Montecatini Terme, in the province of Pistoia, is one of the most renowned spas in Italy – already in the last century a popular destination for wealthy businessmen and aristocrats of the time who stayed here for the “miraculous waters” of this place. The many Art Nouveau buildings recall the Belle Epoque and the luxury of the past, but even today it is a city that offers a pleasant stay with shopping opportunities and cafès in the city center, green areas and spas.
Our guided walking tour starts from Piazza del Popolo, where you can admire the Grand Hotel La Pace, the most ancient and prestigious hotel in Montecatini, the Municipality and the Baths. Then we visit the MOCA, an exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art, and the Terme Tettuccio, a monumental marble building dated 1927 and a spa where time seems to have stopped.
Then you’ll leave the center of Montecatini Terme and with the funicular – one of the oldest in the world, dating back to the end of ‘800 – you’ll reach the picturesque village of Montecatini Alto, from where you can admire a fabulous view of the city and the valleys below. These red trains that move on rails were once the direct link between the medieval village and the spa town with hotels and businesses. And there are many famous people (first of all Giuseppe Verdi, to whom the famous theater of the city is dedicated) that have passed through Montecatini to take advantage of its spas. They would walk through the town’s tree-lined avenues, or have coffee in the main square, where today’s bars, cafes and wine stalls were already operating. And even now as you walk through the squares, in the open spaces and alleys of this ancient village, you can feel the elegant atmosphere of the glories of the past, impressed in the buildings brushed by time but well preserved in their original architectural appearance.
In the medieval village you can see the ruins of the fortress, the Romanesque church of S. Pietro and its bell tower, the tower of Castel Nuovo, the old town hall which is now a private house, the neo-gothic theater that houses a pizzeria, and all the peculiarities of this small center.
Free time available and return to Montecatini via the funicular.
Guaranteed tour with a minimum of 6 participants.
TOUR DATES 2018
April 1 – October 31 Every Saturday
MEETING POINT
At the Info Point in Piazza del Popolo, Montecatini T 3:00pm
PRICES 2018
Price per person € 33.00
Children ages 6 – 10 € 25,00
Children under 6 free
Price includes:
guided visit with expert guide, admission to the MOCA and Tettuccio Baths, ticket for the funicular.
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