A Day Trip in Lucca

Lucca is another of those smaller towns that is relatively close by to Florence, still in the region of Tuscany. It’s the city of 100 churches. Yes, one-hundred of them. Plus, the place has all of the quirks and novelty aspects that one can almost come accustomed to once they have spent a few weeks travelling the area: 16th century walls, a Roman amphitheatre, museums and collections of art.

Our first recommendation on your arrival would be to explore Lucca by bike. Bikes are easy to find as they are popular in the town. Lucca is one of the least mountainous regions in Tuscany, which gives you the initial reason why. Prices to rent a bike range between 3 and 15 euro per day, there’s so may you can even take a walk around to try get the best deal. You can literally bike around the town’s 16th century walls, and make your way to any location you wish within almost 10 minutes.

A majority of the shops in Lucca will shut during lunch time, around midday. They should open again around 3pm, but try to take this into account when planning your meals. Around the Roman Ampitheatre, the Piazza Dell’ Anfiteatro you will see lots of bars with tables outside. This is a great location and place to grab some food and enjoy the site of the oval shaped square. Truly awe-inspiring.

If you make your way towards the train station in Lucca, you will see St Michael’s church and the Duomo of the town which is located through the walls. The Duomo is home to the Volto Santo – an ancient symbol of the city – and some other amazing pieces of art. Coupled with Piazza Mansi, these two squares are privy to some great, awe-inspiring finds in terms of art.
Last but not least, if you’re making your way to Lucca in the summer, look out for Lucca’s Summer Festival. This even includes many musicians performing in the centre of the town during July, when the place comes alive.

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