Villa Marlia

Fairytale gardens, immaculate interiors where you won't find a millimeter of dust, the fragrance of flowers and the sound of waterfalls... Truly an unbelievable beauty. Here's something about its history. The origins of Villa Reale di Marlia began as a fortress inhabited by the Duke of Tuscany. Later, the estate passed into the hands of noble families of merchants and bankers from Lucca, who transformed the fortress into a noble palace. After the bankruptcy of the Buonvisi family, most of their property, including Villa di Marlia, was put up for sale. The historic residence was then bought in 1651 by Olivieri and Lelio Orsetti. In 1806, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister and Princess of Lucca, purchased the estate. The princess had a particularly passionate connection to the royal villa of Marlia, and it is thanks to her that significant changes were made to the structure of the palace and gardens. Shortly after purchasing it, she integrated Villa del Vescovo into the complex, which featured a 16th-century Nymphaeum and the richly decorated Grotta di Pan. She also modernized the facades of the ancient Orsetti palace in the neoclassical style. The Villa Reale park was further beautified with new species, such as the famous camellias that adorn two large avenues, as well as sculptures and vases made of fine white Carrara marble. After Napoleon's fall, Elisa had to leave his kingdom in 1814, and the Duchy of Lucca became a principality assigned to Carlo Ludovico di Borbone. Villa Reale then became a summer residence for the new court, which enjoyed hosting grand parties often attended by famous people, princes, and monarchs. In the second half of the 19th century, the residence, which belonged to King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy, went through a period of hardship and was sold to Penelope Carolina, widow of Charles of Bourbon. When Penelope Carolina died in 1882, the Marlia estate passed to her two children, Vittoria August and Francesco Carlo, the latter of whom was nicknamed the "Mad Prince" due to his mental illness. After Vittoria's death, the prince fell into debt, and a guardian took over the management of the estate. Villa Reale was put up for sale, and much of the movable property was auctioned. In 1923, Count and Countess Pecci-Blunt purchased the villa in Lucca and commissioned Jacques Greber, the famous French architect, to restore the park and gardens to combine tradition with innovation. New woods, streams, a pond, and bucolic elements were created, enriching the romantic atmosphere of the gardens. The park featured new elements in eclectic style, which are still present today and are being restored: a game pavilion, now home to a café open to the public, and a sports complex. While waiting for the next restoration, which the current owners foresee, it's enough to recall that famous individuals such as painter Salvador Dalí and writer Alberto Moravia spent carefree days on its terrace, playing croquet. Countless distinguished guests were welcomed by the Pecci Blunt family, who lived between worldliness and discretion, reserving the summer months for this quiet villa. Among them were Jacqueline Kennedy and the Duke of Windsor. In 2015, the historic villa was sold to its current owners, Henric and Marina Grönberg, who fell in love with it and accepted the challenge of restoring its former glory and opening it to the public so everyone could enjoy this hidden beauty. Today, this park is considered one of the most beautiful in the area, and *The Guardian* newspaper has named it the second most beautiful park in Italy.