Villa Grabau, Lucca: Address, Phone Number, Villa Grabau Reviews: 4/5
Villa Grabau
Villa Grabau
4
About
Only 7 kilometers from the city centre of Lucca,the Villa Grabau offers a lovely,romantic environment: the wonderful English Garden is a special example of botanical garden and keeps trees from all over the world;absolutely do not miss it in autumn....the colours are the most beautiful you can find in the area;and in summertime it is the perfect place to spend a lovely time.The Limonaia is a real jewel, perfectly preserved from 1640; the Italian Garden will appear to you as if coming suddenly from the past,with its valuable collection of lemon trees in rich old terracotta pots;the elegant groundfloor of the Villa is totally furnished and the rooms show amazing frescoes.
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4.0
105 reviews
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YvetteS_Ottawa
Ottawa, Canada134 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
In Sep 2020, I was fortunate to have spent a few days on the grounds of Villa Grabau renting one of the smaller villas called, La Casa di Annadora. I previously overlooked the Lucca area for Florence, but when I planned this trip, Villa Grabau was highly recommended to me by someone who had recently stayed there. What a lovely place!
I had to quarantine before entering Italy, and during this pandemic vacation, staying at a fairly secluded villa was a good option and minimized health risks compared to a stay at a crowded hotel.
Annadora was once a private home of a member of the Grabau family and retains many of its original decor, so to me it felt very personal and intimate, like a home away from home, just more luxurious than my own. I shared the Villa with three friends who travelled with me, but it could certainly have comfortably accommodated another 5 more people. There is a large supermarket less than 10 minutes drive away where we were able to stock the well appointed kitchen. Within an hour of arrival, I was already baking an apple pie soaking in the Tuscan sun and the splendid views, happily imagining myself in a technicolor movie. There is also a lovely private swimming pool just steps from the Villa where I worked off the pie with a swim and a yoga session on the patio. I had the best night’s sleep at the Villa. There is a peaceful feeling about the place, which made me feel like I really got away from it all.
If you’ve not been to Lucca, I highly recommend arranging a walking tour with Federico, the Villa’s owner, who is a registered tour guide. Because his family is one of the founding families of Lucca, the tour is not only rich with historical content, it is delivered with an interesting personal narrative as well.
The main Villa is also a beautiful wedding venue. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse as staff prepared for a wedding. I have to say I envied the bride. The reception setting and decorations were absolutely stunning.
I hope to return to Villa Grabau with my own family the next time I’m in the area.
I had to quarantine before entering Italy, and during this pandemic vacation, staying at a fairly secluded villa was a good option and minimized health risks compared to a stay at a crowded hotel.
Annadora was once a private home of a member of the Grabau family and retains many of its original decor, so to me it felt very personal and intimate, like a home away from home, just more luxurious than my own. I shared the Villa with three friends who travelled with me, but it could certainly have comfortably accommodated another 5 more people. There is a large supermarket less than 10 minutes drive away where we were able to stock the well appointed kitchen. Within an hour of arrival, I was already baking an apple pie soaking in the Tuscan sun and the splendid views, happily imagining myself in a technicolor movie. There is also a lovely private swimming pool just steps from the Villa where I worked off the pie with a swim and a yoga session on the patio. I had the best night’s sleep at the Villa. There is a peaceful feeling about the place, which made me feel like I really got away from it all.
If you’ve not been to Lucca, I highly recommend arranging a walking tour with Federico, the Villa’s owner, who is a registered tour guide. Because his family is one of the founding families of Lucca, the tour is not only rich with historical content, it is delivered with an interesting personal narrative as well.
The main Villa is also a beautiful wedding venue. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse as staff prepared for a wedding. I have to say I envied the bride. The reception setting and decorations were absolutely stunning.
I hope to return to Villa Grabau with my own family the next time I’m in the area.
Written 27 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Shaun C
Bournemouth, UK811 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
The whole area is peppered with impressive villas in beautiful gardens. Villa Grabau is one of the smaller ones still inhabited by the owners. Worth a visit if you’re in the area.
Written 26 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
quantockm
Taunton, UK307 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
Garden has being undergoing some restoration and has some interesting features. Guided tour of the villa,s main rooms was very interesting: mostly in Italian but enough in English to allow us to follow the story.
Written 22 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much for your visit , it was a pleasure to meet you.
VILLA GRABAU
Written 25 October 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Starrymj
Glen Iris, Australia6 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
We were on a fantastic cycling trip around the hills above Lucca. Scenery was stunning. We arrived at Villa Grabau at 1220. The lady there said she was closing at 1pm in 30 minutes. I asked about a tour but she was disinterested. The gardens are not that special. Might be better to visit Villa Reale - the gardens are meant to be beautiful.
Written 25 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
david_marshall30
Lucca, Italy98 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Good gardens, 5 euros per person. Lovely to sit by the lily pond and listen to the frogs. Great view of the Villa and garden from there. A nice fresh walk through the wooded areas, well watered lawns. Worth a visit.
Written 9 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Victoria
Maidstone, UK85 contributions
Jun 2018
Thanks to some of the other reviews, we knew exactly what to do when we turned up at the Villa. For 7 Euros we had a lovely guided tour of the ground floor of the Villa and were then able to walk around the beautiful gardens.
Written 5 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Andrew W
Asgardstrand, Norway228 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
Well we could not find anybody to pay any entrance money to, do we walked around the gardens anyway. Nice place to spend an hours walk
Written 3 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you !
Villa Grabau
Written 3 December 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thomas F
München116 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
The area of Lucca is full of historic villas, many of them closed to the public or in state of decay as the upkeep of these places is not supported by state funding. Villa Grabau is a wonderful exception. Mostly overlooked by tourists you have the place mostly for yourself even in high tourist season. We got our private tour through the villa with original frescos, paintings and furniture. Most amazing a grand piano on which allegedly Puccini and Paganini have given concerts in the same villa. The gardens are impeccably well maintained and a pleasure to walk through. Most amazing the large number of pots with lemon trees and the orangerie with the largest ficus I have ever seen hanging from the high ceilings rooted in a water basin in the back wall of the building.
Logistically, when you arrive at the gate of the villa you need to ring the bell. A sign says: Tourists, please ring the bell." Parking is inside. All very relaxed.
Logistically, when you arrive at the gate of the villa you need to ring the bell. A sign says: Tourists, please ring the bell." Parking is inside. All very relaxed.
Written 14 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much for you visit,first of all,and for this description of our Residence and Gardens;we are really pleased to meet visitors the appreaciate the site and experience a nice walk through the amazing historical botanical park.
VILLA GRABAU
Written 19 August 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Elena B
Montecarlo, Italy35 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
I visited this wonderful historical villa last summer with a group of italian friends, although not so big we were deeply immersed in the beauty of an old forgotten past, when people travelled with horses, Puccini's music was in the air, and women showed their big dressed and umbrellas (there is a lovely collection of these in one room of the villa). The limonaia is often used as hall of receptions for weddings and parties, really charming.
Written 11 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Carla17_11
Geneva, Switzerland7 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
My husband and I got married in Villa Grabau at the end of May. Our nearest and dearest traveled to Lucca to share in our day and we were thrilled to be able to host our wedding in such stunning surroundings. The gardens are extremely well maintained and it was an incredible experience to hold the dinner and dancing in the beautiful Limonaia. My family and I also decided to stay in the three villas which are also on the grounds. They are all absolutely charming - and we found Federico Grabau to be so kind and helpful throughout!
Written 27 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much!!!!
Written 24 September 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Paige K
Sheffield, England, United Kingdom9 contributions
Who did people book their weddings threw? The villa directly or a company
Villa G
Lucca, Italy
Hallo,you can write to the email address you foind on our website and we'll reply with full infoes about the venue and rentals
Thank you
Cristina
VILLA GRABAU
Villa G
Lucca, Italy
Carissima signora, questo posto da lei sconsigliatissimo, che ha avuto invece le lodi da parte di tante persone sensibili al bello , dubitiamo che lei lo abbia visitato per davvero. La foto è quella di Villa Grabau, non c’è dubbio, ma la descrizione è quella di un altro luogo. Cominciando dalle mappe, che nella realtà vengono consegnate all’ingresso e ritirate all’uscita, insieme alla storia ed alla brochure (che non sono state minimamente da lei menzionate), ovviamente gratuitamente e non pagando 2 euro come da lei asserito. Quanto al costo del biglietto, non è quello riportato nel modo più assoluto, infatti è molto più basso, e non torna nemmeno il risultato della moltiplicazione del costo del biglietto per le persone, probabilmente ha fatto confusione con gli ingressi pagati in altre ville più care della nostra. I 2 euro da lei citati vengono richiesti come contributo per visitare l’interno della villa (visita peraltro facoltativa) e ci sembra veramente una modica somma per una villa storica del 1500, privata, tra le più grandi e prestigiose della lucchesia, dai costi di manutenzione elevatissimi. Quanto alla televisione, l’osservazione è assai singolare in quanto i proprietari non ci sono mai durante il giorno ed escludiamo si possa in ogni caso udire qualcosa in ambienti così enormi, con pareti assai spesse, e con le finestre ben chiuse a causa del caldo torrido di agosto. Il giorno 15 è entrata una sola coppia di italiani con 2 figli i quali ultimi, come sempre, sono entrati gratuitamente essendo accompagnati dai genitori: anche questo non collima con quanto da lei riportato in data 15 agosto. Ci rincresce che i grandi sacrifici che i privati devono affrontare per non mandare in rovina beni storici così importanti vengano vanificati in poche righe, superficiali e maldestre, e che si dia tutto per scontato, anche lo stato di manutenzione di un parco storico botanico assai ricco di esemplari rari e monumentali sparsi su una superficie di ben 9 ettari del quale non è stata detta una parola se non di discredito. La sua è una contribuzione non veritiera che rende un pessimo servizio a Tripadvisor e non aiuta il turista a farsi un’idea obiettiva dei luoghi da lei citati.LA PROPRIETA'
Frequently Asked Questions about Villa Grabau
- Hotels near Villa Grabau:
- (0.01 km) House 4 in Agrumeto
- (0.04 km) House 1 in Agrumeto
- (0.05 km) House 2 in Agrumeto
- (0.05 km) House 6 in Agrumeto
- (0.07 km) Villa Agrumeto
- Restaurants near Villa Grabau:
- (0.41 km) La Bottega sulla Fraga
- (0.86 km) Ristorante Il Matto
- (1.51 km) Ristorante Butterfly
- (0.92 km) Pizzeria Da Sancio
- (1.88 km) Osteria Canapino