Capannori
Capannori, in the province of Lucca, is one of Tuscany's largest municipalities, made up of more than forty hamlets scattered acro...
Updated 21 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Capannori now
The story
The story of Capannori
Introduction and location
Capannori lies in the province of Lucca, in Tuscany, just east of the provincial capital, along a plain crossed by minor waterways and canals that have long shaped local agriculture. The municipality is among the largest in Italy by number of hamlets, more than forty, spread across the cultivated plain and the first slopes toward the Pizzorne hills. This fragmentation has produced a network of small settlements, each with its own identity, churches, villas and rural hamlets, together forming a landscape mosaic typical of the Lucchese countryside, a short distance from Lucca's historic walls.
History and origins
Capannori's origins date back to Roman and early medieval times, when the Lucca plain was gradually organised into parishes and farming settlements. Over the centuries the area followed the fortunes of nearby Lucca, first a city-state and later a republic, of which Capannori formed part of the surrounding countryside. Its many hamlets still preserve traces of this rural past, with Romanesque parish churches, country chapels and settlements built to guard the routes toward the Valdinievole and Garfagnana areas. Local history is therefore that of a farming territory which has kept a strong rural identity through the centuries, while remaining economically and culturally tied to the city.
Nature and landscape
The landscape of Capannori alternates between the cultivated plain, dotted with fields, canals and vine rows, and the lower slopes of the Pizzorne hills, covered in woodland and olive groves. This variety of settings makes the area well suited to walks and excursions between countryside and hillside, with views stretching from the Lucca plain to the surrounding hills. The olive groves in particular are a distinctive feature of the local landscape, reflecting a centuries-old farming tradition linked to olive oil production. In recent decades Capannori has also become known for a concrete commitment to environmental sustainability, emerging as a national reference point for waste-reduction policies and land stewardship.
What to do and see
Capannori offers a spread-out itinerary across its hamlets, each with historic buildings and country villas worth exploring at a relaxed pace. In the hamlet of Marlia stands the Villa Reale, an important historic residence with Italian-style gardens, while Segromigno in Monte and Camigliano host other noble Lucchese villas surrounded by parks and olive groves. The hamlet of San Paolo preserves an ancient Romanesque parish church, a testament to the area's medieval religious architecture. The best way to visit Capannori is to move slowly between hamlets, perhaps by bicycle along country roads, alternating cultural visits with moments of relaxation amid the surrounding nature.
Flavours and traditions
Capannori's cuisine is rooted in the Lucchese peasant tradition, with a central role played by the extra-virgin olive oil produced in the area's groves, prized for its quality and linked to the typical designation of the Lucca area. Alongside the oil, the local table offers vegetable soups, pulses, home-style bread and simple dishes tied to the seasonality of field produce. The many hamlets keep local fairs and patronal feasts alive, occasions where local farm produce, wine and regional specialities can be found. This convivial tradition is intertwined with the municipality's environmental focus, which promotes short supply chains and mindful use of resources.
Not to be missed
- Villa Reale di Marlia and its historic gardens
- Villa Mansi in Segromigno in Monte
- Villa Torrigiani in Camigliano
- The Romanesque parish church of San Paolo
- The Pizzorne hills, between woods and olive groves
To see
What to see in Capannori
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Routes in Capannori
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