A perfect combination of Art, History and Nature, an ideal destination for those who want to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of Tuscany in a context of great beauty and refinement
Villa Reale di Marlia, famous for its Architectural beauty and its Gardens. A historical and artistic jewel located in the heart of Tuscany, in the province of Lucca, inside the vast and prestigious Royal Park of Marlia.
The property includes several historic buildings, including the majestic Villa Reale, the elegant Palazzina dell’Orologio and the Villa del Vescovo, as well as a magnificent Park with Italian gardens and other landscape wonders
Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister and Princess of Lucca, gave it its current appearance with neoclassical interventions and transformed it into a Royal residence. The gardens were redesigned according to the English Garden fashion, with statues and vases in white marble
Visitors can explore the Gardens, admire the Fountains, Statues and Water Games, as well as visit the interiors of the Villa, furnished in Empire style
– Main Palace
With neoclassical facades and Empire style interiors.
– Teatro di Verzura
A unique natural theater where Niccolò Paganini presented the premiere of Racine’s “Phaedra”.
– Palazzina dell’Orologio Museum
six o’clock, eighteenth century, dedicated to the bizarre collections of Countess Mimì Pecci Blunt such as the collection of Dolls in traditional clothes from all over the world and numerous artifacts from indigenous peoples of the American continent
– Nymphaeum and Pan’s Cave
A sixteenth-century nymphaeum with a decorated cave dedicated to the deity of shepherds and the countryside characterized by large arches, beyond which one enters a cave-like environment, decorated with masks and niches.
– Villa Reale Lake
one of the most important landscape elements of the park
– Heated swimming pool
very modern for the time in which it was built, at the beginning of the 20th century AD, where some of the most famous personalities in the world of Art and Literature spent carefree days, such as Salvador Dalì and Alberto Moravia
– Orthodox Chapel of San Biagio
former small church since the Duke of Lucca Carlo Ludovico di Borbone decided to convert to the Greek rite. He then covered all the paintings inside the church, removed the bishop’s coat of arms and any sign that recalled the Roman cult.
– Palazzine Gemelle
right at the entrance to the Park. The two Palladian buildings, by the architect Giovanni Lazzarini, are distinguished by the harmonious proportions of their shapes, the elegant symmetry and simplicity.
– Chapel of San Francesco Saverio
The interior of the chapel is characterized by the Sepulchral Monument by the Carrara sculptor Alessandro Lazzerini rejected by the parish church of Marlia due to its excessive dimensions.
– Villa del Vescovo
a massive building, characterized by the presence of a three-arched portico that leads to a terraced floor where the magnificent Upper hanging garden of the Italian Garden is located.
– Teatro d’Acqua
A suggestive area with an artificial cave and statues of Jupiter, Adonis, Saturn and Pomona, which feed a large basin below.
– Museo di Villa Reale
The triumph of the Italian Empire style. The rooms of Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, inside the Villa Reale, represent one of the most important examples in Italy of the Empire style, developed during the years of Napoleon, this style is characterised by continuous references to imperial Rome and the Egypt of the Pharaohs.
Among the main works of Art
– “Dance of the Hours” by Stefano Tofanelli
Fresco located on the ceiling of the ballroom on the ground floor of Villa Reale di Marlia, completed by Jean-Baptiste Desmarais after the artist’s death. It represents a classical and mythological theme, typical of neoclassical art.
– Original Empire-style furnishings
The interiors of the villa are decorated with original furniture and furnishings from the early nineteenth century, restored and brought back to their original form thanks to the Pecci-Blunt counts.
– Statues and Sculptures in the Gardens
The park is enriched by terracotta statues of the commedia dell’arte, such as Colombina, Pantalone and Balanzone, which adorn the Teatro di Verzura.
These works contribute to creating a unique cultural and artistic environment, which reflects the history and style of the villa throughout the centuries
Among the most evocative Gardens
– Italian Garden
divided into an upper hanging area with a terrace and a lower area with precise geometric shapes, low flowerbeds and colored gravel paving.
– Lemon Garden
a baroque garden with over 200 citrus plants arranged in terracotta pots. It includes the Fountain of the Three Sirens and the Fish Pond with sculptures in Carrara marble.
– Spanish Garden
designed by Jacques Gréber in 1924, it is an Art Deco style garden with geometric shapes, with a large pool, open-air canals, statues and flowering plants such as climbing roses and hibiscus.
– Teatro di Verzura
one of the oldest green theaters in Europe, built in 1664, it is a typical element of Italian gardens.
– Viale delle Camelie
hosts over forty varieties of Camellia japonica, offering a unique botanical experience
Experiences
– Olfactory Path
Discover the park through your nose for an unmissable sensory experience of the exceptional botanical biodiversity of the park.
The Olfactory Path of Villa Reale allows you to be transported back in time using the power of scents.
There are many essences that in every season accompany guests on a journey through time, on the scents of camellias, magnolias and mimosas, wisteria and hibiscus, linden, plane tree, pagoda tree or weeping willow, to experience the emotions that Princess Elisa Bonaparte and the many illustrious guests of the park also experienced.
– Botanical Treasure Hunt
Families can visit the park with a botanical treasure hunt: children search for clues given by the various plants and have fun learning together with their parents, who in the meantime can enjoy the visit among breathtaking views.
At the end, whoever manages to find all the plants will win the botanical friend of Villa Reale prize and will take home a small prize.
The treasure hunt does not have a set time, if you have already downloaded the “Villa Reale di Marlia” app upon your arrival, it will be even quicker: just scan the unlock QR and the hunt can begin!
– Picnic
there is no real equipped picnic area inside the park but it is possible to bring sandwiches and a blanket to spread out on one of the two lawns surrounding the lake. There are no time limits, you can stay in the park as long as you want from 10 am to 6 pm.
Via Fraga Alta 2
Località Marlia
Capannori (Lucca)
Tuscany – Italy
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