Palazzo in Lucca's Historical Center

This grand Palazzo is the only villa inside the walled city of Lucca. That makes it a real jewel for those who wish to hold their reception inside the medieval city, but would also like to do so in spacious Renaissance opulence, complete with manicured gardens! Cocktails can be enjoyed outside amongst the statues, fountain, and lemon trees and in the summer months it is also possible to dine al fresco. For those who prefer to dine inside, there is a spacious dinning area adorned with frescoed ceilings and open to a view of the garden below. The Palazzo is capable of hosting receptions of up to 100 guests. Both the gardens and the interior are available for rental for the day or evening. This means your guests can stay in one of Lucca's many charming B&Bs, enjoying all this scenic city has to offer, without the need to rent a car.

A large part of the Palazzo's charm derives from its long and at times eccentric history. Built in 1660, the architecture of the building is unique as it deviates from traditional Tuscan architecture and tends to resemble a more central European aesthetic. The building changed hands twice before finally being purchased in 1856 by the current owners, a family of Austrian brewers who arrived in Lucca to set up the first brewery in the Duchy. It soon became a popular gathering place for the elite of Lucca, who enjoyed the novelty of sipping the exotic beer in such a palatial setting. The brewery finally closed in 1929, and the family gradually changed their talents from beer making to medicine.

In recent years the Palazzo has been used as a backdrop for films, most famously for Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady. Once more, on the periphery of the dinning area is a mini museum which one can stroll through to view the original kitchen, drawing room and bedroom of the Palazzo preserved with the originalfurnishings.