The Royal Villa of Marlia: Capannori- Marlia Lucca, LU 55012 Italia

The Royal Villa of Marlia (11,000 Sq.Mt/ 118,403 Sq.Ft) is one of Tuscany’s most important sights and is located just 8 kilometers (aprox. 5 miles) from Lucca’s city center. This Neoclassical estate was home to Elisa Baciocchi, Princess of Lucca and Piombino, who ruled over Tuscany and was Napoleon’s sister. Subsequently, the Greatdukes of Tuscany and the King of Italy Victor Emanuel II took up residence in the Villa. The Royal Villa was completed by Elisa Baciocchi by unifying Villa Orsetti and its land with the summer residence of Lucca’s Bishop. The property was later refurbished in the 1920’s by the Pecci-Blunt Counts, leaving its charm unaltered. The Villa is surrounded by 16 hectares (39.5 acres) of gardens, designed by the architect Jacques Greber. In the gardens there is an open air theatre, an avenue of cammelia flowers, a lake in front of the villa, fountains everywhere, an arab garden, a beautiful temple dedicated to the God of the Forest, a Villa for the Bishop with a private chapel, a separate private chapel, an Arab style garden,forests and streams, laurels and oaks, perfectly proportioned English style gardens, rare species of plants which date back to the 17th century. The gardens are completed by a large swimming pool which dates back to 1925, with ten cabins, a bar, spaces to sit in the shade, a tennis court and a bowling court. The interior of the Main Villa is composed of three floors, connected by the main staircase, the service staircase and an elevator. The floors are mainly Venetian mosaics and the walls and ceilings are usually frescoed. The Villa’s furniture is mainly in the Imperial style. This estate is composed of three main buildings: the Main Villa (1650 Sq.Mt/ 17760 Sq.Ft) the Villa dell’ Orologio (5000 Sq.Mt/ 53819 Sq.Ft) and the Villa of the Bishop (1800 Sq.Mt/ 19375 Sq.Ft)