Tourist in Lucca
Tiny beautiful Lucca in Tuscany is a tourist favorite. And not without reason. Lucca is one of the richest and best preserved cities in the north of Italy. Like so many other cities in Tuscany, Lucca was founded by the Etruscans. But even before Christ, Lucca was a Roman colony. Interestingly enough, in 1806 Lucca was taken over by Napoleon and with that the city became a bourbonous duchy with Elisa Bonaparte as Grand Duchess. WhenItaly was brought together as a nation, Luccaceased to be an independent national entity.
Lucca has a wide wall that surrounds the city. It is also a favorite place for walking and attractions both locals and tourists alike.
Practically, tourists spend all their time inside the city wall. There are cozy little streets and alleys in Lucca, and more often than you think it opens up large places where people gather for food and drink, or just look at public life.
The train station is on the south side of Lucca, right on the outside of the city wall. The closest entrance gate to Lucca is called Porta San Pietro.
If you continue straight ahead a few hundred meters from Porta San Pietro you will reach the large square Piazza Napoleone. A few hundred meters away in the east direction is also the Duomo di Sant Martin (the address is Piazza Antelminelli), one of several beautiful churches in the city. The Duomo di San Martino is the most important church in Lucca and it began in the 11th century. In the 1300s it was built in a Gothic style. A tip is also to visit Piazza San Frediana where you can admire the beautiful mosaic on the facade of the Basilica of San Frediana.
If you walk two hundred meters north from Piazza Napoleone you will reach the second central square in Lucca, Piazza San Michele. We also bring our favorite place. It is called Piazza Anfiteatro and is located to the northeast of Lucca. The elliptical location of the city courtyards surrounding the square stands where there was once a Roman amphitheater. The arena is said to have had more than 10,000 seats. Today, the place is full of outdoor cafes.
As you understand it takes a long time to use the legs in Lucca. There are short distances. From west to east, Lucca is probably no more than just 2 kilometers within the city walls. But even though the distances are short, the sights are many. But the best thing is probably regardless of the experience of walking around the picturesque streets and watching people shopping, drinking their coffee or loudly discussing the latest event over a glass of wine or two. The great aforementioned places of Piazza San Michele and Piazza Napoleone are attractions in themselves. Here you can also relax with food at one of the pizzerias or restaurant bars, as a rule they also offer outdoor dining.
You’ll probably get to know Lucca in a matter of hours. However, that does not mean that you can see all the sights and attractions. It takes a long time.
You do not travel to Lucca to shop the same way as a visit Paris or London. But there is a lot of good to buy. Not least Tuscan food and wine and various crafts. The street Via Fillongo is one of the main streets in Lucca where you can find many stores with all kinds of goods, well mixed with small cozy eateries. Keep in mind that many of the stores have closed on Mondays. In the squares and piazza there are regular street markets. Try Piazza Antelminelli or Piazza Grande.
There are many nightclubs in Lucca, and then we talk about smaller bars and small music clubs, not discos or nightclubs. The easiest thing is to simply walk around the old town (within the city walls) and find your own favorite place. There are also many restaurants. Don’t follow the tourists, but look for restaurants where you find Italians. The food is guaranteed to be the best. Da Giulio is a trattoria that has reasonable prices, yet good food and excellent service. If you want to try something more exclusive Buca di San Antonio in the street Via del Cervia.
Puccini and Lucca
Lucca is Puccini’s birthplace, and it naturally characterizes the city. For example, there is an annual Puccini Opera Festival in the city and Casa de Puccini is open to all and serves as a kind of museum. Casa de Puccini can also be found in Corte S. Lorenzo, 9, reasonably priced in the middle of Lucca. In the square of Piazza Cittadella, not many meters from the Puccini Museum stand (because he sits) Puccini. Well worth a look.
And of course you will find a Caffe ‘Puccini. It is a perfectly fine place for a coffee and some pastries. You will find Caffe ‘Puccini at the intersection of Via Fillungo and Via Santa Gemma Galgani northeast of Piazza del’Anfiteatro. If you want to explore the music of Puccini then stop by Puccini Memories in the wonderful place of Piazza Anfiteatro, a place you will not miss anyway.
Tourist offices in Lucca
You will find several tourist offices that will help you with any questions you may have. The Centro Informazioni Tourist Office is located in the west of the city. The address is Vecchia Porta San Donato.
There is also a tourist office right by the train station. Bicycle rental is also available here. The address is Piazzale B. Ricasoli 203. Also in the east of Lucca is a local tourist office. The address is Via Elisa 65.