Town of medieval origins, tourist center of primary importance with one of the most renowned and equipped hydrothermal health resorts in Europe. In 2021 it was in fact included in the list of #UNESCO World Heritage sites as one of the 11 major spa cities in Europe... #tuttitaly
Montecatini Terme, an enchanting town in the province of Pistoia, owes its fame to its thermal springs, which, already in the 19th century, attracted famous people such as Giuseppe Verdi and Vittorio Emanuele II.
Montecatini Terme is protected by UNESCO, part of the World Heritage Site called Great Thermal Cities of Europe.
thermal baths of Montecatini were already known in 1200. They acquired fame in 1773 with the construction of the Bagno Regio, the first thermal establishment in the town.
Today, there are nine thermal establishments, of which the most famous is "Terme Tettuccio," thanks to its marvelous architecture and scenographic interiors that recall the Roman baths.
In addition to its healing waters, Montecatini Terme boasts a pretty historic center with richly decorated buildings.
In Piazza del Popolo stands one of the city's most representative monuments: the church of Santa Maria Assunta, a basilica built in the late 1950s on the remains of an old neoclassical church from the 1800s.
We find ourselves in front of an imposing church with a large dome and a tall bell tower with a square base, on top of which there is a cross representing one of the city's highest points.
Taking the historic funicular, inaugurated in 1898, you get to Montecatini Alto, the hamlet which, from a hill almost 300 meters above sea level, dominates the town of Montecatini Terme.
Here you can visit: the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo, built-in 1746 in Baroque style; the convent and church of Santa Maria a Ripa, an ancient 16th-century monastic building; the church of San Pietro, born as the church of the castle of Montecatini.
Culinary specialties
A typical area specialty is the Montecatini wafer, a delicious, light, and nutritious biscuit handcrafted by the Bargilli family since 1936.
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