view from Deb's balcony
Our little village is called Ponte a Serraglio, part of Bagni di Lucca. It lies half an hour outside of Lucca, one of the loveliest towns in Italy. The village consists of a couple of rows of houses on either side of the Lima River in a valley of the Apuan Alps.
Coming from a subtropical climate, it all seems magical, and each day is a delight.
the village in spring
winter from the balcony
the village in autumn
We started the blog to help inform visitors to our apartments about what is on offer in the village and neighbouring areas. It has grown a bit since we began and now includes many of the places we visit in Italy and other places around the world.
Our Italian stories are listed in the following categories – Italy, Bagni di Lucca, Ponte a Serraglio and Lucca. The “Day Trips” category covers those places that are relatively easy to travel to from Bagni di Lucca in a day, by car or public transport.
We like to hear your comments and please let us know if you have any questions. We have travelled quite a lot in Italy and may be able to help with your travels.
nearby Devil's bridge
lovely Lucca
Hi Deb
Your place looks fabulous. I hope I can make the flight bookings for all your guests.
Janelle
By: Janelle Spence on December 10, 2009
at 10:33 pm
What a beautiful blog and how lucky you are!
By: Theresa Lauf on August 30, 2010
at 2:08 am
Ohhhh! My husband and I stayed in Lucca for 5 nights earlier this year (April) and fell in love with it. You have inspired me to send you some photographs of our stay … I am off walking now so have to go … Chris
By: Elliebrook on September 5, 2010
at 2:36 pm
Ilook forward to seeing them.
Deb
By: bagnidilucca on September 6, 2010
at 1:36 am
Hi there Debra & Liz,
I found your blog this week and think it is amazing.
We have a house in Guzzano, 4kms above Bagni Di Lucca.
We are getting quite close to completing restoration and spend a fair amount of time there.
Thanks again and maybe bump into you when we are over.
Ciao
Steve & Den
By: Steve & Denise on September 8, 2010
at 12:02 pm
I will be in the village soon. I am often at the Bar Italia or Il Monaco. I hope we meet.
Deb
By: bagnidilucca on September 9, 2010
at 7:02 am
Hi, nice to meet you !
By: ReadersHeaven on September 21, 2010
at 6:17 am
You too. I hope you enjoy the blog.
By: bagnidilucca on September 21, 2010
at 1:34 pm
Thank you, you make Bagni di Lucca come alive. It will definitely be on our itinerary to visit when we set off on our travels to Tuscany following the ski season
Kate
By: Kate on October 11, 2010
at 11:06 pm
Buonasera
ci siamo conosciuti oggi in Pietrasanta da MEMORIE. La vostra presentazione del nostro negozio sul blog è perfetta. Grazie delle gentili parole, a presto (per offrirvi un caffé!) Luigi
By: Luigi di MEMORIE Pietrasanta on October 14, 2010
at 8:15 pm
I just found your blog via Tales from a well stocked Larder. Love it. As I am trying to find somewhere for us to base ourselves in Italy next year- nicely timed.
Bagni di Lucca looks bellissimo!
By: cityhippyfarmgirl on November 1, 2010
at 8:56 pm
I’m pleased you like the blog – and our lovely little village.
Debra
By: bagnidilucca on November 1, 2010
at 9:38 pm
We completed the sale of our little house up in the hills beyond Bagni di Lucca last week so are now proud owners of our own little bit of Italy. I stumbled across your blog today whilst trying to find out about internet access – Jaqueline’s looks perfect! As I am now back home in a very cold wet Wales seeing your pictures just make me want to come back and sit in bar Italia and sip a cold beer watching the world go by. Although last week in Bagni was just as wet and cold as it is here!
Some of your day trips look wonderful. The reason we bought in the area is just that – so much to see and do, so many places to visit and enjoy. I can’t wait for the spring when we will be able to get back and start making the most of our lovely little home abroad.
By: Jan on November 21, 2010
at 5:27 pm
Hi Jan,
I’m pleased you found the blog – thank you for your comments. I will be back in BdL from February until mid May next year. I hope we meet in the Bar at some stage. You should sign up for the blog – there will be lots more stuff on lovely Italy.
Deb
By: bagnidilucca on November 21, 2010
at 8:40 pm
Hi Debra,
We met at a dinner in Erlangen with Moira and many others ladies. Finally got round to checking out your blog and I love it! You’re doing a marvellous job and the little town looks magical both in summer and winter. Keep up the good work. If you’re back in the summer come visit us on La Maddalena. Take care.
Elisabeth.
By: Elisabeth on November 25, 2010
at 7:57 pm
Thank you for your comments. I hope you keep reading. I will be back in Erlangen and would love to catch up.
By: bagnidilucca on November 25, 2010
at 9:08 pm
It is a lovely village, the nature is fabulous… When we plan to go to Italy, i’ll ask you few questions concerning our trip…
By: Fragolina on January 11, 2011
at 8:56 am
I will be happy to help.
By: bagnidilucca on January 11, 2011
at 9:22 am
Dear Sirs
First of all Happy New Year 2011.
I have come across your website whilst researching potential business partners. I am a qualified Mountain and Desert guide/Tour Operator in Morocco based in the High Atlas Mountain and would be interested in working with your company, organizing adventure holiday’s in Morocco.
We invite to you to come and do trek with our team to see and know how do we work with our clients.
We are able to organize:
• Walking trek around Berber villages +winter treks
• Hotels and Riads booking
• Camel trekking in the desert of Morocco
• All Transportation
• Day Excursion
• Events for big groups
• Ski Touring
• Mountain Biking
http://www.toubkalmountainleaders.com
http://www.trekkinginmorocco.com
Please let us know if this is some thing that you can do with us.
Looking to hear from you .
Best Regards
By: Toudaoui Brahim on January 28, 2011
at 8:38 pm
I don’t know if we could do anything with you – apart from come on one of your tours. We are definitely interested in coming to your area and I will keep your details for the future. Thank you.
By: bagnidilucca on January 28, 2011
at 8:45 pm
You have a really well done website and your town looks beautiful! I hope you do not mind that I added a link to your site from my blog
Are you on Twitter? Thanks for the blog!
By: jcilt on February 23, 2011
at 11:56 pm
Thank you for your comments and for adding us as a link. I am not on twitter or facebook.
By: bagnidilucca on February 24, 2011
at 4:01 pm
You are welcome
It looks so pretty there. Was looking at pictures in travel book. Hope to make trip there one of these days! Thanks for dropping by my site! Ciao!
By: jcilt on February 25, 2011
at 10:25 pm
Truly nice site and town. This area in Italy is absolutely gorgeous. You are lucky to get to be there regularly. Thanks for sharing, the photos are great.
And congrats for being Freshly Pressed
By: maru on February 24, 2011
at 1:04 pm
Thank you for your comments. We love our little part of Italy.
By: bagnidilucca on February 24, 2011
at 4:00 pm
Congrats on being “Freshly Pressed”! Saw you on there this morning and have now spent the better part of my working day reading your captions and looking at your wonderful photographs and really enjoying both. This is a great blog and so, so interesting and informative. You make me want to pack my bags and catch the next plane to Italy! (Ah well, maybe if I win the Lotto…).
By: Grahame Hall on February 24, 2011
at 1:55 pm
P.S. Have also added your site to my blog roll, hope that’s okay with you.
By: Grahame Hall on February 24, 2011
at 2:17 pm
That’s great, thank you, I will have a look at yours. You must come to Italy, we love our time here.
By: bagnidilucca on February 24, 2011
at 3:59 pm
My thoughts are the same as G. Hall’s! Used to live in Italy for a short time when I was 21 years old & have been back 3 times since. Cycled on top of the walls of Lucca & loved it. You are literally living my dream! God bless you!
By: Jan Henkel on March 9, 2011
at 5:58 pm
You will have to come back and cycle the walls again.
By: bagnidilucca on March 9, 2011
at 8:02 pm
Your photos are awesome!
By: margieinitaly on May 2, 2011
at 9:49 pm
Thank you, I think I am getting better with practice.
By: bagnidilucca on May 3, 2011
at 5:22 am
Thank you so much for leaving a comment on my blog, and also for the tips on gelato and Caffè Greco in Rome!
By: margieinitaly on May 2, 2011
at 9:50 pm
WOW. Your home town looks awesome. I wish I had taken a detour while I was at Cinque Terre and spent a few days there. Next time, I hope.
I’m blog-rolling your awesome blog
By: Shivya on June 5, 2011
at 8:45 pm
Thank you. I hope you do visit our village and I hope I am there when you do.
By: bagnidilucca on June 5, 2011
at 9:30 pm
your photos are amazing!!!!!!!
By: mallhaciel on July 19, 2011
at 12:25 pm
Thank you, I think they are getting better as I go along.
By: bagnidilucca on July 19, 2011
at 12:33 pm
looks like a lovely place. I’ve never been there, but those photos sure make me wanna plan a trip to Bagni di Lucca. Very nice blog!
By: sillystyle on July 26, 2011
at 9:12 pm
I hope you do visit Bagni di Lucca. Thank you for the kind words.
By: bagnidilucca on July 26, 2011
at 10:04 pm
Sounds like a delightful place! I have never been to Italy, and want to go so badly!
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on August 6, 2011
at 1:08 am
You must come to Italy. It has more beautiful places per square inch than anywhere else (I think) Come to our lovely Bagni di Lucca.
By: bagnidilucca on August 6, 2011
at 4:43 am
We are staying in Ponta a Seraglia for a week in September (we are Aussies)…we’re so excited about our visit…Bagni di Lucca looks so beautiful. Whilst there we’d love to spend Sat nite at the bar where there’s dancing under the stars….can someone provide name of bar and details….see you soon in your lovely village.
By: Barbara on August 10, 2011
at 4:18 pm
The Bar Italia in Ponte a Seraglio is no doubt what you are looking for. I hope you have a great time in our lovely village. I won’t be there in September – pity – it is a great month to be there.
By: bagnidilucca on August 10, 2011
at 8:47 pm
Hi. I found your busy blog after you commented on mine. The tiny village looks great in your photos and the river and bridge is like Florence in miniature !
I managed to enjoy a quick day trip to the shops inside the walls of Lucca last December. Look forward to returning there and places like your village in the future.
It is great, and so important, that Italy protects it’s history and heritage for future generations.
By: Tuscany Services on August 13, 2011
at 10:49 pm
Hi, Thanks for stopping by. There is lot of local information on the blog. We started it to inform our visitors, but I has grown a bit. We love our area. You must to back to Lucca and come up to Bagni di Lucca for a visit.
By: bagnidilucca on August 13, 2011
at 11:12 pm
Hi Deb!
Hope you are well.
I love this blog! It’s so enchanting!
I read the post – local is lovely – and have penned in a morning breakfast for my birthday next week =) I am so excited!
I love the images above from your balcony – you are so blessed! It would be so lovely waking up every morning to such views! xoxo Rachelle
By: Anonymous on September 2, 2011
at 12:16 am
Thanks for your comments. I do have a very nice life. I will be back in Italy soon – I can’t wait to be back in Bagni di Lucca – but my life here in Brisbane is pretty good too.
By: bagnidilucca on September 2, 2011
at 12:29 am
Tried to read your post from last night, but I get an error message. Oh, well. Hope you have a great weekend, Deb!
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on September 17, 2011
at 1:47 am
I have been playing with the i Pad and a couple of things went up by mistake and were deleted.
By: bagnidilucca on September 17, 2011
at 2:19 am
Hi! Visited BdL this summer and loved it. Hope to be spending more time there in the near future. Can you recommend an Italien speaking course/book? Where abouts in BdL are Bar Italia and Il Monaco. We spent a couple of days there looking at the town etc but I can’t picture either of these 2 places.
Thx. V
By: Anonymous on October 9, 2011
at 9:40 am
There is a language school in Lucca called Koine. It may be possible to have lessons in the village. Speak to Jaqueline at the internet cafe near Bar Italia. Il Monaco and Bar Italia are at Ponte a Serraglio. They are in the tiny piazza beside the bridge – you can’t miss them.
By: bagnidilucca on October 9, 2011
at 4:29 pm
Thank you. We hope to be in BdL for a weekend in the next couple of weeks so we will look into your suggestions. Thx. V
By: Anonymous on October 14, 2011
at 7:54 am
My house is in Ponte a Serraglio. Ring my bell beside the traffic lights and we can have a coffee at the bar.
By: bagnidilucca on October 14, 2011
at 10:05 am
Hi Deb and Liz
Scott is our son and Nicole our lovely daughter in law… We were recently in Bagni Di Lucca and made ourselves known to Laura and her mum Lyn with whom we are still in touch with. They were kind enough to show. Us through the apartment!!! Beverley and I are “hellbent” on returning to Italy next year?? We need to have a talk to you about costs etc and booking dates when next you are on Oz. We live on Arthur st Mermaid… At the moment you could do me a great favor by telling me the name of the beautiful Real Estate Agent in the office opposite your apartment. Just past the Patissierie. She is Bagni born but raised in USA (???) her husband is Italian and most helpful. We would like to contact them to say “thank you” for their hospitality. Have lost their business card. Their email address would be just awesome. She knew you girls and had glowing things to say about you!. Hope to hear from you soon. Regards Stan
Ps I hope I have given you enough info to locate the Agent… It’s on the left as you leave your little shopping area on the road between the coffee shops just past the restaurant !! . Bev thinks her name is Rene??
By: Stan on October 22, 2011
at 7:18 am
Hi Stan, I’m pleased you enjoyed your stay in Bagni di Lucca, we love it there. I am in Napoli just now, on my way to Sorrento. The agent’s name is Rena and I will get her contact details when I return to BdL next week. I would love to talk to you when I get back to Brisbane in December. We have space next year. Keep following the blog for more on BdL and lovely Italy. Debra
By: bagnidilucca on October 22, 2011
at 12:14 pm
Lucca is such a lovely town!
Is spring the best time to visit it?
By: London Caller on November 6, 2011
at 1:39 pm
I think April/May or Septemer/October is the best time to visit Lucca. Spring is beautiful and the screaming hoards have not yet arrived. Summer can be very hot. September usually has good weather and in October the autumn colours are beautiful.
By: Debra Kolkka on November 6, 2011
at 8:02 pm
Hello Debra & Liz
We’ve stayed in Ponte a Serraglio a few times and fallen in love with the place. We’ve just booked to return on 30th December for a week (our first winter visit). We can’t think of a more beautiful place to spend the New Year. We love your web pages and blog and have now subscribed. We would be interested to know of any celebrations that are taking place over the New Year in Bagni di Lucca, or maybe Bar Italia will be ‘The Place to be’.
Best wishes, Andrea & David
By: Andrea & David Waterhouse on November 16, 2011
at 9:56 pm
Con la nuova grafica di wordpress l tuo blog é ancora più bello e le foto sono piccoli capolavori che raccontano angoli di questa regione che nemmeno chi abita qui da una vita a volte conosce.
Brava Debra
Ciao
By: Anonymous on November 29, 2011
at 4:42 am
Graze Paolo!
By: Debra Kolkka on November 29, 2011
at 8:16 am
Hello Debra and Liz,
this is Debora Del Sonno from Lucca.
I’ve just crossed into your (wonderful) blog by coincidence and I cannot miss to write you some words
Maybe my surname Del Sonno sounds you familiar. Do you know the Restaurant Del Sonno in Bagni di Lucca. I belong to the founder family. My grandfather Enrico founded it many many years ago. At present my family has no longer owned it for some yesrs… but the name is ours.
I love Bagni di Lucca. My parents were from Bagni di Lucca. My dad Claudio is from Bagni di Lucca Villa, my mum Silvana is from Bagni di Lucca Ponte.
I was born in BdL and stayed for one year at Ponte a Serraglio in a small apartment overlooking the river near the Hotel Corona, then after a year in 1970 my parents moved to Lucca where I have grown up.
All my grandparents died. Today I still have in BdLsome cousins and uncles. Some live in Corsena near the church above bagni di Lucca di Lucca Villa some in Fornoli, just above the Stadium. The agruturimo La Torre belongs to some my relatives in law
Also, life is so strange… I’ve met my husband – to be in Lucca but he also is from Bagni di Lucca/Fornoli!!
Not only. I deal with tourism. I run a holiday rental agency in Lucca (www.luccaholidayhomes.it) and most of my clients come from Australia. You are great people. And it was beautiful finding someone with great feeling for Bagni di Lucca. I often suggest my guests to go and visit it. … but I’ve noticed that usually people think it is OK but nothing more… so what I want you to tell you is :
Thank you for your love to my lands.
Ciao and look forward to hearing from you soon!
(Sorry for my bad English: I am almost “autodidatta”)
By: Debora Del Sonno on December 4, 2011
at 6:25 am
Hi Debora,
Thank for writing! I do know Del Sonno. I know the current owners quite well and I have written a post on the restaurant.I love Bagni di Lucca and Lucca! You can refer people to our blog if they need to see how lovely Bagni di Lucca is.
We should meet when I come back in February. I will be back for 4 months.
By: Debra Kolkka on December 4, 2011
at 6:35 am
Hi Debra, I finally got into your blog, excellent your photos are amazing. So much information on were to go and what to see… I will be a regular visiter to your blog, keep up the good work!
We really enjoyed yours and Jim’s company the other night at dinner, we hope you enjoyed yourself and liked our Mill house..
By: Gill Ford-Cross on March 26, 2012
at 5:14 pm
We had a great time and your Mill House is gorgeous!
By: Debra Kolkka on March 26, 2012
at 6:10 pm
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By: Fabio Laduree on April 22, 2012
at 8:42 am
I absolutely love your blog! Wonderful photos!
By: petit4chocolatier on August 11, 2012
at 10:50 pm
Soon autumn, hurry to say goodbye to summer!).
By: abbrakile on August 21, 2012
at 6:07 am
I have heard that it has been very hot there.
By: Debra Kolkka on August 21, 2012
at 9:52 am
Hi there.
I just came upon your blog whilst researching a move of my family from rural Ireland to Tasmania. We have wanted to change lives for a while and Tas seems a place we could be really happy in. I love food, baking, growing veg( badly). Horses, homemade thingy’s. Rural living and Italy. I look at the houn valley and think yes this is it ( hubby accountant and im a podiatrist, can get jobs there in hobart) .. aah then i saw your italian photo, s and i think i cant leave that. We go to italy for hols as often as money allows and i adore it. ( no prof job though in italy) . Tas or Italy. Tas or Italy????. I have set of 3 yr old twins and an 8 yr old. All learning Italian. An irish cob mare and a cheeky pony and a half persian kitten. . Is anyone else in this dilemma.
By: Emily on February 2, 2013
at 8:58 am