From Montaigne to Gualdo Priorato and Georg Christoph Martini, the image of Lucca was closely bound to the territory: a serene and opulent city “girdled on all sides by a theatre of hills, most agreeable for the abundance of Delightful and Sumptuous Villas that are to be seen, with Magnificent Palaces, Charming Gardens and other conveniences wonderfully transplanted for the delectation of the Nobility,” wrote Gualdo Priorato in the 17th century.
Montaigne had already noted similar impressions in his Voyage en Italie in the 16th century, making remarks about the landscape and the size of the villas of Lucca. Between the 15th and the 19th centuries, in the agricultural areas of the territory of the ‘Six Miles’, a network of over 500 residences, belonging to the nobility of Lucca, developed.
The villas were a symbol of the affirmation of the local aristocracy, who invested in agriculture to consolidate status with landed property and noble titles.
For a half day tour, we suggest the visit of two villas, your choice, from the following which are considered to be the most beautiful:
Villa Bernardini,
Villa Grabau,
Villa Oliva,
Villa Reale,
Villa Torrigiani.
Please note: Entrance fees are extra.