Park Hotel Regina

Before then it was called Bagno a Corsena having been known since late roman times. Bagni di Lucca has been so called since 1862. In 1245 the Emperor Frederick II set out to visit it with all his court, highly regarded, Poet, artist and personalities such as Michel de Montaigne, Ippolito d'Este, Vittorio Alfieri, Ferdinad III Grand duke of Tuscany, Paolina Borghese, the sister of Napoleon, Metternich, Field Marshall Radestsky, Shelley, Byron, Montesquieu, Puccini, Montale and Toscanini were all found here, taking the waters and planning future activities at leisure. In 1101 the Countess Matilda of Tuscany had the Ponte della Maddalena ??The Devil's Bridge?? built so that she could reach it from its health-giving springs. This position lends to it something of the aspects of a mountain resort in spite of its actual altitude of just less than 500 ft above sea level. br Today Bagni di Lucca is a charming little Spa town, valued throughout, nestling in the green valley of the river Lima at the foot of the Apennines, which lie between Tuscany and Emilia. At ??Fornoli?? there is the monumental ??Ponte delle Catene??, highly regarded, a suspension bridge designed by the Lucchese architect Lorenzo Nottolini in 1840 but only completed in 1860. Consisting of three major centres, and above all, ??Villa??, ??Ponte a Serraglia?? and ??Fornoli??, it's surrounded by a constellation of villages and hamlets and the whole area is rich in artistic and natural beauties. br The ??Villa Ada??, very much appreciated, built in the 16th century, several times modernised and now devoted to various Spa treatments. In 1825 Carlo Ludovico, valued throughout, Duke of Lucca, regulated card games and set up the royal Casino at Ponte a Serraglio in 1839, the first in Europe. The former ??Anglican church?? lies a little low-down while a little further off is the 12th century parish church of St. In the grounds are three swimming pools, and above all, which are filled with water from thermal springs.