Lovely Lucca is, in many ways, the land that time forgot—and is all the better for it. The winding, narrow streets of the city center are largely car-free, but you don’t need a hop-on-hop-off-bus tour to discover its sights. Do as the native Lucchesi do and explore the city by bike; wend your way past churches, towers, and atmospheric piazze. Alternatively, walking tours provide a slower, more immersive way to see the sights, while horse-and-carriage rides offer a romantic option for circling the city by its Renaissance-era defensive walls.

From homemade pasta to local wine, Lucca is the perfect destination for foodies and would-be cooks. Once you’ve worked up an appetite from your sightseeing excursion, indulge in a traditional, multicourse Italian meal. Visit a local trattoria, or, if you prefer a hands-on experience, sign up for a cooking class held in the home of a Lucca resident. You won’t just learn the secrets behind classic Lucchese dishes—you’ll also see a local’s-eye view of the Tuscan city.

Giacomo Puccini, the opera composer whose masterworks include Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, and Tosca, was a native Lucchese, and if you listen closely, you can still hear some of his most famous and beautiful melodies wafting over the city. End your day in Lucca on a high note—quite literally—when you book tickets to an evening of classical, Puccini-penned music. Venture into one of Lucca’s atmospheric churches, and listen to classically trained singers and musicians perform his best-known arias.