Property for Sale in Capannori, Tuscany
Capannori is a large comune immediately east of Lucca, in the Province of Lucca. It spreads from the flat Lucca plain up into the hills to the north and south, and it is best known to buyers for its historic villas and the farmhouses scattered across the Lucca hills.
The Comune and Its Villas
Capannori has no single historic centre. Instead it is made up of dozens of villages, from Marlia, Segromigno in Monte and Camigliano in the northern hills to Guamo and Vorno in the south. The administrative centre on the plain is modern and practical.
The northern hills are lined with the country villas of Lucca’s old merchant families, several of them open to visitors: the Villa Reale di Marlia, Villa Mansi at Segromigno and Villa Torrigiani at Camigliano, all with formal gardens. To the south, the Nottolini aqueduct crosses the plain from Guamo towards Lucca on a long line of arches.
The Hills and Nearby Towns
The hills above the villas are planted with vines and olive groves, producing the wines of the Colline Lucchesi and Lucca olive oil, and many of the farmhouses for sale are here, often with views across the plain.
Lucca, with its walls and old town, is only a few kilometres away. To the east, Porcari and Montecarlo, a walled hill village known for its wine, lie on the way towards Altopascio, while Pescaglia is in the hills to the north-west.
Property for Sale in Capannori
Villas make up most of the listings, followed by farmhouses, with a few houses, a townhouse and an apartment. Prices are high: most homes are above €500,000, many restored farmhouses and villas are priced over €1 million, and the most important historic properties reach several million, one as high as €10 million. Some of the larger villas have numerous bedrooms and could suit a family compound or a holiday business.
Everyday Life and Getting There
Capannori’s villages have shops, schools and local services, and Lucca, close by, provides a hospital, markets and a busy cultural calendar. The beaches of Versilia and the mountains of the Garfagnana are both a short drive away.
The A11 motorway between Florence and the coast has an exit at Capannori, and the railway between Lucca and Florence stops in the area. Pisa airport is the nearest, with Florence airport an alternative.
Buying in Capannori
Historic villas and their gardens are often listed, so restoration work, changes to outbuildings and even new pools may need heritage approval. Running costs for large houses and parks are considerable, so budget for maintenance as well as the purchase.
Parts of the plain are low-lying, so check flood-risk maps and drainage before buying a property there. A geometra should go through the comune’s planning archive and the cadastre to make sure the villa, its annexes and any conversions are all properly documented.