Discover Marlia: Villa Reale, Museums and Landscape

At the heart of it lies the park of Villa Reale di Marlia: covering 16 hectares, it combines an Italian garden with romantic landscaping. A remarkable feature is the artificial lake in the park of Villa Reale. In 1924, it was among the first projects entrusted by the Pecci-Blunt family to Jacques Gréber.

Holiday apartment in Marlia with culture on your itinerary

Villa Reale stands on the site of an early medieval fortress that belonged to the Dukes of Tuscia. The Villa Reale Museum extends over two floors and is accessible by lift. The Clock House Museum at Villa Reale houses a historic book collection of more than 10,000 volumes. This gives you a range of cultural experiences spanning architecture and building history as well as books and collections.

Gardens, palaces and the regional landscape

The surrounding area of Marlia is home to Villa Reale, Villa Mansi and Villa Torrigiani; all three are palaces. Villa Torrigiani is also a museum in the Marlia area. Those who do not want to view historic sites from just a single perspective will find a range of specific themes in Marlia: palace architecture, museum spaces, garden art and the history of individual buildings. San Giusto alla Caipira still preserves extensive parts of an early medieval structure. The oldest sections of the walls consist of alternating layers of small, roughly dressed ashlar blocks and river pebbles arranged in a herringbone pattern.

The landscape can also be differentiated by theme. Monte Crocefisso is a peak in the area surrounding Marlia. M. Moraglio and Monte Serra are mountains in the surrounding area, while Monte Cascetto lies in the wider regional area around Marlia. You should consider these different designations separately when planning your trip: the park represents designed nature, while the mountains represent landforms in the nearer and wider surroundings respectively. A holiday apartment or holiday home in Marlia can therefore serve as a base for planning a trip in which you give different weight to cultural and landscape interests.

Marcia delle Ville as a special occasion

The Marcia delle Ville offers an additional perspective. Held annually, this walking event passes through historic villas and farmsteads. Traditionally, the Marcia delle Ville starts and finishes at Piazza del Mercato in Marlia. This fixed reference point may be relevant to you when planning if you want an event to determine the rhythm of your trip. Together with the park of Villa Reale, the museums and the historic buildings, it creates a destination that encompasses both peaceful discoveries and an organised walking event.

More destinations for planning your trip

More destinations for planning your trip include: Giuncugnano, Borgo A Mozzano, Molazzana, Castiglione di Garfagnana, Villa Collemandina, Seravezza, Forte Dei Marmi and San Romano In Garfagnana.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lucca.