North of Pisa is the province of Lucca whose centerpiece is the walled city of the same name. We spent some time in the city of Lucca in 2025 when we attended Vini delle Coste, a presentation of wines from both coasts of Italy. Lucca is a city of culture and taste to put on your Tuscany travel itinerary. It is the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, composer of world-renowned operas including La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, and Turandot. The Puccini Museum and opera house are both worth visiting. There are festivals year- round including the Lucca Summer Festival attracting major headliners of music. The Luminara di Santa Croce on September 13 when the city’s lights are turned off, and illumination is solely by thousands of small candles. Puccini Days celebrates the composer with concerts and operas occurring throughout November and December.
The Guinigi Tower in Lucca
In the Colline Lucchesi DOC wine production area surrounding the city, seventy percent of all winemaking is organic and biodynamic. Many wines are blends, and the region embraces making wines without the stringent regulations of some of Tuscany’s more famous DOCGs like Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Carmignano. For whites, varieties include Vermentino, Trebbiano Toscana, Grechetto, Malvasia di Chianti, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. One winemaker we met, Andrea Elmo, produces a stellar riesling at Maestà della Formica, his small biodynamic winery high in the Apuan Alps. Sangiovese, the quintessential Tuscan red variety, continues to anchor the reds, but may be blended with Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and native varieties such as Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. We think this region, with its “wild west” mentality when it comes to making wine, is one of Tuscany’s most fascinating, and one to watch.
The Colline Lucchesi is also major producer of olives and olive oil. We visited the Bonelli olive tree nursey with a local agronomist, Andrea Gori, who explained that the local olive tree nurseries grow seedlings for regional planting and also for shipping around the world to create olive new farms in suitable regions. We tasted extra virgin olive oils at two destination locations. Both attract individual travelers and groups of different sizes.
Palazzo Bove overlooking the lawn
Palazzo Bove: A Venue with a View and Exceptional Olive Oils
In the hilltop village of San Gennaro just fifteen kilometers from the town of Lucca, Palazzo Bove is a popular location for weddings for up to 300. In addition to being an event venue, Azienda Agricola Bove’s produces exceptional extra virgin olive oils which you can taste and purchase.
We spent an afternoon enjoying lunch in the Palazzo’s expansive garden with family owner Gabrielle Bove and his wife, Chiara, who prepared a light meal of local salumi, cheeses, vegetables and breads to drizzle with Bove olive oil. She also served a fabulous homemade “Zuppa del Frantoia” vegetable soup with olive oil. Palazzo Bove has a few rooms to rooms and has some apartments for larger groups. The hilltop setting has gorgeous views that stretch across the Lucchese valley and surrounding countryside.
Gabrielle Bove with his signature olive oils
Fattoria Maionchi
Fattoria Maionchi – Where History Marries Art
This estate, with its stunning gardens, dates to the 1600s. It is located hills overlooking Lucca and surrounded by olive groves. Formerly known as Villa Bambacari, the villa was renamed after its purchase in 1867 by Colonel Enricho Maionchi, a career officer in the Italian cavalry during Unification.
The Colonel’s great granddaughter, Maria Pia Maionchi, can be credited for transforming the Fattoria into a modern winery and adding a restaurant and tasting room. Walking through the cantina and restaurant, you will see historic photos of the property and family and paintings by local artists. Some were pupils of Colonel Maionchi who taught painting. On the walls are also framed and autographed photos of celebrities who have visited Fattoria Maionchi, including Luciano Pavarotti and other Italian opera stars. We also saw autographed framed photos of American actors Barbara Hershey, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who, we were told, were fans of the Fattoria Maionchi olive oil.
Photo of a young Maria Pia Maionchi, family proprietor at Fattoria Maionchi
Since 2017, Maria Pia Maionchi’s grandson and sixth generation family member, Francesco Maionchi, has been overseeing the property with his brother, Andrea, who is the winemaker. Massimo Motroni is Fattoria Maionchi’s consulting oenologist. Production is only 7000 bottles, and sales are direct to consumer.
Francesco Maionchi,
Our visit included tastings of the locally made olive oil with selections of cheese, salumi and breads and wines. Here is what we tasted:
Maria Pia 2025 IGT Toscana Bianco a blend of Trebbiano, Vermentino. A white wine with juicy, lemon, grapefruit notes.
Rosato del Selvata 2024 single vineyard from 100% Moscato d’Hamburg. This rosato wine is dusky pink in color with aromas and flavors of rose blossoms and pink grapefruit.
Rosso delle Colline Lucchesi DOC Sangiovese (70%) which is blended with Cannaiolo, Colorino, and Ciliegiolo and aged 6 months in used French oak barrels. Fresh, juicy red, with notes of cherry and blackberries. A lighter chillable red.
Cintello 2021. 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak minimum 2 years. “Cintello” is an ancient Lucchese term for a glass of red wine. A well structured wine that is made to improve with time in the bottle. 600-1000 bottles produced.
Fattoria Maionchi offers visits by appointment and can host weddings and other gatherings. www.fattoriamaionchi.it Fattoria Maionchi
Collodi, The Birthplace of Pinocchio
A visit to the medieval village of Collodi will enchant people of all ages. It is where Carlo (née Lorenzi) Collodi wrote “The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet.” Throughout the town you’ll see images of this famous “living puppet.” There is also Pinocchio Park, with beautiful landscaping and whimsical sculptures. A central attraction in town is Villa Garzoni and its Italian Garden. By the time we arrived on a Sunday afternoon for a brief visit, the Villa was closed, so check opening hours. Collodi is also home to the colorful Butterfly House with over a thousand species of butterflies from around world.
One of the more striking images of Collodi can be captured from a distance as we saw firsthand when we drove up to Palazzo Bove in San Gennaro. Topaz color houses appear to stream down the steep hillside.
View of Collodi
Read more from our Lucca archives
Vini Delle Coste Celebrates Italy’s Coastal Wines – The Connected Table
Tasting Field Blends with Andrea Elmi, Maestà della Formica – The Connected Table
Tuscan Field Trip: Lovely Lucca – Melanie Young
Information on Tuscan Wine and Food Trails in this region can be found at these websites: