Category: Tours

At the beginning of the 14th century, when the perimeter wall was considerably narrower than it is today, Lucca was proud of the one hundred towers and more that had sprung up and which, from distance, almost resembled a forest. With the passing of time, nly a few have survived and currently only two can be visited. However, they are the two most impressive and important.
The first tower to be restored and opened to the public athe beginning of the 1980 is the Torre Guinigi, which, with its centurie sold holm oaks at the very top, is another of the city’s symbols.
Situated in the north west corner of the magnificent palace constructed in about 1384 by Michele, Francesco and Nicolao Guinigi, it is 41 metres high and built entirely of red brick.
A 230 step inner staircase leads to the top which, in the shade of the ancient holm oaks, affords beautiful views over the city, its monuments and the surroundings countryside.
The second tower, called Torre delle Ore because of the huge clock face situated near the top, was renovated and opened to the public in 1999.
The earliest information about this monument dates back to 1390, when hte General Council of Lucca decided to gift the city a clock without a face and which struck a bell only ance every hour. A century later the city authorities acquired the tower and it became the Torre Civica (public tower) with a face showing the hours.
Over the centuries new mechanism and new technologies were applied and the last, 18th century version, with its twelve Roman nume-rals, is the one that can still be seen today.
The tower and the clock workings make this mechanism one of the most interesting in Europe.

The Hermitage of Calomini, built against a rocky precipice in the Comune of Vergemoli, iso ne of the best-know and most-visited shrines in the Serchio Valley, together with those of San Pellegrino and the Argegna.
Access to the hermitage, which is built in the “abri” style of religious architecture and of which other examples are to be found in the Apuan Alps, is via an ancient stone portal.
The primitive Church, already documented in the XI century when the image of the Madonna della Penna was venerated here, was enlarged several times in the XII century and then reduced to its present size.
Today only the presbytery, the cells and the sacristy retain the characteristic of having been cut out of the living rock and left bare. In sacristy there is a large inlaid wooden cabinet with bas-reliefs made by the craftsman Luca pini in 1707.
From the document f 1361 in which the lay broche of the Cell of Sancta maria ad Mrtyres requested that th bishop should legalize the various donations made to the oratory, one can clearly see how Madonna della penna, was from the XIV century onwards.
The first episcopal grant of benefice dedicated to the Retreat of St. Mary of the Grotto is dated 2nd may 1444.
There was another in 1947 and from the XVI century onwards the fame of this Madonna grew to such an extent that bishops and cardinals journeyed to worship her.
Then between 1631 and 1690 the people with spontaneus donations did all they could to enlarge and render the ancient Church more magnificient.
At the beginning of the XVII century, the records of the shrine show that the double colonnade was built, the Grotto enlarged so a sto provide a fit setting for the sacristy, the Church floor made good and all other finishing touches necessary to make that place of prayer worthy of admiration were completed.
The hermits looked after the sanctuary until 1868 when the parish priests of the nearby villages-who by tradition were the administrators-decided to take on direct responsability for the task of promoting the worship of St.Mary of the grotto. Thus after a presence of over five centuries, the Hermits of Calomini were no more and their memory the people, when indicating the madonna ad Martyres, began calling her Madonna of the Hermit or simply “Hermit”
By the decree of 1914 made by the Bishop of Massa, the custody of the sanctuary was entraste to the Capuchin monks of Lucca who for over fifty years have conservedd that wich has arisen on this precipice out of a pure dedication to the Virgin.
On may and sptember numerous believers still climb this steep mountain wich holds intact the miracle of the waters in a vision of absolute purity.

Situated in a centre of the Apuan Alps’ Nature Park in the province of Lucca (Tuscany), this iso ne of the most complete European caves, presenting an extraordinary variety of phenomena wich are competently and precisely illustrated by expert speleological guides.
Following practical walkways, we can admire under the spotlights the many wonders of the underground world: from shining stalactites and stalagmite sto polychrome flowstones, alabaster drapperie, crystal-brimmed lakes, underground water coureses and bizarre forms of erosion.
There are three itineraries:
The “first” (one hour) doesn’t have great diffrfence in height and is characterized throughout by splendid limestone formations;
the “second” (two hours), wich also includes the first, offers the fashination of a mysterious undeground river which crosses throught wide chambre of smooth rock
the third (three hours) enables you to do a complete tour of the cave and adds the thrill of a perfectly-vertical section where the walkway remains easy to follow with maximum safety throughout, even along the incredibile passages hanging over an abyss which seems toh ave no bottom.
The temperature inside is mild (+10 C°), a pleasant atmosphere both during the summer heat and during harsh winters.
Outside there is a bar, a big mineral and fossil shop with pieces from al lover the world and picnic area with benches, tables and fountains.
The beautiful surrounding landscape is very varied: those visiting the cave can estende their exursion to the Calomini Hermitage, a sanctuary which has been carved in to the rock, the Gorges of Trombacco, partly occupied by an emerald-green lake, or for those wishing to walk, to the huge natural arch of Mount Forato, or to the peak of the Pania della Croce (mt. 1858), which looks into a vast panorama of the Tyrrhenian coast.
See tourist map inside.