Montecatini Terme- a gem in Tuscany

Montecatini alto connected by a Funicular

Our hotel- Montecatini Palace

Fountain in town

Main streets are filled with tourists

Main squares has live music playing

Shopping area is popular at night

Montecatini Terme is an Italian municipality in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany. The town is located at the eastern end of Piana di Lucca and is a draw for for tourism, as well as industrial and commercial industries related to the spa, which in turn has increased the interest in hotel accommodation in the region.

Montecatini Castello, corresponding to the modern Montecatini Alto, grew in the Middle Ages on a hill commanding a marshy area. A spa already existed in the village, being mentioned in 1340 document. In 1315 it was the seat of the Battle of Montecatini. In 1339 the area was conquered by the the Republic of Florence. Cosimo de' Medici built a bridge to cross the marshes, but also had the castle dismantled.

The current spa town grew after the land reclamation program of Duke Leopold II  in the late 18th century.it is charming and filled with many beautiful hotels with spa accommodations. We stayed in the Montecatini Palace which was lovely, The spa was amazing and I treated myself to two services!! The town is a tourist town with trendy restaurants and lots of shopping. the main streets are jumping in the evenings- live music in some squares.

Returning to Tuscany

Walls of San Gimignano

Piazzo del Campo in Siena

Ponte Vecchio in Florence

Statue of David by Michelangelo at Galleria dell'Accademia

View of Pitigliano

Tuscany is a region in Central Italy with an area of about 8,900 square miles and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (Firenze). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and has been home to many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contains well-known museums such as the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. Tuscany produces  wines and olive oil. Having a strong linguistic and cultural identity, it is sometimes considered "a nation within a nation".

Tuscany is traditionally a popular destination in Italy and the main tourist destinations by number of tourist arrivals are Florence, Pisa, and Montecatini Terme.

Seven Tuscan localities have been designated World Heritage sites: the historic center of Florence (1982); the Cathedral square of Pisa (1987); the historical centre of San Gimignano (1990); the historical centre of Siena (1995); the historical centre of Pienza  (1996); the Val d'Orcia (2004), and the Medici Villas and Gardens (2013). Tuscany has over 120 protected nature reserves, making Tuscany and its capital Florence popular tourist destinations that attract millions of tourists every year. In 2012, the city of Florence was the world's 89th most visited city, with over 1.834 million arrivals.

I have been to Tuscany three times before, but visited some places I had not been and returned to others. This trip I visited San Gimignano,  Montecatini Terme, Monte San Sevino, Chianti, and Ferrara for the first time. I also returned to Florence, Siena, Pitigliano, Venice (not really in Tuscany but always worth a visit)

More details to follow in new posts. Stay tuned...