Archive for 'Lucca'

We have previously mentioned Lucca’s famous Summer Festival, which is a festival in the more international sense of the word than those that are more common in Tuscany; i.e. a music festival rather than a food festival, though it tends to be one concert an evening in the historic centre of the city, rather than multiple stages and acts per day out in a field somewhere. It is one of many the great music festivals that take place in Italy each year but is among those that attract the most amazing of line-ups. This year is no exception with the likes of Elton John, Take That, Ennio Morricone, New Order, and others taking the stage over the course of a month.

The first edition of the Summer Festival Lucca was held in 1998 with a performance by Bob Dylan and, since then, they have welcomed internationally renowned artists and bands such as Eric Clapton, Jamoroquai, James Brown, Green Day, Lauryn Hill, Pet Shop Boys, and The Rolling Stones and popular Italian singers such as Fiorella Mannoia, Pino Daniele, Giorgia and Elisa, and many more excellent acts over the years.

The area of Val di Lima is a part of Tuscany that is located in the province of Lucca, nestled between mountains and the coast, that is exceptionally beautiful and, with its mountainous areas, wild rivers, valleys, and canyons, is ideal for exploring and having adventures. This is a place to raft, trek, hike, cycle, canoe, and more. For those who have found a vacation rental in Lucca and are looking to have a bit of an adventure while spending time in Tuscany, it is where you need to be. Continuing on from the previous post, here are more of the companies and services that can allow you to make the most of this verdant land full of possibilities...

3. Lucca Quad

Lucca Quad offer a new way to experience the hiking trails around Val di Lima and the Apennines by quading off-road in guided groups across various routes. They also offer paintball, which is especially fun in the natural wooded setting of the area.

Lucca Quad
Via Cappella,
San Cassiano di Controne,
55022, Bagni di Lucca,
Italia.
info@luccaquad.com/info@luccapaintball.com
+39 3494753482

Those who are planning a trip to Tuscany and are looking to have an adventure while they're at it, they should be sure to find a vacation rental in Lucca and spend some time in the Val di Lima. Located in the heart of the beautiful Garfagnana area, between the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan Coast, the Val di Lima is home to some wicked torrents and is the place to go for hiking, exploring, rafting, kayaking, canyoning, and riverplay, an activity that sees adults and children to explore the area on foot and by swimming in and diving into the Cocciglia canyons. If you're looking to plan your own adventure in Val di Lima, these are the activities and companies that you need to know about...

1. Garfagnana Rafting

Located in Chifenti, near Borgo a Mozzano, Garfagnana Rafting offer guided canyoning in two different parts of the Val di Lima, trekking in sections of the Apuan Alps and Apennines, various rafting excursions, kayaking, and riverplay trips. There are four different rafting experiences including the Rafting Lungo, Rafting Classico, Rafting Soft, and Rafting & Zip-line packages. The Lungo lasts three hours and goes down four different sets of rapids, the Classico lasts an hour and a half and goes through four other sets of rapids, the Soft goes down two smaller sets of rapids and lasts an hour and a half, and the Zip-line is a package executed along with a trip to the respected zip-line of the nearby Vagliapark. For more detailed information and special requests, just contact them directly.

La Fabbrica di San Martino is a beautiful vineyard nestled among the lush rolling hills just north-west of Lucca around 5km from the city centre, in an area called the Colline Lucchesi (Lucca Hills), which is a DOC wine region in Tuscany. At the centre of the estate is an 18th century villa and surrounding it are grounds that stretch over 20 hectares and encompass vineyards, olive groves, a forest, gardens and more. The estate, itself, is a stunning place to explore and spend time but it is also home to a vineyard and winery that produce celebrated wines. If you have found a luxury villa in Lucca and are looking for the perfect setting for some wine-tasting, it is an excellent option. Come and sit back and relax, take in the wonderful views, sip some wine, try some local delicacies, and meet the friendly staff members and the cute furry pals that live on the estate.

The lovely medieval city of Lucca is full of surprises and intriguing little gems around every corner. One of the most fascinating, if somewhat macabre, things that you could stumble across is the mummified remains of Saint Zita, the city's patron saint. Famously kind and beloved, she spent her life working diligently as a maid for a noble family, attending church on a daily basis, and tending to the sick and poor in her free time.

Despite having died in the 13th century, when her body was exhumed in the 16th century, it was found to be uncorrupted and was eventually put on display in a richly ornamented glass coffin in the Basilica di San Ferdiano. Canonised in the 1690s, a cult of worship built up around the kindly saint, who remains especially beloved in the hearts of locals to this day.