Bagni di Lucca and Beyond was started a couple of years ago to help inform our friends who were visiting Bagni di Lucca to find things of interest in and around our lovely village.
It has expanded to include the many places I travel and things that interest me.
I have decided to start a new blog which will focus only on Bagni di Lucca to try to let everybody know how much our collection of villages has to offer. Whether you are visiting for a day, a week, or you decide to stay forever, hopefully you will be able to find the information you need on Bella Bagni di Lucca……bellabagnidilucca.com
If you are considering visiting Bagni di Lucca, or are curious about our part of northern Tuscany please take a look at Bella Bagni di Lucca.
This is my little bit of Bagni di Lucca. Our house is in Ponte a Serraglio, one of the 25 villages that make up Bagni di Lucca. I am hoping to discover all of the other villages over the next couple of months and tell you all about them. I would love to meet some of the older people who have lived here always to hear their stories.
The other new blog is Beautiful Helsinki…….beautifulhelsinki.wordpress.com.
My grandfather came from Finland and I have grown to love this country. I usually stop there on my way to and from Italy and have travelled widely throughout the country. I have gathered thousands of photos of Finland and particularly Helsinki.
I would love to do my little bit to encourage people to visit Finland. It is a modern, forward looking country with the most beautiful scenery, friendly people ( who mostly speak English ), great food, lots to see and do and some of the best design in the world. Italy and Finland have this in common, although the style is different.
These are winter photos of Helsinki and it is gorgeous when it snows. I will be back there in spring when everything turns glorious green. I hope you will come with me.
Bagni di Lucca and Beyond will continue, there is a whole world out there to discover. The blog has 800 followers now, which I think is wonderful. I would love to hear from more of you occasionally. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment. I always reply.
Your photos are beautiful – you make me want to visit both places!
By: Hidden London on February 21, 2012
at 1:47 pm
Thank you! Both countries are wonderful in different ways.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 5:59 pm
Good for you, Deb. I would love to visit Finland, as well! Hope your week is going well.
Hugs,
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on February 21, 2012
at 2:40 pm
Finland is a great country to visit. It is seriously beautiful and the road system is excellent, making driving very easy.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:01 pm
Wishing you lots of luck with the two new blogs. I will pop over to check them out.
By: Just Add Attitude on February 21, 2012
at 3:20 pm
Thank you! I hope you find them interesting.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:01 pm
LOVE your new blogs!
By: paninigirl on February 21, 2012
at 3:30 pm
Thank you. The 2 countries are quite different, both with lots of great things to see.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:02 pm
Although we do enjoy all your posts and we shall continue reading all the blogs, we feel that you can help the Bagni di Lucca through a dedicated space.
By: Mulino Dominillo on February 21, 2012
at 3:38 pm
There is so much to see and do here, but it is not always obvious as the villages are quite scattered and every one is different.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:03 pm
Look forward to reading them both, Deb! 🙂
By: Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial on February 21, 2012
at 4:19 pm
I hope you like them!
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:03 pm
bravissima!!!
By: Antonella Marcucci on February 21, 2012
at 4:32 pm
Grazie!
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:04 pm
Love your blog! I wondered if you would be going to San Gennaro sometime.. (It is southeast of Bagni di Lucca and northwest of Collodi) I would love to see pictures of the area! My grandmother was born there and I have seen the church where she was baptised and the house where she lived growing up.. That was quite a thrill! I don’t know if this is an actual town with stores or just a residential area.. I would love to know more since there isn’t much on the internet about it..
Janet Leap
By: Janet Leap on February 21, 2012
at 4:42 pm
I will track it down. I want to get to as many villages as I can. The weather is against me just at the moment. I am hoping it will warm up a bit and spring turns things a pretty green.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:05 pm
Janet-We had an amazing trip to San Gimi a few years ago and are going back again in June. If you want to email me at mcarideo@crye-leike.com I could email you some pictures. It is an amazing town. My husband would love to live there.
By: Melonie Carideo on February 21, 2012
at 6:34 pm
Wonderful Deb! So are you now going to have three blogs? I want to make sure to get all your posts thus should I subscribe to the other two new ones or are you going to place links on this blog? I can’t wait to read more! I love your blog!
By: thirdeyemom on February 21, 2012
at 5:06 pm
You can subscribe or look at the “My other Blogs” on the right side of the page.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:06 pm
Thank you so much dear Debra, I love your lovely village, and your beautiful blog… and I will be your follower again in your new blogs too… Good Luck for them. With my love, nia
By: niasunset on February 21, 2012
at 5:55 pm
Thank you Nia. I have subscribed to yours but I don’t get emails when you post.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 6:07 pm
Dear Debra, why you don’t get emails I don’t know. have you checked your “Blogs I follow”… maybe you should check the situation… I don’t know what should I do, dear Debra, with my love, nia
By: niasunset on February 22, 2012
at 11:10 pm
I’m sure I have done everything correctly, but I will try again.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 24, 2012
at 6:26 am
Yahoo for you!! I can not wait to subscribe to them all!
By: Melonie Carideo on February 21, 2012
at 6:34 pm
I hope you like the new ones.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 21, 2012
at 7:36 pm
Fantastico Debra….and see you in May. Ciao, Robyn.
By: Paris Rendez-vous on February 21, 2012
at 8:40 pm
The weather should be perfect by then.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:50 am
How exciting for you…3 blogs! I’m loving your journey and of course your family history. The history of other people living in the regions to which you travel will all add even more interest to your very engaging blogs.I check my emails everyday hoping that there is another entry and more news from Deb. Keep them coming! I will get to the region and i have already suggested to a couple of friends who need quiet writing time that this area would be a perfect location. Are there good local food/wine stores? Where is the nearest city for great Italian fashion and shoes? Is it possible to get around without a vehicle? Of course I’ve got lots more questions particularly about best time of the year, best accommodation if you were staying for 3 plus months…
By: elizabeth keogh on February 21, 2012
at 9:05 pm
Answers to your questions can be found by going back through Bagni di Lucca, look in the categories restaurants, Lucca, Florence. I will email you with more detail.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:52 am
I have a dear friend in Helsinki and was there this past summer with my daughter. Also went to her cottage up north – traditional Finnish style without services, but including a wood-fueled sauna. Splendid!
By: Shelagh on February 21, 2012
at 9:40 pm
Finland is a great country to travel in. We have been as far north as Inari and all around the coast from Oulu to the Russian border.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:53 am
The contrasts of the two countries are captured so clearly through your wonderful lens – such stunning pictures of the sun in Italy and the snow in Helsinki at this time of the year. I will certainly love to keep looking at your two new blogs, Debra. Hopefully, next year, my husband and I will visit Helsinki on our way to Bagni di Lucca so that we can experience personally the senses of wonder and joy you share through your camera over the past few years. All the best with your new blogs!
By: Sandra H on February 21, 2012
at 11:53 pm
I was lucky in Helsinki they have had very heavy snow recently. I was there for the pretty snow.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:55 am
Good 🙂 let’s go to Bella Bagni di Lucca.
By: maru on February 22, 2012
at 12:51 am
I hope you like it.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:55 am
They both look great Debra. I’m definitely going to pass the Helsinki one onto my in laws 😀
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on February 22, 2012
at 12:57 am
I hope they approve of my take on Helsinki.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:56 am
Exciting news Debra. This will keep you busy! Off to check out your new blogs
By: jenny@atasteoftravel on February 22, 2012
at 1:16 am
They should keep me busy.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:56 am
Wonderful split. Both locations are breathe-taking and I hope to see them in person one day.
By: Bold Wandering on February 22, 2012
at 5:31 am
Very nice Debra!! Congratulations on the changes. It all sounds like the perfect package. Looking forward to following you x 3 now!
By: janinevasta on February 22, 2012
at 6:31 am
Always an informative blog – I look forward to checking out your new blogs with avid interest! I feel a little like a pseudo local of Bagni via your updates.
By: Catherine of Brisbane, lover of Italy on February 22, 2012
at 8:16 am
Ever since I found your blog, I’ve been wanting to visit north Tuscany. Hope to make it to Bagni di lucca this summer! Seems like Finland will be on the list soon too 🙂 Good luck with the new blogs.
By: Shivya on February 22, 2012
at 11:05 am
Thank you for your good wishes. I hope you make it to Bagni di Lucca and Helsinki this summer.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:02 pm
Great idea! My husband takes the photos for our blog, and due to your photos and the subject being Italy, your blog is one of the few he reads! He and I both truly love your posts and the beautiful photos. Keep up the good work! And let us know when you are ready to sell your stone house…or rent it…we travel to Lucca, Florence, and Pisa each year and always save room for add’l exploration of a “new” old area. Thanks for sharing!
Susan
By: Susan and Wade on February 22, 2012
at 5:34 pm
I’m hoping the Vergemoli house will be ready to go by May. It sleeps 6, so you might need to bring your friends with you. We also rent our apartment sometimes.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 22, 2012
at 9:03 pm
I’ll “bug” you around the end of April to see how it is progressing…thanks!!
Susan
By: Susan and Wade on February 23, 2012
at 7:31 pm
I am really hoping it will be ready by the end of April. We leave early May so I want to have most things done by then.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 24, 2012
at 6:36 am
Wonderful idea Debra to have a separate blog for Bagni di Lucca. When we come in June, I am more and more thinking I’d like to just “hang around” tha BdL area and visit the villages. It seems more than enough to keep us happy for our two weeks and so much more relaxing that driving distances. I look forward to the new blog, thank you.
By: Dianne L on February 25, 2012
at 10:25 am
By June I hope to have visited and photographed some of the Bagni di Lucca villages. I am hoping to meet some residents and talk to them about their town.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 25, 2012
at 6:02 pm
Hi Dianne L, my husband and I stayed for two weeks at Bagni di Lucca and loved being part of the local village life. The people there are so warm and friendly. We loved walking to Villa, too and exploring those places on foot. This way one gets the real feel of people, food and culture unique to the area.
By: Anonymous on February 29, 2012
at 9:51 pm