Day 30 - Sat 27 Sep 25: Montecatini Terme

September 27, 2025

Sat 27 Sep 25: Montecatini Terme

Yay...we had a bit of a sleep in today and a welcome break from the bus. After breakfast at 10:00am, Noel set off for the laundromat to do some washing, while I headed to the hills for 10+km walk with Alan and Margaret through hilly forest trails to Montecatini Alto. Montecatini Alto, literally translated is Montecatini high, the town high on the hill overlooking Montecatini Terme where we are staying. Montecatini Alto dates back to medieval times (11th Century), long before Montecatini Terme came into existence. This little town was a fortress and held it’s own due to its strategic position, with the land below being marshland meant that it was very difficult to be invaded. The steep walk to the top and around this medieval town with some great views over vast olive plantations was very enjoyable, and a welcome change from the crowds and time constraints we've had for a lot of this trip. In the small village square at the top, after a short look around, we sat and chatted and enjoyed a coffee and a delicious fresh baked apple cake at a local cafe, before continuing our wander around and walk back down to Montecatini Terme via a different forest trail. It was quiet and peaceful, and such a pleasant walk. For me it made the Tuscany experience a lot more fulfilling. I eventually returned to the hotel at 2:00pm, where Noel was sitting and chatting with other ladies from the group. She had an appointment at 2:30 across the road from the hotel to get her nails done while I returned to the room for a bit of a rest and to sort out some minor camera setting issues. Walking around this so called popular spa town for the past few days, has highlighted how much Covid affected this town. There seems to be a distinct lack of maintenance and upkeep of buildings, parks and gardens, and a lot of graffiti, litter and broken glass around. There are lot of vacant buildings overgrown with trees and vines, and the demand for Spa treatment seems to have dropped off, as many of the spas are now closed. Nevertheless, it's been an enjoyable stay. At 6:00 pm I walked across the road from the hotel for a hair 'do'. Guiseppe could speak as much English as I could Italian, but he got the job done very nicely (including hair wash). Then for dinner, Alan and Margaret joined us for a walk into the nearby town square to a very popular restaurant for dinner, before we returned to the hotel for an early night. Tomorrow, our tour continues south to Spoleta for a 2-night stay with a couple of planned medieval village visits on the way.

View from our hotel room

A less attractive view looking down from out hotel room into the run down unoccupied property next door

Run down property around town

Walking trail up to Montecatini Alto

Olive grove on the walking trail up to Montecatini Alto

Views from the walking trail to Montecatini Alto

Views across vast olive plantations from the walking trail to Montecatini Alto

Views from the walking trail to Montecatini Alto

Montecatini Alto town square

Montecatini Alto

Montecatini Alto
A very wordy sign attached to this monument reads:

This unique monument is dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of Montecatini

Terme, whose relic is kept in the museum of the Saint Peter's Parish Church nearby.

The Catholic Church celebrates Saint Barbara on December 4th.

Saint Barbara is the patron saint of the attendants in charge of explosives preparation and storage and, more generally, she is invoked against lightning, fire, sudden and violent death and danger. She is the protector of the Italian Military Navy, the Fire Brigade, the Army (Artillery and Civil Engineers) as well as of the miners and oil workers, geologists, mountain men, architects, bell ringers, towers and fortresses.

The monument is dominated by the Saint's statue located on the top right-hand side, on a simple stone altar which rests on a Karst-gravelled ground (place of bloody battles during World War I). The monument shows the particular symbols reppresented by the historical finds regarding the various Institutions that are under Saint Barbara's protection.