Begin among the gardens and grand spa architecture of Montecatini Terme. Then let the little red funicular carry you up to the stone lanes and wide views of Montecatini Alto.
This is an easy day to enjoy without a long checklist: one remarkable building below, one memorable ride and time for lunch in the old village above.
Time needed
5 to 7 hours
Drive
About 40 to 45 minutes
Walking
About 3 kilometres
Best season
Spring to autumn
The simple route
Park once, see the spa town and ride up to the village
45 to 60 minutesTerme TettuccioSee the courtyard, fountains, galleries and thermal garden.
10 minute walkLower funicularWalk through the park to the little station on Via Armando Diaz.
8½ minute rideMontecatini AltoTake Gigio or Gigia up the green hillside to the old village.
2 to 3 hoursVillage and lunchExplore both ends of the ridge, pause in Piazza Giusti, then ride down.
Water, gardens and architecture
Terme Tettuccio is the reason to stop below
Tettuccio is less like a conventional spa and more like an open-air palace built around mineral water. Its travertine colonnades frame courtyards, fountains and decorated galleries at the edge of a large thermal park.
Walk slowly enough to notice the bronze fountains, ceramic panels and changing views through the columns. Montecatini Terme is one of the eleven Great Spa Towns of Europe inscribed by UNESCO in 2021.
Allow at least 45 minutes. The building rewards looking, sitting and wandering; it is not merely a quick photo stop.
The Frog and Heron fountain beside the arcades and garden at Terme Tettuccio.Gigio and Gigia have linked the spa town with Montecatini Alto since 1898.
The journey is part of the day
Ride the red funicular
The two restored cars climb 202 metres and pass each other halfway up the wooded slope. The line opened in 1898, and the wooden benches and small open balconies still give the short trip real character.
Buy a return ticket unless you intend to walk down. Services are usually every 30 minutes in season, so there is no need to rush away from the village for a particular departure.
The funicular arrives near Piazza Giuseppe Giusti, the village’s sociable centre. The restaurant terraces make an inviting first stop, but the old settlement stretches along a ridge with a historic sight at each end.
Climb towards San Pietro, the Rocca and Torre del Mastio for views from one side. Then return through the square and walk towards the Torre dell’Orologio on the other. The lanes are steep in places, but the village is compact.
Lunch works well here. Arrive before the busiest part of the afternoon and choose a table in or just off Piazza Giusti.
Piazza Giusti is the lively centre of Montecatini Alto and a natural place to pause.
Three details to seek out
Look beyond the restaurant tables
Torre dell’Orologio
The Clock Tower keeps a rare six-hour dial and stands at the far end of the ridge above the plain.
Rocca and San Pietro
Follow Via della Rocca uphill to the church, fortress remains and Torre del Mastio.
Cialde di Montecatini
Try the town’s crisp round wafers, made with a thin almond and vanilla filling.
From polished stone to medieval lanes
The scenery changes before lunch
The appeal of this day is the contrast: formal spa architecture below and a compact hill village above.
The monumental courtyard at Terme Tettuccio.The six-hour clock face of Montecatini Alto’s Torre dell’Orologio.
Choose your pace
A compact visit or a long lunch
Compact version
Tettuccio and the village
9:30Leave La Limonaia
10:15Park near Terme Tettuccio
10:30Visit Tettuccio
11:45Ride the funicular
13:30Return after a village walk
Relaxed version
Add lunch in Montecatini Alto
10:15Arrive in Montecatini Terme
10:30Explore Tettuccio and the park
12:00Take the funicular up
12:30Lunch in or near Piazza Giusti
15:00Walk both ends of the village
Treat these times as a shape for the day. Current opening hours and the funicular timetable should set the exact order.
Before you leave
Keep the day easy
Check two schedulesConfirm both Tettuccio visitor access and funicular service.Park belowThe funicular avoids the narrow road and limited parking in Montecatini Alto.Wear shoes with gripThe upper village has steep stone lanes and uneven surfaces.Keep your return ticketYou will need it for the funicular ride back to the spa town.
Sources and image credits
We used current visitor information from the Comune di Montecatini Terme, Terme di Montecatini, Visit Tuscany and UNESCO. Hours and fares can change, so check the official pages before leaving.
