About Lucca:
The whole area is rich in historic and cultural interest. Castello lies approximately 17 kms. north of the ancient walled city of Lucca. It is a charming and beautiful city, with its priceless art treasures, narrow cobbled streets flanked by imposing palazzos, secluded squares, gardens and Romanesque churches. Whilst retaining all the elements of its age and history one finds sophisticated shops and restaurants. On the third weekend of every month there is a fantastic antiques fair which lasts for 2 days Throughout the summer months there are various classical and contemporary music festivals. On top of the medieval walls which enclose Lucca are wide and shady tree lined avenues. Here the locals cycle, walk their dogs and promenade. There are grassy ramparts ideal for relaxing after sight seeing or you can hire bikes and ride around the 4 kilometers of wall. A great way to see the city from up high.
About the area:
Florence is within easy reach, under an hour by car from Lucca on the motorway. Alternativly, there are frequent train and bus connections. Excursions can be made to Siena and San Gimigniano, both about 2 hours drive. Near at hand are Barga, famous for its summer opera festival, Bagni di Lucca, a favourite spa resort for the Victorian poets and which has an excellent open air swimming pool filled with water from the spa. The fashionable coastal resort of Viareggio with its golden sandy beaches is 30 kms from Castello. Every year the famous Puccini opera festival takes place in the open air overlooking the lake at Torre del Lago. For winter visitors, the ski resort of Abetone is only a 60 kilometer drive away. An easy drive for a days skiing
About Castello:
Like so many Tuscan settlements, Castello clings to the side of a hill overlooking valleys, hillsides and mountains with terraced vineyards and olive groves in the foreground, and beyond, wooded slopes and picturesque villages. It is a peaceful place, totally unspoilt. It retains a traditional way of life and has been home for generations of Italian families who still cultivate the land. In the Spring of 2003, BBC2 screeed a 'reality TV' documentary series concerning British families o wishing to relocate to another country. One of the programmes in the series follows the fortunes of a family wishing to relocate to Tuscany, in the Lucca area. The beginning of the programme shows the family viewing a handful of properties in the area and choosing the one that they would most like to live in. They chose my house in Castello and lived there for the duration of the filming. They, like me, fell in love with Castello and the house and playfully tried to persuade me to sell it to them.
