONSISTING OF THREE MAJOR
CENTRES, EVILLAE, EPONTE A SERRAGLIAE AND
EFORNOLIE, ITES SURROUNDED BY A CONSTELLATION OF
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS AND THE WHOLE AREA IS RICH IN
ARTISTIC AND NATURAL BEAUTIES. AT EFORNOLIE THERE
IS THE MONUMENTAL EPONTE DELLE CATENEE, A
SUSPENSION BRIDGE DESIGNED BY THE LUCCHESE
ARCHITECT LORENZO NOTTOLINI IN 1840 BUT ONLY
COMPLETED IN 1860. IN 1825 CARLO LUDOVICO, DUKE OF
LUCCA, REGULATED CARD GAMES AND SET UP THE ROYAL
CASINO AT PONTE A SERRAGLIO IN 1839, THE FIRST IN
EUROPE. THE EVILLA ADAE, BUILT IN THE 16TH
CENTURY, SEVERAL TIMES MODERNISED AND NOW DEVOTED
TO VARIOUS SPA TREATMENTS. IN THE GROUNDS ARE
THREE SWIMMING POOLS, WHICH ARE FILLED WITH WATER
FROM THERMAL SPRINGS. THE FORMER EANGLICAN CHURCHE
LIES A LITTLE LOW-DOWN WHILE A LITTLE FURTHER OFF
IS THE 12TH CENTURY PARISH CHURCH OF ST.
PETER. #BCBAGNI DI LUCCA SPA IS NOT JUST A PALACE
FOR TREATMENTS AND REST. NUMEROUS FIRM WITH A
TRADITION GOING BACK TWO OR THREE CENTURY, WHEN
VENDORS OF STATUETTES AND WORKERS IN STUCCO
EMIGRATED ALL OVER THE WORLD, HAVE RECALLED SOME
OF THESE WORKERS TO THEIR NATIVE PLACE AND GIVING
LIFE IN THE FIELD ARE CONCENTRATED IN OUR VALLEY.
HERE THE LARGEST HANDMADE CRIB EVER MADE, WITH
LIFE-SIZE FIGURES, WAS BUILT IN 1988 FOR
PRESENTATION TO THE POPE. THERE IS A EMUSEUM OF
THE NATIVITYE IN THE NEARBY TOWN OF ECOREGLIA
ANTELMINELLIE, DEDICATED TO THIS CRAFT AN
EXHIBITION OF THE STATUETTE-MARKERES ART IS HELD
ANNUALLY IN BAGNI DI LUCCA.
