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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 08 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

Lucca is a compact gem of a town, a perfect ensemble of Medieval and Renaissance buildings enclosed by a well-preserved set of 16th-century walls. Aside from its handsome piazzas and palazzi and exquisite churches, it boasts some lovely old shops, excellent restaurants and atmospheric cafés, all lining a network of pretty cobbled streets. Its overall attraction lies in the fact that it never feels overwhelmed by tourists, thus offering an authentic sense of local life.

A coffee in oval Piazza del Anfiteatro (built on the site of the Roman amphitheatre) is a good place to start a tour of the town. There are some wonderful old shops with their original storefronts in and around nearby Via Fillungo.

Historic, atmospheric Caffè di Simo (Via Fillungo 58) is another good place for a cappuccino and a pastry while the Buca di Sant’Antonio restaurant (open since 1782, Via della Cervia 3) serves up Lucchese specialities with a modern twist.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Lucca lies between Florence and Pisa and is easily accessible from the A11 autostrada if you are driving. Street parking in the old town is only for residents; visitors must pay for parking in the designated areas around the ramparts.

There are both trains and buses from Florence (around 45 minutes) and Pisa (around 30 minutes). The train station lies just outside the walls to the south of the town, a ten-minute walk from eh Duomo.

There are tourist information offices in Piazza Curtatone and Piazzale Verdi which have walking maps and various guides to the town and its attractions. They can also supply information about where to hire a bike, and have information about the famous Lucchese Villas that are dotted around the nearby countryside.

When to do it

As always, it’s best to avoid visiting in high, hot summer (July and August); May to June and September to October are perfect months. If you want to enjoy Lucca at its best, stay overnight; most tourists just come for the day. And in winter, the town is at its most authentic.

Gelateria De’ Coltelli
Experience

Gelateria De’ Coltelli

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Seasonal fruit, local ingredients and organic milk, cream and eggs are the mainstays of this artisanal ice cream. Flavours vary with the seasons, but look out for the sinful De Bondt chocolate and candied orange peel and the pistachio ice creams, and the refreshing Sicilian-style granitas (almond, maybe) in summer.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free

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Giacomo Puccini Museum
Experience

Giacomo Puccini Museum

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Opera buffs shouldn’t miss the small museum dedicated to Giacomo Puccini, Lucca’s most famous son. He’s regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi.

Best for ages: 18+ | £2

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St. Martin’s Cathedral
Experience

St. Martin’s Cathedral

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

The most important church in Lucca. Begun in the 11th-century, it has a magnificently carved marble façade and houses the tomb of Ilaria Carretto, a beautiful work in marble by Jacopo della Quercia.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Walk or cycle Lucca’s city walls
Experience

Walk or cycle Lucca’s city walls

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Don’t miss a stroll or bike ride around the 2.5 miles of walls; the locals love their ramparts and cycle, walk, jog and picnic here regularly (in summer, go early or late in the day to avoid the heat). You can hire bikes from Cicli Bizzari in Piazza Santa Maria, from where there is access to the ramparts.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 1 hour

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Your Lucca Walking Tour

Your Lucca Walking Tour

Lucca

On Saturdays and Sundays at 11am enjoy a 2 hours walking tour with your Local Guide in the charming and pretty Lucca! Join the group and go ...

€18 | Rating 4.88 / 5 [27 ratings]

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Aperitif / Tasting in a Vineyard of Lucca with transfer

Aperitif / Tasting in a Vineyard of Lucca with transfer

Lucca

***TEXT ME BEFORE BOOKING*** The only authentic aperitif in the vineyard of Tuscany. It is a story of passion, of farmers, and historical ...

€69 | Rating 4.97 / 5 [35 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Complete tour of the city and walls

Complete tour of the city and walls

Lucca

With this tour it is possible to visit the entire city of Lucca at 360 degrees, also including its history and development in over 2500 year...

€193 | Rating 5 / 5 [17 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Grand Universe Lucca

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]

A comfortable hotel in Lucca’s historic centre, the Grand Universe offers four-star amenities and services and an excellent location.

Official star rating:

Locanda al Colle

Camaiore, Tuscany, Italy[21.4 miles]

A lovely old farmhouse, set in beautiful gardens and transformed into a stylish, laid-back retreat. A great location for exploring Lucca, Pisa and the beaches of the Versilia.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Tuscany

Tuscany, Italy

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Pisa, Tuscany, Italy[15.9 miles]

One of Italy’s most popular sights, an astonishingly beautiful but leaning belltower dating back to 1173, doomed from the outset having been built on unstable sand and clay. The still-famously titling tower still attracts millions of visitors a year, for the unnerving climb up its 293 steps.

Best for ages: 10+ | £15

Field of Miracles

Pisa, Tuscany, Italy[16 miles]

Pisa’s Field of Miracles is an extraordinary complex of historic buildings set on a wide green lawn, encompassing the iconic Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Campo Santo.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Tourists and residents fill a busy market in the Tuscan town of Lucca
Experience

Lucca Flea Market

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]

On the third weekend of the month, Piazza San Martino and the surrounding streets host a sprawling antiques market with everything from furniture and pictures to coins, jewellery and vintage clothes.

Best for ages: 8+ | Free

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Museum of Ancient Ships
Experience

Museum of Ancient Ships

Pisa, Tuscany, Italy[16.9 miles]

Housed in the atmospheric, 17th-century ex-Arsenal, this archaeological museum traces the fascinating 1,000-year history of seafaring and ships in Pisa, once a great Maritime Republic. Star exhibits include the collection of restored Roman vessels, unearthed in the San Rossore area.

Best for ages: 4+ | £6

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