As spring draws closer, many look forward to the blooming of flowers and, though it may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of famous destinations to enjoy spring blooms, Tuscany is actually an ideal place for those who like to wander in gardens and enjoy the scents and colours of life being breathed back into the land once more. In fact, there are lots of truly spectacular gardens dotted all over the region, many of which are former pleasure grounds that were once part of the estates of the nobles who used their wealth to adorn the countryside, cities, churches, and museums of Tuscany with incredible buildings, flights of fancy, stunning works of art, and magical things made or tamed by human hands. There is the Giardino di Boboli with its astonishing arrangement of fountains, statuary from ancient Rome to the 18th century, nymphaea, temples, grottoes, and plants; Florence’s Rose Garden which was commissioned in 1865 as part of a plan to redevelop the city when it became Italy’s capital and which boasts astonishing views over Florence as well as a whopping 400 different species of roses; and the English-style garden and classic Italian-style garden filled with the scent of the lemons and a colourful riot of blooms ripened by the sun at the former Medici villa of Poggio a Caiano in Prato; to name but a handful of examples. However, if you are a planning a vacation in Tuscany this coming spring and you have a special fondness for camellia flowers, in particular, then you should make a point to head to the town and comune of Capannori in the province of Lucca...
Capannori is known as the Village of the Camellias and is one more spot for flower fans who have found a villa with pool in Lucca to pencil into their itinerary, along with some of the grounds of historic villas and some very pretty parks that are also located in the area. But there is something rather special about Capannori and the dedication of the area to this one bloom. Among the little courtyards, winding lanes and streets, and pretty and distinctive local houses, there is an itinerary running through the villages of Pieve and Sant'Andrea di Compito in this valley in Lucca that is dotted by endless camellia trees covered in hundreds and hundreds of pretty blooms each spring. During the weekends of the annual Antiche Camelie della Lucchesia exhibition, the whole area becomes a large and attractive garden worth wandering: passing by little vegetable patches next to houses in the neighbourhood; navigating hairpin bends between the terraces of the olive groves; discovering the thick hedge of centenary camellias that frames a cultivation of Camellia Sinensis L., a tea plant, created by Guido Cattolica by the bell tower; visiting the various noble villas in the area that all boast centuries-old camellia trees; and the crowning glory, the recently-realised Camelieto natural park that collects more than 500 different specimens of camellias. This year, the annual festival’s 33rd edition is due to take place on the weekends of the 12th and 13th, 19th and 20th, and 26th and 27th of March 2022 and will see the usual events such as guided walks through the area, reduced price entry to some of the historic villas to see their buildings and grounds (and camellias, of course), sales of camellia plants, talks about the plants, and tea tastings of the famous camellia tea produced in S.Andrea di Compito. In addition, the collection of fascinating plants that are used to create this tea can be visited freely during the Camellia exhibition, though normally an appointment is required.
So, if you’re interested in incredible gardens and you were thinking about planning a vacation in Lucca, then a visit to the fascinating Capannori during this time of year and the special Antiche Camelie della Lucchesia exhibition, in particular, is definitely a must! One of the most wonderful places to see spring blooms in Tuscany, it is a truly magical and stunning place...
