Villas of Lucca: The Delights of the Countryside

From the medieval period to the nineteenth century, Lucca was a rural retreat for the Tuscan aristocracy, the elite manufacturing dynasties who had made their fortunes largely from the silk trade. Seeking to refresh their spirits in the cooler air of the valley, they built magnificent country houses here, mirroring their wealth in the sumptuous beauty and opulence of their villas' architecture and gardens. 'Villas of Lucca: The Delights of the Countryside' invites readers to explore the wonders of these pleasure palaces for the first time, as Maria Adriana Gusti places the lives of these families and their villas in their historic, artistic and cultural context. Richly illustrated throughout, this is at once a work of scholarly reference and a glorious invitation to discover some of the less familiar treasures of the Tuscan countryside. 250 colour