Where We Started . . .

Our Tuscany tour was based in Montecatini Terme, known years ago as one the most glamorous destinations in Italy, it was a favorite of the rich and famous. With its Belle Époque architecture, curative spas, grand hotels and celebrity history, the town was Italy’s best-known spa town. It remains a destination for many travelers.

Our Fellow Tuscany Travelers

The travel group consisted of about 40, all from the U.S. including 8 from NH. We stayed in the centrally located Grand Francia & Quirnale Hotel for the entire tour. Staying in a single hotel and making day trips was very convenient. We only had to unpack once, unlike our 2023 UK trip when we moved to a different hotel every 1-2 nights in Ireland.

Grand Francia & Quirnale Hotel

This hotel dates to the early 1900s when a French family of hoteliers built the Hotel de France in the center of Montecatini. In 1920, the hotel was acquired by the Giusfredi family still managing the hotel after four generations. Even though it has a small number of rooms (112), the hotel is called a grand hotel on its website.

"Grand" precedes the names of many Montecatini Terme hotels derived from "grandeur" in style and not grand in size. Started in Europe, the term described a hotel with some form of traditional architectural style. In the mid-19th century, the term "grand hotel" described a place to stay and dine, enjoy social activities, and which offered personal services like laundry and cleaning. Horses were stabled and later cars were parked. European grand hotels differ from a U.S. grand hotel, more often described by the number of rooms, which often can lack "grandeur." 

Collette Tours provided a comfortable motor couch for daily excursions

This tour bus was the transport used on our travels. As with the previous UK tour with RI-based Collette tours there was a single driver, Pasquale, as well as a tour director, Simone, for the entire trip . Both men were knowledgeable, professional and helpful, particularly when one group member became ill.

What's Special About Montecatini Terme?

This town in the province of Pistoia, in the Italian region of Tuscany has been famous for its healing waters since Roman times. Originally, the town was named Bagni di Montecatini, the name of the thermal springs in Montecatini, which translates to "Baths of Montecatini." In 1928, the name was changed to Montecatini Terme. The Italian word "terme" translates to thermal baths, spa or hot springs. 

Montecatini Terme is surrounded by the grand architectural designs of its thermal baths. It features wide tree-lined boulevards lined with historic hotels. The town is known for its Art Nouveau and neo-Gothic architecture, and is officially one of the Great spa towns of Europe recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

Fontana Guidotti in central Piazza del Popolo, Montecatini Terme

Fontana Guidotti is located in the central Piazza del Popolo. Designed by Pistoia sculptor Antonio Guidotti, the fountain was designed and constructed by architect Raffaello Brizzi in 1926 with bronze ornaments designed by Guidotti. It replaced a covered outdoor space (loggia) that had hosted markets and agricultural fairs since 1834. The fountain, made of travertine and bronze, is comprised of a large circular basin topped by putti (figures in art that depict chubby, winged male children) holding four horns from which water jets emerge, feeding the basin.

Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, Montecatini Terme

The main square, Piazza del Popolo is also dominated by the neoclassical Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. Built between 1953 and 1958, it replaced a neoclassical church that dated to 1833 and was destroyed. In 1988, Pope John Paul II proclaimed this church a minor basilica. (Basilicas are either major basilicas, of which there are four, all in the Diocese of Rome, or minor basilicas, of which there over 1,800 worldwide.) 

As mentioned earlier, this town became famous for its thermal springs; 11 in the area around the town of which six have been used for therapeutic qualities. The thermal hot springs have made the town a destination for wellness, relaxation, even medical treatment since the early 20th century. Years ago, spas were open year-round, but there's been a slow decline in the fashion for visiting a spa, ones remaining are seasonal. On a walking tour we saw two spas: Terme Excelsior and Terme Tettuccio, only one remains open.

Shuttered Terme Excelsior on Viale Verdi 

The Terme Excelsior thermal baths are housed in a beautiful building from the early 20th century located on Viale Verdi, the promenade which connects the two spas. Constructed in 1906 and designed by architect Giulio Bernardini, it was originally built to house the Excelsior municipal casino and concert café. The building was modified in 1915 as the new Excelsior Spa Treatment; treatments were carried out year-round. About 1970, the upper part of the building was demolished preserving the porch. It's been shuttered and permanently closed for years and only seen from the street.

Terme Tettuccio thermal complex

The grand and palatial Art Nouveau Terme Tettuccio complex is located in the Parco delle Terme (park of the baths). Instead of baths or massages, guests come to drink the mineral waters from four historic springs: Tettuccio, Regina, Leopoldine and Rinfresco. Characterized by sulfate-bicarbonate-sodium, the thermal waters are used for diseases of the digestive system as well as for well-being treatments.

Considered the symbol of the city and its glorious past, the Terme Tettuccio, is the oldest establishment of the baths. The origins of the building date back to 1370, when it consisted only of a canopy (tettuccio) which protected the spring. It's come a long way since. After undergoing several structural changes, it assumed its current form in 1919 when Italian architect Ugo Giovannozzi, inspired by late Renaissance models, began a renovation. The grand pavilion was inspired by the great Roman baths. In addition to being a thermal spa, Tettuccio Terme served as a cultural center and meeting place for many prominent figures in music, art, diplomacy, and politics.

Terme Tettuccio therapeutic drinking waters

Treatments are based on drinking thermal water as a curative drink for various conditions: constipation, high cholesterol, stomach and intestine problems. A prescription is needed as each water has unique therapeutic characteristics. The recommended 12-day drinking cure can be prescribed by a spa doctor. Our tour guide explained that some treatments had a laxative effect, which explained why the complex has hundreds of toilet facilities, over 800 total.

Entering the structure, there are two courtyards. A long portico joins them and connects the entire building, decorated with panels arranged above marble bases.

The complex is surrounded by a large park designed to complement the therapeutic landscape of the facility. Terme Tettuccio is open from May to October for treatments Other parts of the year it's a concert venue and, of course, open for tours during which you can sample the mineral waters..

Famous people who have visited the spas in Montecatini Terme include Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni and Gioacchino Rossini., Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Bronze sculpture of composer Giacomo Puccini

Puccini regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, is represented in this bronze statue shown seated on a bench enjoying his cigar under the shade of the trees.. Montecatini is where Verdi, a frequent visitor to the spa town, reportedly composed part of the famous opera La Boheme. 

Plaques on the Montecatini Terme Walk of Fame; Sofia was Loren's birthname

Hollywood isn't the only place with a Walk of Fame as Montecatini has its own version on Viale Verdi where these round bronze plaques display the names of famous visitors. Film stars from bygone eras, fashion designers, royalty, sports figures and others are just some of over 200 personalities who made Montecatini a very fashionable locale in the 50s and 60s.

Town Hall in Montecatini Terme

The Town Hall built is located to the right of Viale Verdi and was built on the site of the Grand Ducal Stables to provide the town with a civic center appropriate to the size and role it had assumed. 

Inspired by Renaissance palaces, elegant and rich in details, it was designed by Montecatini architect Raffaello Brizzi. Due to WWI, construction took from 1913 to 1919. Galileo Chini, an an Italian decorator, designer, painter and potter had been commissioned to design the skylight above the grand staircase. Unfortunately, the building is under renovation and closed to tours.

Teatro Kursaal in Montecatini Terme now

This façade is all that remains of the Teatro Kursaal a large complex that was once central to Montecatini Terme during its years of prosperity. Opened in 1907, the Kursaal was for decades the heart of the city's social, artistic and cultural life, hosting opera, operetta and highly popular shows. The complex included a cinema, dance hall and huge game room.

Teatro Kursaal in Montecatini Terme, vintage (online source)

Visitors from all over Italy and beyond enjoyed the facilities as it became a symbol of elegance and entertainment. In the 1920s, the building experienced a decline in the post-war period. The Kursaal was a symbol of Montecatini until the 1980s, when it fell into decay and was put up for sale failing a buyer that understood the complex was central to the prosperity of the town. It was abandoned and empty for years. At the start of the 21st century, the site was developed as a commercial center retaining only the front section of the original building.

Shuttered Grand Hotel & La Pace Hotel

The Grand Hotel & La Pace Hotel was founded in 1870 as a way to give “La Pace” (peace) during a time split by profound social and economic changes, culminating in 1866 with the peace between Italy and Austria. The hotel’s success came at the beginning of the 20th century, when the an ambitious renovation project was launched to transform it into a luxury hotel with rooms and halls designed by the Art Nouveau master Galileo Chini. Famous names that passed through included Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Trilussa, Marie Curie, Guglielmo Marconi, Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper and Katherine Hepburn. In 1957, fashion designer Christian Dior died here (heart failure). The hotel is currently closed.

Vintage carousel in downtown Montecatini Terme

This vintage carousel in Montecatini Terme is a treasured local landmark. It dates back to the late 19th century and is intertwined with the town's history as a spa destination. The carousel was installed to provide a whimsical element to the spa treatments, thermal baths and elegant promenades of the era. It continues to be a favorite attraction for tourists and locals, riding on beautifully carved wooden animals, not just horses, with music and vibrant colors capturing the spirit of a bygone era. 

The hilltop town of Montecatini Alto

Looking beyond the carousel, you can see the hills of Montecatini Alto (one of the most beautiful villages in Italy) in the background. The town can also be reached by traveling on a 19th-century red funicular railway as we did — subject of a future post.