There are an large number of good restaurants in the locality. From La Fucina it is only 2 minutes (1 km) to the nearest restaurants of Il Flamingo & Al Barchetta. These are very reasonably priced and both have a family atmosphere. Both have tourist menus during the day and a two course meal with wine can cost you just 10 Euro each.

La Fucina is situated below the quaint but lively medieval village of Cardoso. There are 2 small bar/café in the village with small groceries attached. In the summer you can join in the festivals in the village and feel a welcome sense of community and tradition. Cardoso is located 400 metres above sea level with sweeping views of the Apennine mountain range. The village is on the marked mountain hiking paths and is an ideal place to start and finish a mountain hike.

La Fucina is situated just 5 minutes (5km) from the nearest Hyper-Supermarket-L’Eclerc-Gallicano. This is a very large supermarket with an in house butchers counter, bakery and delicatessen.

Barga

La Fucina is a 10 minute drive (8km) from the historic medieval town of Barga. The town is just across the valley from la Fucina and is clearly visible from the house. The town of Barga has a great deal of charm and is the most historic and elegant centre of the Serchio Valley. Barga has many fine restaurants and also hosts many operatic and jazz concerts.

Barga is situated on an outcrop over the Serchio valley and has retained its medieval foundations, narrow cobbled streets, tiny squares and steep stairwells which lead you to the 12^th century “Duomo” or cathedral at the pinnacle of the town. The area around the Duomo is a vantage point for the valley and the mountain ranges which surround it, namely the Apennines and the rockier Apuane chain (with its marble quarries).

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Lucca

Lucca is situated just 30 minutes or (31km) from la Fucina. The route to Lucca is clearly signposted. This ancient walled city is a relatively undiscovered tourist site. This beautiful city has all that you can ask from excellent restaurants, tasteful and upmarket shops to ancient architectural gems. However, what you will love is the atmosphere, this is a medieval city which still lives and breathes.

Lucca has one particularly stunning feature, the ancient walls and ramparts which ring the old city. These walls were built in the 16^th Century for defence, in the 19^th century these were transformed into a tree lined avenue which is used as a public park and recreation area for local inhabitants and visitors.

Worth seeing are the churches and cathedrals; San Michele in Foro and San Frediano and the Duomo (cathedral) San Martino.

The main shopping street, Via Fillungo, has most of the elegant and tasteful shops. The Torre Guinigi (14^th Century) may be climbed to view the city amongst the stone oaks planted at the top of the tower. The Piazza Anfiteatro  is a oval piazza which is built on the site of the original Roman Ampitheatre and now houses a number of bar/restaurants and boutique shops.

Lucca is the birth place of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) and therefore one finds many operas performed in the city. Further, there is always something for modern music lovers with regular music festivals.

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The Coast

La Fucina is 1 hours drive from the coastal strip of Versillia. From Forte dei Marmi to Torre del Lago Puccini, you can enjoy more than 20 km of beaches, parks and vibrant seaside resorts. The seaside town of Viareggio is probably the liveliest of them all. All along the Versillia Coast you can enjoy long stretches of white sandy beaches and child friendly bathing, the beach is divided into numerous strips of private beaches where you can hire out deckchairs, parasols and use bar facilities for a reasonable fee per day.

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Ski Resort

The ski Resort of Abetone is situated 1 hours drive (40 km) from La Fucina. On route to Abetone one passes through the Lima Valley and the spa resort of Bagni di Lucca which once boasted famous visitors such as Shelley and Byron who came to take the waters and visit the first ever casino in Europe.

Florence (Firenze)

Florence may be reached by car within 1 hour and 45 minutes approximately from La Fucina, however, if you are unfamiliar with the busy traffic in a major Italian city it is recommended that you drive to Lucca and use the regular rail connections to Florence. The railway station (La Stazione) is clearly signposted and has an adjacent car park which costs 1 Euro per hour. The train station in Florence is 10 minutes walk from the famous Duomo and the dome is clearly visible when you come out of the station.

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Sienna & Chianti

The striking medieval city of Sienna can be reached via the Autostrada from Lucca to Florence and then from Florence to Sienna in approximately 2 hours 30 mins from la Fucina. Sienna and the famous Chianti region can make an excellent day trip for visitors.

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Pisa

A 1 hour drive from la Fucina the famous city of Pisa has the iconic Leaning Tower (“Campanile”) and the Field of Miracles (“Campo dei Miracoli”) which houses the cathedral (“Duomo), Baptistry and tower.

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