Torre del Lago

The "paradise" on earth, between lake and sea, of the great composer Giacomo Puccini

Torre del Lago Puccini, also known as Torre del Lago, is a charming little town near Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, in southern Versilia, ideally located between Lake Massaciuccoli and the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

On 21 December 1938, the name Puccini was added to the original name of Torre del Lago to honour the great composer, who lived here for about 30 years. At his house in front of the lake, now in the historic centre, Giacomo Puccini composed his most significant operas, including Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), La Fanciulla del West (1910), La Rondine (1917) and Il Trittico (1918). 

Villa Puccini, in Art Nouveau style, houses the tomb of the illustrious composer. It stands on the belvedere of Lake Massaciuccoli, which offers numerous tourist attractions for hikers, guided tours to discover lake plants, such as the pink hibiscus or marsh orchid, and huts equipped for birdwatching, as it is an important "stopover" for migratory birds. 

Not far from the house is the imposing open-air Grand Theatre, which hosts the most distinguished names in world opera every year.

Worth a visit is the 18th-century Church of San Giuseppe, where Puccini's solemn funeral was held on 29 November 1926, two years after his death in Belgium, to bury him in his Tuscan residence.