Poesia

Poesia apartment is set on the 2nd floor of the historical Villa Talenti, overlooking Bagni di Lucca.

Spreaded over 2 levels, Poesia features 2 double bedrooms, a living area with kitchenette, balcony and a bathroom. Additionally, the apartment comprises a studio with a single sofa bed on the upper level for a total occupancy of 5 guests.

This lovely apartment is located in Bagni di Lucca, the famous hot springs town just 20km north of Lucca.  The property includes a common swimming pool shared with 1 other apartment, and the Spa Resort is located just 1 minute walk from the villa!

Every room in the aparment has an open view of the valleys and of the town. The living room has a French window opening to a small balcony with a round table and 2 chairs were you can enjoy your espresso coffee or a local glass of wine overlooking the magnificent countryside.

In the winter season you can use the fireplace in the living room for a cosy and warm atmosphere. The 2 bedrooms are generous in size and provide plenty of storage space. Poesia is furnished with traditional and antique furnitures collected over a life time by the owner Sergio, who is a well know local writer.

The property is built into the hillside and the private garden spreads on different levels  called ” terrazze”. The 8 x 4m pool has being built on the lowest “terrazza” of the property and has breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and town, to be enjoyed while doing your laps or just relaxing around the pool.

Layout:

• hallway and staircase leading to 2nd floor
• entrance room with storage space
• living area
• kitchenette
• balcony
• 2 double bedrooms
• bathroom with  bathtub/shower
• upperlevel studio with sofa bed

Amenities: Wifi, kettle, toaster, microwave, hairdryer, iron, ironboard.

Bagni di Lucca is collection of 25 villages in the Lima Valley in Northern Tuscany. It has been called Bagni di Lucca since 1862. The commercial centre, and home of the comune, is La Villa, which sits on either side of the river. Fornoli, where the railway station is, sits another kilometre further down the Lima river.

The total population is around 7,000 and is spread around the villages of Benabbio, Casabasciana, Granaiola and Lugliano among others.  In 1101 the Countess Matilda of Tuscany had the Devil’s Bridge built so that she could access the health giving springs, which have been known since Etruscan and Roman times.

History of Bagni di Lucca.

Since Lucca unified the area in 1308 and tranformed it into a spa oasis, it has been visited by people from all over Europe to take the waters. It’s heyday was in the early 1800s, during Napoleon’s occupation when his sister Elisa Baciocchi spent her summers in Bagni di Lucca. A casino was built ( the first in Europe), and it became a social hub for foreigners, particularly the English. Shelley, Byron and the Barrett Brownings were among the visitors.

Bagni di Lucca has been known for its thermal springs since the Etruscan and Roman ages. The locality was noted for the first time in an official document of 983CE with the name of “Corsena”, with reference to a donation by the Bishop Teudogrimo of the territory of Bagni di Lucca to Fraolmo of Corvaresi. The area is rich in chestnut forests, mentioned in the past by the Roman poet Virgil.

Between the 10th and 11th centuries, the village became a feudal property of the Suffredinghi, then the Porcareschi, and later the Lupari families. In the 12th century, the commune of Lucca occupied the territory of Bagni di Lucca. In 1308 Lucca unified the community of Bagni di Lucca with those of the nearby villages, forming a Vicarship named “Vicarship of the Lima Valley”. Currently, each hamlet is governed by a member of the Bagni di Lucca parish. These members are responsible for the monitoring of religious festivals and preservation of old churches. Some of the earliest accounts of occupation were by the Lombards, whose leader was Alboin, who occupied the whole Serchio Valley for many years, building guard towers that were later converted to churches (e.g. Pieve di Controne).

During the 14th century, recognizing the revenue from visitors to the thermal springs of Bagni di Lucca, Lucca restored the town. The commune developed it as a destination for visitors, including international figures.

Bagni di Lucca with its thermal baths reached its greatest fame during the 19th century, especially during the French occupation. The town became the summer residence of the court of Napoleon and his sister, Elisa Baciocchi. A casino was built, where gambling was part of social nightlife, as well as a large hall for dances.

At the Congress of Vienna (1814), the Duchy of Lucca was assigned to Maria-Louisa of Bourbon as ruler of Parma.^[2] It continued as a popular summer resort, particularly for the English, who built a Protestant church there. The church now has been converted to the Bagni di Lucca Bibiloteca (library) and holds archives and records that date back to centuries ago.^[3] In 1847 Lucca with Bagni di Lucca was ceded to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, under the domain of the Grand Duke Leopold II of Lorraine.^[4] His rule started a period of decline for the springs and casino as a destination, since he was used to a secluded life. In 1853 the casino was closed. It was reopened after 1861, when Lucca became part of the unified Kingdom of Italy.^[5]

In the 1940s, during the German invasion of Italy, Bagni di Lucca, along with many other towns located in the Apennines,was occupied, as they were along the Gothic Line. Several houses and mansions in the area were used as residences for German soldiers and some residents born after 1940 in this region have German ancestry.

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