Capannori

Day Trips

Arrive in Capannori and check into your accommodation located in the historic town center. Take a leisurely stroll through Piazza Aldo Moro to get your first taste of local life. Stop at a café for an espresso and pastry to fuel the day.

Visit the Museo della Civiltà Contadina to learn about traditional Tuscan rural life. Wander through the nearby streets and admire centuries-old stone buildings and artisanal shops. Pick up a map at the tourist office and plan the week ahead.

Enjoy an aperitivo at a local wine bar overlooking the town square. Sample regional Tuscan specialties like bruschetta al pomodoro and cecina. Dine at a trattoria serving farm-to-table pasta and homemade desserts.

Head to the elegant Villa Mansi estate to explore its Baroque architecture and manicured gardens. Wander through the manicured hedge maze and admire fountains hidden among fragrant rose bushes. Capture photos of ornate statues and frescoed rooms inside the villa.

Enjoy a picnic lunch on the villa grounds beneath centuries-old plane trees. Visit the wine cellar for a tasting of local whites and reds produced on site. Learn about the Mansi family history through exhibits in the villa’s carriage house.

Return to Capannori for dinner at a rustic osteria serving seasonal soups and grilled meats. Pair your meal with a glass of Chianti Classico from nearby vineyards. End the evening with gelato while walking along the town’s medieval walls.

Drive or cycle to Villa Torrigiani to admire its grand façade and expansive parkland. Join a guided tour to learn about its Pitti-style layout and the enchanting grotto. Take time for photos in front of water features and elegant colonnades.

Enjoy lunch at the villa café featuring homemade focaccia and local cheeses. Stroll the grounds to discover hidden tunnels and hidden waterfalls within the botanical garden. Browse the small gift shop for artisan crafts and olive oil souvenirs.

Return to Capannori and unwind with a sunset aperitif on a rooftop terrace. Sample local olive oil drizzled on freshly baked bread. Dine on classic Tuscan fare such as ribollita soup and bistecca alla fiorentina.

Travel to the nearby village of Montecarlo to discover its medieval streets and wine heritage. Begin your visit at a family-run winery set on rolling hills. Tour the vineyards and learn about the grape varieties native to the area.

Savor a multi-course lunch paired with estate-grown Vermentino and Sangiovese. Continue tastings in a historic cantina carved into local stone. Pick up a bottle or two to bring back as a souvenir of the region.

Return to Capannori as the sun dips behind the Tuscan hills. Dine at a pizzeria renowned for its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas topped with local ingredients. Walk off your meal with an evening stroll along the river Serchio.

Explore the lush Parco di Villa Reale with its tree-lined avenues and peacock-populated lawns. Join a guided nature walk to identify native plants and bird species. Snap photos of the baroque villa reflected in the still pond waters.

Enjoy a packed picnic beneath centuries-old oaks. Visit the on-site orangerie to see citrus trees and exotic plant collections. Relax on a bench and read about the park's 17th-century origins.

Return to town and head to a wine bar specializing in local dessert wines. Sample vin santo with almond biscotti for a sweet treat. Conclude the day with a moonlit walk through Capannori’s quiet streets.

Depart early for the Parco Regionale di Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli to catch migratory birds at dawn. Set up at a lakeside hide and watch herons, kingfishers, and coots emerging from the reeds. Listen to the dawn chorus echoing across the water.

Enjoy a packed lunch picnic on the lake’s sandy shore. Take a guided boat tour to explore hidden coves and observe birdlife up close. Visit the small nature center to learn about wetland conservation efforts.

Head back to Capannori and freshen up. Savor dinner at a trattoria known for freshwater fish dishes. Cap the night with a digestif at an atmospheric wine cellar.

Begin with a walking tour of Capannori’s Romanesque and Gothic churches. Admire frescoes at San Francesco and intricate stonework at Sant’Andrea. Stop to light a candle and soak in the serene atmosphere.

Enjoy lunch at a café near the Church of San Pietro Somaldi in Lucca, a short drive away. Return to Capannori to visit smaller chapels scattered throughout the countryside. Photograph textured walls and historic bells against the sky.

Join vespers or a choral concert if available at one of the churches. Enjoy a light dinner of crostini with liver pate and local salumi. Sip a glass of full-bodied red while reflecting on the day’s discoveries.

Drive to Colle di Compito to explore its medieval castle ruins perched on a hilltop. Wander stone alleys and peer through ancient portals. Photograph panoramic views of olive groves and vineyards stretching below.

Have a rustic lunch at a family-run agriturismo specializing in homemade pasta and porchetta. Wander nearby trails through olive orchards and oak forests. Sample freshly pressed olive oil drizzled over bruschetta at a roadside stand.

Return to Capannori for a relaxed evening at a wine bar. Order a charcuterie board featuring local prosciutto, pecorino, and figs. Pair it with a glass of robust Brunello di Montalcino.

Catch a morning train or drive to Lucca to walk atop its Renaissance-era city walls. Enjoy sweeping views from the ramparts and spot church domes peeking above tiled roofs. Stop for a cappuccino at a café overlooking a leafy boulevard.

Explore Lucca’s historic center visiting Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, the Torre delle Ore, and the Cathedral of San Martino. Grab a slice of focaccia lucchese for lunch from a local bakery. Shop for handmade textiles and ceramics in medieval arcades.

Return to Capannori for a farewell dinner at a refined enoteca. Indulge in regional specialties like tagliolini al tartufo and wild boar ragu. Conclude with a limoncello toast under the stars.