The land of Tuscany is so varied and beautiful that I often feel like I’ll never know what I’ll find when I’m out exploring. That would have been the case when I visited Lake Massaciuccoli recently except that my co-writer, Joanne, had written a post about the lake in April 2019 and had told me she thought I would like the area. She was right!

Just a bit over 10 miles from the historic center of Lucca, the eastern shore of the lake is a protected wetlands oasis for birds. You can read about the history of this little gem here. But because Joanne visited when winter still had a hold on the area, we decided another look at Lake Massaciuccoli was in order.

On this visit – in June of this year – nearly everything was adorned in spring colors. Various shades of green were everywhere – closeup in the marsh grasses, farther away in the trees on the surrounding hills. Wildflowers were growing as well, providing specks of white, purple, pink, and yellow in the fields of green. Ducks paddled in the lake under a partially cloudy sky but the warmth of the sun could be felt as I walked along the boardwalk that crosses the shallow marshy edges of the lake.

Of course, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain restrictions were in place. While there are several blinds established along the boardwalk to allow visitors to become engrossed in bird-watching, some were closed during this visit. And because the European Union had not opened to visitors from the outside yet, there were very few other people around. It was a perfect morning for an easy walk in nature, listening to birds, looking into the shallow water to see what swam beneath the boardwalk and catching glimpses of drangonflies and butterflies.

There is a butterfly garden at one end of the walkway, which eventually leads back to the entrance – past neat rows of grapevines and under large fig trees. There’s a lot to learn about this area – from the flora and fauna to the history (in the nearby hills are Roman ruins)! It’s a nice bike ride from Lucca or a quick car trip. I’m sure I’ll be heading back soon.  -post by Judy