Once again we are in charming Tuscany, among its low hills, its the vineyards, and its old fashioned urban centres. On these pages you’ll find plenty of ideas for activities and sightseeing around this special region and with this piece we add another one to the list: Lucca, a medium size city which has a lot to offer, hasn’t been discovered by massive tourism yet and where visitors find a great mix of culture, style, history and food plus events as the “Lucca Comics and Games” festival and the “Lucca Summer Festival” which have international relevance as well as high numbers of participants.
Lucca’s location is already a good reason to spend some time here in the first place: not only it is very close to the sea, but from here National Parks and mountains are easily reachable as well as other places of interest like Pisa or Viareggio. Moreover, Lucca managed to keep its authentic and unique style almost intact: surely you’ll find big brands stores and so on but the narrow streets of the centre are full of small shops and bars with a typical flair. Lucca is also very bikes friendly, many locals use them to move around especially because the whole town is at sea level and cars are not usually allowed within the centre of the city.
Once you are here you can start your visit right from the hearth of the city, “Piazza Anfiteatro”. The square has been given this name because it was the site of a Roman amphitheatre; its shape was use as base for the new square, giving it its characteristic and unique elliptic shape. The San Martino Cathedral is another recommended stop; built during the 11th century this cathedral is a typical example of the so-called Lucca-Pisan style which prevailed at the time and that stuns visitors even today thanks to the facade’s white marbles and gentle arches. The interior is also outstanding thanks to the works of some of the greatest Italian painters, such as Tintoretto and Ghirlandaio.
Lucca has another one-of-a-kind feature: its walls (mura). Built between the 16th and 17th centuries for protection they stand today in almost perfect conditions, they are 12 meters high, 4,2 kilometres long, and walkable! They are very suggestive and perfect for an evening stroll, plus the beautiful botanic gardens begin from here. So, why not Lucca next time in Tuscany?
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Federico Spadoni
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