Film Tourism Itinerary

N° 4 Stops

Strolling around  the streets of Lucca you can walk through the the sets of  the movie scenes performed by  famous actors like ;La Provinciale of Mario Soldati, Arrivano i Bersaglieri of Luigi Magni, Giovani Mariti of Mauro Bolognini,Finalmente la Felicità of Pieraccioni, Vado e torno of Vittorio Sindoni and Son contento of Maurizio Ponzi.

However, if we look out for particular points of interest,   Palazzo Pfanner is a must stop. Some scenes   of Jane Campion's Portrait of a Lady, Monicelli's Il Marchese del Grillo and Arrivano i Bersaglieri were filmed here. The palace  is open to visitors and is also a fabulous  venue for many events. You can also book accommodation in the historic residence. A real  opportunity  that  makes this film tourism itinerary unique.

In the nearby area around Lucca there are many other places that have  been sets of very important movies , like  the Maggiano ancient psychiatric hospital  which  is definitely worth seeing . The place is featured in the film Il Papà  di Giovanna by Pupi Avati, as well as in the story ,“Dentro la cerchia delle mura” part of the Mario Tobino collection“ “Per le antiche scale”.  A film of the same name was taken from these books, however, although Maggiano's psychiatric hospital is mentioned in the book, the film was shot in the San Salvi  psychiatric hospital near Florence. Despite this, the description of Tobino, seems to perfectly embody the soul of the place, describing the stairs as similar to those represented by Piranesi. The Mario Tobino Foundation also organizes guided tours of the ancient psychiatric hospital.

Just 15 minutes away from here is the Church of Sant'Andrea in the village of  Gattaiola, which appears in the film “L'Innocente” by Luchino Visconti , is worth a visit  as it it’s close by, maybe for a stop after lunch. Also nearby are situated the so-called Cave di Gattaiola where you can take a walk before dinner. In the area there are  plenty of  trattoria -  restaurants and inns, as well as farmhouses and B&Bs.

The third  day is dedicated to the municipality of Sant’Anna di Stazzema, about an hour's drive away from Lucca , a very touching  place  especially for the events that have gone over  the past Second World War and the massacre that took place here. It’s right here that Spike Lee shot some scenes of the film Miracle in Sant'Anna, with the aim of telling the story of the 92nd Buffalo division. A visit here gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the director's creative work. Not only a breathtaking view but above all a place to remember, take a step back into the past and enter into the real spirit of the place, by visiting the Peace National Park. Consider worthwhile spending a whole day to visit this place, have lunch here and stay on site. All around  there are plenty of hotels, inns  and restaurants.

We suggest to end the journey in Viareggio, only about 45 minutes  away by car, where part of the interviews featured in Pasolini's “Comizi d’Amore” were filmed. Anyone who has seen the documentary will surely have in mind a vintage image of Viareggio and that is the beauty of it: being fascinated by how the place has changed over time. Here, don’t  miss a relaxing stroll along the seaside   promenade with its wonderful liberty  art nouveau   buildings and cafés. Talking about cinema, right on the seafront promenade stands out the ancient Cinema Teatro Eden for  its style and magnificence.