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.
