What to see in Montecatini - What to do in Montecatini

Padule di Fucecchio

With its two hundred acres of wilderness, the largest pelagic basin in Italy is a 30-minute drive from Montecatini and a must-see attraction due to the richness of its biodiversity. Guided tours, boat trips and birdwatching workshops are just some of the activities that you will be able to experience in Padule. Have fun photographing the 12,000 bird specimens that live amongst ferns, water lilies and many other ancient plants which populate this stunning park, whose origins date back to the Medici family.

Thermal park

A feature of Montecatini is that all the spas are connected in a single thermal park enclosed by a lovely green space. The Terme del Tettuccio is the oldest and most popular spa, commissioned by Grand Duke Leopoldo at the beginning of the twentieth century, a wonderfully-decorated space sumptuously decorated by a variety of artists.

The Terme Excelsior is considered one of the jewels of the early twentieth century and today one of the finest wellness centres in Montecatini, offering mud and thermal baths of thermal waters, massage, beauty treatments and body care.

Having been transformed into an innovative spa, the Terme Redi, as well as thermal pool offers balneotherapy, massage, inhalation treatments and physiotherapy.

The other spas in the complex are the Tamerici, Grocco, La Salute and La Torretta baths.

MOCA – Montecatini Contemporary Art

Opened in Decemer 2012, MOCA (Montecatini Contemporary Art) occupies a spacious 400 sqm of the Palazzo communale and shows highlights of the international art world, like Joan Miró’s Woman Encircled by the Flight of a Bird and Vita by Pietro Annigoni. The museum also hosts various exhibitions, shows, concerts and book events. Entrance is free.

Grotta Giusti

Grotta Giusti of Monsummano Terme is justifiably one of the tops thermal spas in Italy. Centred around a karst cavity, it is just a few minutes from Montecatini. The Ercolini e Savi Hotel offers all guests an exclusive 10% discount on all treatments available here, as well as a 20% discount off the entrance ticket to Grotta Giusti. The exclusive spa and resort includes an outdoor pool with hot jets, perfect in summer or winter, as well as scrubs and massage. Don’t miss out on the amazing sensory experience of submerging yourself in the 34°C degree waters of the thermal grotto.

Golf

Nestled among the green hills of central Tuscany, a top destination for golf lovers, Montecatini Golf Club offers an 18-hole course that suits beginners and more advanced players.

Viale Verdi

Viale Verdi is the real Art Nouveau centre of Montecatini. Don’t miss the Palazzina Regia, summer home of the Grand Duke Leopoldo, the lovely soldiers’ monument by Giuseppe Petroni and, inside the Palazzo communale (built in 1913), the Joan Mirò painting Woman Encircled by the Flight of a Bird. Also worth a look is the large bronze statue of Giacomo Puccini seated on a bench with cigar and baton, a work donated to the town in honour of Italian culture by the artist Aidyn Zeinalov.

Teatro Verdi

A cultural cornerstone in Tuscany for drama and music, the Teatro Verdi offers a rich programme of concerts, cabaret, modern and classical ballet, comedy and, of course, high-quality theatre.

Montecatini Alto

A romantic lookout up on the hill, the walled town of Montecatini Alto over the area with its scenic towers and narrow streets. An ideal spot for a candlelit dinner or a wander around the local craft shops, you can reach it by car or by funicular: built in 1898 it’s actually the world’s oldest one still in operation.

Thermal baths

Montecatini has always been one of the most popular spa destinations in Italy. The ancient Romans came here for the mineral-rich waters, (so-called salso-sulphate-alkaline) which are found as medium water (Regina) and weak water (Tettuccio and Rinfresco). Besides the thermal and mud baths, these waters are ideal for hydropinic treatments: drinking quantities of water to treat intestinal and liver ailments.