Restaurants and bars:
There is a small bar 100 m from the property, which is run by a local family, and has a very small shop and an outdoor seating area. Lovely if you fancy an ice cream, an ice cold beer or simply and cup of coffee.Further along the road, about a 5 minute walk, you will find a restaurant that provides home cooked food at a reasonable price and again, is family run. 5 minutes in the opposite direction, by car, is another restaurant in Granaiola. This has a wider menu and is popular within the local area with residents and tourists alike. They also provide a pizza take away service. Bagni di Lucca offers a host of bars and restaurants, which is approximately 10 minutes down the hill. There is a night club in Chifenti, which is open during the weekend and hosts musical events as well as the usual night club scene. Also in Chifenti there is a fantastic ice cream bar with numerous and wonderful flavours available. Casino Termè in Ponte a Serraglio has the usual card games & one arm bandits.
Things to do and places to see:
Approximately 15 minutes up the mountain Orrido di Bottri, the local nature reserve can be found. Here you can: take a tour and explore the gorge by walking up the river bed, marvel at the wonderful wildlife - maybe spot a golden eagle or see some rare plant life, or simply have a lovely picnic and enjoy the peace and quiet. During the summer a festa is held there and local produce e.g honey or cheese can be purchased. There is also a large barbecue which is a great experience to mingle with the local residents and soak up the Italian lifestyle.
Throughout the summer months many mountain villages in the area host their own festas, providing foods indicative of their area. A marvellous and exciting way to see and experience the real Tuscan life.
The city of Florence is approximately 1.5 hrs away and Siena is approximately 2hrs away. Beautiful cities to explore and enjoy. Venice is also accessible during your stay, as is Gardaland, a fun park near Lake Garda and Verona.
Places to visit:
Borgo A Mozzano is approximately 15 minutes away, by car, and has the famous bridge Ponte a Maddelena. Also known as The Devil's Bridge. The town hosts a beer festival every year during the summer. Three days in April there is an exhibition of Azaleas with beautiful displays of numerous varieties and in October the largest Halloween festa in europe. A real spectacle for the young at heart.
The city of Lucca is 30 minutes away and a magnet for Puccini fans. There is a museum dedicated to him and open air concerts are regularly held to celebrate his works. The ancient streets are filled with interesting shops and bars and the beautiful churches must be seen.
There are many stately homes to visit and the gardens of Collodi hosts the Park of Pinocchio . There are delightful gardens and the famous toyland depicting the story of Pinocchio through mosaics, sculpture and puppet shows.
Grotto del vento are underground caves deep in the Garfagnana, with tours lasting between 1 - 3hrs
Other Activities:
Skiing is an hour's drive away and so is the beach with all the usual beach activities available.
