Strolling around the top of Lucca’s city walls I can’t help think of the similarities between here and one of my favourite cities in the UK, York. However, the huge difference that is obvious immediately is that one of them attracts tourists in their droves, making a day out in peak season busy and somewhat stressful, the other is mainly occupied by locals meandering the cobbled streets in their lunch break and enjoying the perfectly slow pace of life.
Welcome to Lucca, Tuscany.
Exploring the City
There is no better way to get to know a city than to just start walking. So walk we did, taking in the stunning buildings and watching the locals go about their daily lives. The pretty streets of Lucca, Tuscany made it easy to lose hours, and getting lost was fairly obligatory too. When the heavens opened and the umbrellas came out, it made the cobbled streets glisten beneath our feet and the streets empty completely. That alone is one of my favourite memories from this beautiful city.
What to do in Lucca
Go up the most important tower in Lucca – Torre Guinigi
A 125 foot tall, red brick tower, topped with a roof garden compromising with an impressive 7 oak trees planted in a U shaped flower bed. With no less than 230 steps to the top, it doesn’t have the physical leg-wobbling effect of The Tower of Pisa or The Notre Dame but it comes very close (well, for the unfit like me it does anyway!). The view from the top is totally awe inspiring. If you go at a quiet time it makes it even more special looking out at the entire city beneath you. From the rooftop you can see the outlines of the cities three concentric walls, the Roman center of town, and the few remaining other towers.
Spend Time People Watching in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro
Once the site of an ancient Roman Amptitheatre, the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is now a popular attraction housing many bars, cafes and restaurants, ideal for resting your tired feet and watching the world go by for an hour or so.
Walk or Cycle Around the City Walls
Lucca’s tree lined city walls form a perfect ring around the city. 223 metres of imposing embankments planted with trees, the walls also provide an exceptional panoramic point, with the churches and towers of Lucca on one side and the Apuan Alps on the horizon. Simply Beautiful and a perfect way to get a different viewpoint on the wonderful city of Lucca, Tuscany.
Just Explore
We arrived in Lucca, Tuscany with no agenda or expectations. An entire day here was spent exploring every side street we could and soaking in the culture of every museum & tower. We explored the shops, ate in a pizzeria and ended the day buying Limoncello; a welcome treat when we arrived back at our villa in Volterra – Casa al Povero. I wouldn’t have done a thing differently and would recommend the same to anyone thinking of visiting.
Have you visited Lucca, Tuscany before? What did you like about it most?