Segromigno in Monte

Segromigno in Monte sits in the tamed Tuscan hills near Lucca. For centuries it has been a country getaway for the wealthy from Lucca and Pisa to relax in the cooler air of the hills. Scattered among the olive groves and vineyards are opulent villas built by those rich families in the Renaissance era, keeping the elegance and grandeur of their city dwellings but surrounding them with spacious and sumptuous gardens. There are three such villas near Segromigno in Monte and more throughout the vicinity.

Segromigno is a small village that is officially part of the larger town of Capannori. Villa Mansi was built in 1599. It's proportions and arched portico look like a movie set villa. Villa Mazzarosa is famous for its formal gardens bearing nymphs, mosaics, columns and camelias. There is a limonaia (a greenhouse for citrus), a chapel, and a stream meanders through the park to form a little lake. Villa Orlando once belonged to the Queen of Naples, Carolina Bonaparte. It has been in the Orland family for more than a hundred years. It also has a manicured formal garden with encompassing views of the Apennine mountains.

The little church in Segromigno was built of massive sandstone blocks in a local variation of Romanesque style. It houses a beautiful marble sculpture, Il Redentore (the Redeemer). There is also a Roman column scavanged from the amphitheatre in Lucca. The accompanying high bell tower distinguishes the village.

The village has an osteria that serves local dishes, a handful of coffee bars, a few grocers and a meat market. Surrounding towns also offer country restaurants. The beautiful art city of Lucca is just a few miles ago and has interesting sights, elegant shops and excellent restaurants. In less than an hour you can reach Pisa, Pistoia, the hot springs of Montecatini Terme, the beaches of Viareggio, as well as famous Florence.