Montecatini Terme
 

Hi,
I'm heading in 2 weeks time to Montecatini Terme. Traveling on a package deal so this will be our home base.Staying at the Grand Vittorio. I"ve seen good and bad posts on trip advisor and hoping it's not as bad as what I've read.
Not renting a car since it looks pretty simple taking the train to Florence, Viareggio(Beach Area), Pisa.
any and all ideas are welcome...Thanks

And Pinocchio's town just a few miles up into the hills from Montecatini Terme.
Did you check with Montecatini officials - i believe you have to be 85 or older to be let in the town!
Lucca, one of Europe's finest walled towns and medieval looking ones in just a few minutes train ride away.
For the Leaning Tower of Pizza take the train from Monte-Terme to Pisa's S. Rossore (sp?) station - direct train from M-Terme - this station is a 5-minute stroll from the Leaning Tower and much closer than Pisa Centrale.
(At S Rossore - head out the back gate and by the Supermercato till you see the Tower.)

Make sure you take the funicular up to Montecatini Alto. It's walking distance. Eat at one of the restaurants (with outdoor seating in the back) that faces the most spectacular scenery.

I've several friends who have stayed at GH Vittoria and enjoyed it. (When in MT, I stay down the street at the GH Ambasciadori)). The Vittoria has a grand lobby and a small spa in the basement. In spite of PalQ's comment :), you don't have to be 85 to be admitted to town. It is very easy to take the train - there is only one track so the trains headed toward your left are going to Florence and to your right, headed to pisa/lucca/viareggio. Do you like to go to spas? MT is the best for spas - Excelsior Spa is for beauty treatments,massage,sauna, etc. There are also the health spas where you drink the waters - not sure I'd like to do that! Are you doing a Club ABC trip?

Hi bkathy, I don't know about the Grand Vittorio but I just wanted to say family members rented a villa just below Colladi (Pinocchio's town that PalQ mentioned)for three weeks this summer. They were a ten minute walk from the train station. A few of the family members rented a car but my stepson and DIL only used the trains and they said it was the best time in Italy they have ever had. Interesting (the were there during the World Cup), relaxing and so much fun due to using the trains and not having to worry about having wine and driving, finding parking places etc. I think you will have a wonderful time!

Yes I am doing an ABC Trip....was concerned with all the negative mentions of the hotel on Trip Advisor.
glad to hear the train is the way to go....Thanks

Has anyone been to Viareggio?
I was wondering if there was any particular beach to go to?

We too are planning a trip to Montecatini next May on Club ABC
Tours. On tripadvisor there are so may negatives on the Grand Hotel Vittoria. I contaced the hotel and they of course deny all the negatives. Club ABC also says that the hotel is 4 Stars. Please advise after your trip what your rating is of this hotel.

My daughter said the mud bath at one of the spa facilities in MT is just about the best thing that has happened to her body.
I was too chicken!

I really cannot remember which spa.

Would love to know which spa your daugther had her mud bath at....

I am trying to remember but I cannot.

It was in 2002 and I am very old so the name escapes me. If I find the name, I will be more than happy to forward it.

We stayed in MT Altp for several days at the Villa Gaia. It is operated by a young couple Fabio and Alessandra and their restaurant besides having great food has views to die for.Have dinner just at sunset WOW. Make sure you spend Sunday afternoon just walking downtown...can you say gelato. This town is so centrally located and off the beaten tourist path. Have a great time bkathyb2 and enjoy the Alto of MT it was the highlight of our two week stay.CIAO

The spa for "esthetic" treatmrnts is Centro Benessere Excelsior. I've searched but can't seem to find there website although I know they do have one. All of the other spas are health spas where you either drink or soak in the mineral waters.The Excelsior is the Borgese Spa and uses all Madam Borghese products. I've availed myself of lots of different treatments - mud wraps, seaweed wraps, salt hydrobaths under UV lights, sauna, hamman, massage, "anti-cellulite" treatments (they actually work!!), and others. My two visits to MT (both with Club ABC)were great. I'd spend mornings at the spa and then head to Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia - there are lots of options by train. The spa treatments are reasonable - much less expensive then here in NYC. Here's a link to MT with lots of info. I'd advise that you contact GH Vittoria and asked them for info about the spa. You do need reservations for treatments but the consierge would be able to help you with that. I've great memories of MT and hope to return someday. Here's that link:
http://www.montecatini.it/english/index.html