Montecatini Terme ‒ The most famous Italian spa town

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History of Montecatini Terme

Montecatini Terme is the most famous Italian spa town. It is located in Tuscany, in the province of Pistoia. The town was founded by Archduke Leopold I of Tuscany (Pietro Leopoldo), who began to use the therapeutic springs in the late 18th Century, which led to the development of the town as a new spa destination.

The town and the spa industry saw its greatest boom in the early 20th Century, when Montecatini Terme experienced the period of its greatest prosperity. Most of the spa buildings, hotels, villas, and private homes were built in this period.

Montecatini Terme is characterised by its elegant colonnades, thanks to which it also known as the “Italian Carlsbad”.

Montecatini Terme - spa

UNESCO placed Montecatini Terme on the list of the Greatest Spas of Europe – TOP 11 elite spa towns in Europe.

Montecatini Terme was nominated for the prestigious UNESCO list of “Great Spas of Europe“. The shortlist included eleven elite spa towns across Europe. There were a number of criteria for nomination, ranging from the quality of the natural therapeutic practices used, through the town’s unique urban design, architectural precision, the range of services and cultural life in the town, to the atmosphere of the town as a whole. Montecatini Terme thus joined the company of other famous spa towns such as Vichy, Baden – Baden, Carlsbad, and Bad Ems.

Montecatini Terme, a city visited by world-famous celebrities every year

Many famous people have stayed in Montecatini Terme. The resort’s pedestrian zone even has its own Walk of Fame (similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame). It contains the names of stars who have visited the resort over the last 100 years: fashion designers Gianni Versace, Coco Chanel, and Christian Dior; artists Paul Cezanne and Amedeo Modigliani; actors Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sofia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, Marcello Mastroianni, and Bruce Willis; directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Woody Allen; singers Tina Turner, Luciano Pavarotti, Ray Charles, Enrico Caruso, Robbie Williams, Andrea Bocelli, and many more.

Among the fans of the therapeutic properties of the thermal springs and clay in Montecatini Terme is world pop icon Madonna, who after many years of research eventually chose clay from Montecatini Terme as a key part of her MDNA cosmetics.

The town today

Thanks to its location in the heart of Tuscany, the uniqueness of the UNESCO world-class spa, its history and accessibility, purchasing an apartment in Montecatini Terme can be considered an excellent investment.

Montecatini Terme has about 20,000 permanent residents. It is renowned not only for its spas and therapeutic centres, but also for quality services for its residents and extraordinary Tuscan cuisine. The city is a great place to live, both for residents and holiday makers.

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Weather

Like Tuscany as a whole, Montecatini Terme has very pleasant weather year-round.

Town surroundings

Montecatini Terme is located in the province of Pistoia, in the Tuscany Region. Tuscany is divided into 10 provinces, covering an area of 22,990 km2 and has approximately 3.7 million inhabitants

The magic of Tuscany lies in its unique combination of history, art, stunning nature, pleasant climate, and delicious Italian food and drink, which is one of the reasons why Tuscany is repeatedly ranked as one of the most beautiful and frequently visited destinations in the world.

Tuscany holds an important position in Italian history, as it was here that artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Giovanni Boccaccio, Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarch and Michelangelo Buonarroti were born.

Activities in and around the city

In addition to spas, there is a wide range of sporting and cultural activities to be found in the town and its surroundings.

If you play golf, you can play on the 18-hole course right in Montecatini, but there are others within easy reach, including the Ugolino Golf Club (Florence), Tirrena and Cosmopolitan Golf Clubs (Pisa), Le Pavognere (Prato), and many more.

If you like tennis, there are plenty of quality tennis courts right in Montecatini.

For cyclists, there are many cycling routes in the vicinity of Montecatini Terme.

Arena Franco will delight horse riding fans and there’s no better place for a leisurely stroll than the colonnade, surrounding countryside or surrounding towns, the most famous of which, Florence, Pisa and Siena, are among the most frequently visited tourist destinations in Europe

Important Tuscan cities

Florence

Distance to Florence from Montecatini Terme: 50 km by car

The main tourist draw in Tuscany, which attracts visitors with its history. In the past, Florence was a very rich city, largely thanks to the Medici family. Florence experienced its great.est fame during the Renaissance. You will find an incredible concentration of Renaissance monuments in Florence, including works by Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo Buonarroti. Florence has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982

Pisa

Distance to Pisa from Montecatini Terme: 54 km by car

The second most frequently visited city in Tuscany is Pisa. This city does not have as many sights as Florence, but it has one of the most famous buildings in the world – the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Siena

Distance to Siena from Montecatini Terme: 115 km by car

Siena is another historic city full of monuments with an unforgettable charm, which is why it was included on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in 1995.

Lucca

Distance to Lucca from Montecatini Terme: 33 km by car

A historic city founded by the Etruscans as early as 180 BC. The city has many valuable historic monuments, such as the Piazza Anfiteatro or the city walls.

Pistoia

Distance to Pistoia from Montecatini Terme: 33 km by car

The capital of the province of Pistoia, with about 100,000 inhabitants. Pistoia is famous for its historical monuments and viticulture.

Other interesting locations

Vinci

Distance to Vinci from Montecatini Terme: 20 km by car

A small town where Leonardo da Vinci spent his childhood.

Forte dei Marmi

Distance to Forte dei Marmi from Montecatini Terme: 62 km by car

A renowned seaside resort, one of the most popular and most beautiful on the Tyrrhenian coast. Forte del Marmi is a popular destination for VIPs and celebrities.

Viareggio

Distance to Viareggio from Montecatini Terme: 55 km by car

A city known as a summer holiday destination, thanks to its long sandy beaches.

Wine region

Chianti

A wine region between Florence and Siena, famous for its excellent wine and beautiful landscapes that you won’t find anywhere else.

Montepulciano

Famous wine-producing town and home of the red Nobile wine.

Montalcino

The birthplace of renowned Brunello di Montalcino, one of the world’s top wines in its category.

Transport to Montecatini Terme

By air, it is easiest to use the nearby airports:

  • Florence (50 km)
  • Pisa (54 km)

Nearest other airports:

  • Bologna (126 km)
  • Genoa (182 km)
  • Milan (325 km)
  • Tome (320 km)

Accessibility by car is also very good. Montecatini Terme is close to the main roads, E35 (from Bologna to Florence) and E80 from Genoa to Pisa and Livorno.

The deadline for completion of the project is the start of the second half of 2020. This means that you can already move in this year.

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Get in touch

Do you have questions or do you want to arrange a viewing? Leave us a message at  contact@villaaurora-montecatini.com

Address

via IV Novembre 65, 51016

Montecatini Terme

Pistoia, Italy

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