1:43pm Monday 22nd June 2009
By Lynn Ashwell
A BEAUTIFUL Tuscan church, the magnificent music of Puccini and an opera singer with the voice of an angel.
It may seem an unusual way to spend a holiday evening when the sun is still beating down outside.
But the cool of the ancient church coupled with the emotion of the opera and I was soon in floods of tears, as was a colleague. After blubbing our way through the first half we managed to gain some composure and by the encore we were back in control.
But this is Tuscany, and Italy, the home of emotions.
If the breathtaking scenery of the Cyprus tree lined mountains doesn't get you, the amazing food, the superb wine and the infectious people should soon have you moved to tears of joy.
Tuscany is steeped in history and to most people means the tourist spots of Pisa or Florence. Our destination was Lucca, a medieval walled town 30 minutes from Pisa. It is crammed with churches, steeped in history and is rather pretty.
And one of the things the Italians want to push to their English tourists is that despite the credit crunch, Tuscany is not as expensive as you think - you don't need to be a millionaire to enjoy the delights.
Our amazing guide Linda - yes she was Italian, her name means legitimate in Italian - was a font of knowledge on all things Italian and after a day in the town we knew every saint and all about the town's famous son Giacomo Puccini whose life is celebrated every night of the year at the opera concerts in one of the many churches.
Lucca is a delightful town, lots of narrow streets with throngs of people and bicycles. Apart from the shops, there are excellent restaurants. To get away from the hustle and bustle take a walk around the Botanical Gardens, an oasis or calm and beautiful plants.
A short drive from Lucca are the magnificent mountains and the equally splendid countryside, a patchwork of olive groves and vineyards.
But don't expect to get lots of sight seeing done -- the lunches are long and luxurious. The food is plentiful with the best hams I have ever tasted.
And do try one of the local specialties - Lard! Not the white blocks of fat we are used to but delicate transparent slices of rind cured in marble containers which give it its distinctive flavour.
Do try to get to the Devil's Bridge and the secluded hilltop village of Barga with its slopping cobbled streets and again ancient churches, each with a fascinating story.
And if you want to see how the other half live, take in a trip to the Monumental Villas, the summer residencies built by the rich traders in the 1500 and 1600s with the profits from their silk businesses which made Lucca famous. The Villa di Camigliano is still privately owned by a Prince and Princess who you may bump into in the grounds which were modelled on the Palace of Versailles. The villa is dripping with antiques and masterpieces.
Not far away is the Villa Reale, a little tired now but once visited by the Kennedys and rented one summer by Sting. The grounds are a gardener's delight with hidden gems around every corner from an outdoor green theatre to an amazing waterfall.
However, there is one place I dream of returning to - if I win the lottery.
After a drive up the winding roads outside Lucca there is converted farmhouse which is now the Tenuta San Pietro, a boutique hotel lovingly and sympathetically restored. There are stone walls complemented by ultra modern furniture and decorations. Each room has been individually designed and all have a window opening on to the breathtaking views.
A lunch on the terrace was decadent and heavenly, the food prepared by a chef who loves his job,.
The general manager, a delightful man who has worked at top hotels throughout the world, personally served lunch before bidding his farewells to go and watch the Monte Carol Grand Prix. The hotel makes its own olive oil and the winery is literally a stone's throw away. Bliss.
We were left in the capable hands of Valentina, a charming young lady with a wicked sense of humour who showed us round the laden wine cellar and the charming bedrooms and suites. If only we could have taken a dip in that inviting pool....but we had to press on and back to Lucca and the night at the opera.
The concerts were started in 2004 and will run until 2013 and for an hour you can soak up the history seeping out of the church walls, and the crystal voices of the singers. The concerts are held every night of the year so there is no excuse to miss one. It doesn't matter if you are not an opera lover, just enjoy the experience - and don't forget the hankie!
Jet2.com provides a direct service from Manchester Airport to Pisa, Tuscany, four times a week. Flights start from £19.99 one way, including all taxes.
For more information please visit www.jet2.com Tenuta san Pietro tenuta.san.petro.com Restaurants to try: Delicious typical Italian fayre in a rustic setting, Ristorante Mecanate visit ristorantemecenate.it Excellent food and a rural setting try Antica Locanda di Sesto anticalocandadisesto.it For a grown up dinner try ristorante Olivio in the heart of Lucca town For food with an atmosphere try Trattoria Da gigi - gigitrattoria.it For more information about Lucca - www.luccatourist.it
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