Lucca is the quintessential Tuscan town, from its Renaissance city walls encircling a cityscape of medieval churches, towers, and palazzi to its cobbled, shop-lined squares and streets. The compact old town is easily explored on foot or by bike and doubles as a base for visiting Pisa and its famed leaning tower, the historic marble quarries of Carrara, the Cinque Terre’s technicolor fishing villages, and the hill towns and wineries of nearby Chianti. Gourmands also flock to Lucca, known for its Colline Lucchesi wines and rustic Tuscan cuisine.
Lucca’s street life is one of its appeals, and the first warm days of spring bring the locals out in droves. Sidewalk cafés and al fresco restaurant tables overflow, while walkers and cyclists flock to the pretty ring walk atop the Renaissance city walls. In July, Lucca’s squares host performances by top pop and rock musicians for the Lucca Summer Festival; the end of the season is marked by Lucca Comics and Games in late October.
It only takes a few minutes in Lucca to realize that it’s a cyclist’s city. Locals and visitors alike get around on two wheels here—there are numerous bike rental shops to kit out those just passing through—and the flat historic center with limited traffic makes pedaling through town a breeze. Lucca’s compact size is also pleasantly walkable. Even the train station is a short stroll from the main sights for easy day-trip logistics.
The massive city walls that encircle the entire historic center of Lucca are the town’s most distinctive feature and its most beloved. The city has converted the wide top of the wall into a circular park, and the town turns out on fine days to walk and cycle along its circumference above the rooftops. Rent a bike and join the locals for a passeggiata (ride), pausing at the shaded benches for the view.
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One of Tuscany’s most attractive towns, Lucca is known for its intact medieval center completely enclosed by Renaissance-era town walls and filled with lively squares. A greenway runs along the top of the walls, creating a circular park around the old town where locals walk, cycle, and relax.
...MoreVisit the main sights in the old town, stopping to admire the Lucca Cathedral and Guinigi Tower. Then, relax with a glass of local Colline Lucchesi wine in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro or Piazza Napoleone before a turn around the top of the city walls to see the old town from above.
...MoreWith its flat and compact old town, Lucca is ideal for getting around on foot or by bike. The city is thick with cyclists, and the greenway on top of the old city walls is a popular place for a scenic bike ride far from traffic.
...MoreSet inland from Tuscany’s coastline, Lucca is about 16 miles (27 kilometers) from the nearest beach to the west. You can reach the popular resort town of Viareggio by train, while other seaside destinations like Marina di Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi are less than an hour away by car.
...MoreYes, Lucca is among the prettiest towns in Tuscany and largely devoid of tourists, so it retains an authentic atmosphere. There is a smattering of historic landmarks to visit, but much of the town’s charm is simply in exploring the warren of lanes and squares on foot or by bike.
...MoreLucca is the capital city of the province of Lucca, set in the northwest corner of the region of Tuscany. The province of Lucca borders four important Tuscan provinces: Pisa to the south, Pistoia and Florence to the east, and Carrara to the north.
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