Montecarlo: Wine, History and Tuscan Paths

Montecarlo combines a wine-making tradition, medieval local history and practical opportunities for cultural and active days. If you would like to combine different interests during your holiday, you will find a manageable town here with historic buildings, wine routes, events and a cycle path connecting Montecarlo with Lucca. The following experiences will help you understand the character of the destination and choose the right focus for your stay.

Wine Between Alleyways and Vineyards

The Montecarlo DOC controlled designation of origin was officially recognised on 13 August 1969. The Montecarlo DOC consortium has been active since 1970 and today protects around 200 hectares of vineyards. Wine is therefore not merely a culinary topic, but an established part of the local history and identity. The “Via Vinaria” event offers a particularly vivid way to experience this. It was launched in spring 2000 and invites visitors to discover Montecarlo’s medieval alleyways and wines during guided tastings with the winegrowers. During the event, free Wine Bus shuttles take visitors along the event route to the participating wineries. Alternatively, the route can be travelled by car. For planning your day, this means you can choose between a shuttle service along the event route and travelling independently, without reducing the event to a mere tasting. The Strada del Vino e dell’Olio di Lucca, Montecarlo e Versilia can also begin in Borgo Montecarlo. It includes a walk through the town centre as well as a tasting of a white Montecarlo DOC wine. The Festa del Vino di Montecarlo is a traditional wine event that began in 1968 and highlights the connection between the town and its characteristic product.

Historic Places for More Relaxed Cultural Days

Along Montecarlo’s historic town walls, three of the fifteen original gates have been preserved: the Porta Fiorentina, the Porticciola and the Porta Nuova. These surviving gates make the former fortifications tangible in the townscape and can be combined with a tour through the medieval-style alleyways. The Fortezza di Montecarlo adds a garden to this historical focus: its high walls protect an Italian garden with numerous orange and lemon trees, old roses and acanthus. The architectural history of the present-day Pieve di San Piero in Campo can also be read directly from the building. It has been preserved almost unchanged since the 14th century, has three naves and a single apse. The Teatro dei Rassicurati provides another cultural highlight. It is one of the smallest theatres in Europe and has 22 boxes on two tiers as well as around 200 seats. Montecarlo’s cultural offering therefore ranges from town walls and ecclesiastical architecture to garden and theatre architecture.

Cycle Path and Wine Route as Different Ways to Spend the Day

Anyone wishing to plan a more active day alongside visits to local sights can consider the “Da Montecarlo a Lucca e ritorno” cycle path. It runs almost entirely on asphalt; the exception is 5.3 kilometres on the cycle path along the embankment of the Serchio. The exact condition of the route is therefore clearly described, distinguishing this excursion from a simple walk through the town centre. Montecarlo can thus be experienced through both brief historical impressions and wine tastings, as well as via a longer cycling connection. When choosing accommodation, what matters most is whether you want to focus your stay on wine and culture in the town, on an event with a route, or on a more active excursion. Other destinations for your orientation are [Minucciano](Minucciano), [Vagli Sotto](Vagli Sotto), [Piazza Al Serchio](Piazza Al Serchio), [Trassilico](Trassilico), [San Romano In Garfagnana](San Romano In Garfagnana), [Renaio](Renaio), [Casatico](Casatico) and [Gramolazzo](Gramolazzo).

For the overarching travel overview: Lucca.