1-Day Tour of Lucca Villas from Lido di Camaiore: Guide 2025

Lido di Camaiore, with its lively seafront promenade and the charm of Versilia, is a perfect spot to begin a journey through the wonders of Tuscany. From the Petit Hotel, a cosy villa just a few steps from the sea, we set off for a day of discovery of Lucca’s villas, historic residences that tell of centuries of wealth and taste. This one-day itinerary, designed for three stages, combines art, nature and history, with a return at sunset that tastes of saltiness and memories.

Villa Torrigiani

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The day begins with breakfast in the Petit Hotel garden. Steaming coffee and the smell of cake and croissants awaken the senses. At nine o’clock, we take the car towards Villa Torrigiani, twenty minutes away. The road glides between olive groves and vineyards, under the gaze of the Apuan Alps. The villa, built in the 16th century by the Santini family, shows itself in all its Baroque splendour, with a façade that looks like a theatre. The garden, with grottoes, water features and rare camellias, is a masterpiece. Inside, the frescoes and original furniture take you back to the 17th century, when Nicolao Santini, Lucca’s ambassador, transformed it into a ‘little Versailles’.

It can be visited from March to November, every day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a ticket costing 10 euro for the villa and park.

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Echoes of nobility

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From Villa Torrigiani it is a fifteen-minute drive to Villa Mansi in Segromigno in Monte. This residence, built in the 16th century and redesigned in the 18th century, is an example of understated elegance. The Mansi family wanted it as a summer retreat, and the English-style garden, with groves and paths, reflects the French taste of the time. The rooms inside, decorated by Stefano Tofanelli, are a journey through painted ceilings and gilded mirrors. It is said that Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister, found inspiration here. Open from March to October, Monday to Friday, from 2 to 6 p.m., admission costs €8 for the park and €12 for the villa and park.
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At midday, the stomach clamours. A few kilometres away, a country trattoria offers a table under a pergola. Pappardelle with wild boar and liver crostini arrive with a glass of red wine. The view over the golden fields makes the moment even more vivid.

Dwellings of kings and poets

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In the afternoon, we reach Villa Reale di Marlia, half an hour from Villa Mansi. This villa, inhabited in 1806 by Elisa Bonaparte, bears the name ‘Reale’ because of its imperial past. The 16-hectare park is a dream: the Verzura Theatre, dating from 1652, hosted Niccolò Paganini, while the Spanish garden and the avenue of camellias enchant with their colours. The rooms, with period furnishings, seem still alive. Open from March to November, every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the ticket costs 9 euro for the park and 15 for the villa and park. In winter, it can only be visited by appointment.
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Before leaving, a bench under a cedar tree invites you to stop. The afternoon light warms the hills, and the silence of the park envelops everything.

learn more about the Ancient Camellias of Lucca

Back to the sea

The return journey, just over half an hour, passes with the windows open. The cool evening air carries the scent of the sea. At Lido di Camaiore, the Petit Hotel welcomes with the promise of a stroll along the seafront. The villas, with their stories of merchants, princes and artists, remain in the mind, like pages in a book that will not close.