Lucca

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St Martin's Cathedral, Lucca
St Martin's Cathedral, Lucca

Lucca is a city of some 90,000 people in Tuscany, Italy.

[edit] Understand

Lucca's long history goes back to Etruscan and Ancient Roman times, and the city retains pieces of Ancient architecture. Lucca's great era was in the Gothic era just before the Renaissance, and the city contains much marvelous architecture from that era. Lucca remained an independent city state until the end of the 18th century.

The area of most interest to visitors is still enclosed within the old city defensive wall. The top of these broad walls is a ring park, a pleasant place for walking.

[edit] Get in

Rail and road links provide easy access from nearby Pisa and Florence.

[edit] By plane

Pisa International Airport has a rail station attached, and is only a 20 minute train ride from Lucca.

[edit] By train

The railroad station is just a few blocks from the old town walls. Luggage lockers are said to be available, but it is not clear where they are. There are no direct trains from Pisa airport to Lucca, so a transfer is required.

[edit] By bus

There is a bus that travels directly from Pisa Airport to Piazzale Verdi in Lucca.

You get the bus just outside the arrivals hall of the airport (buy your tickets beforehand at the ticket kiosk within the arrivals hall). The fare is cheap at about 4€.

The bus ride is a scenic, pleasant thirty-minute ride to Piazzale Verdi, which is inside the walls.

[edit] By car

Driving inside the walls is a headache because of the enormous pedestrian traffic, so park your car and rent a bike. Several bicycle rental locations can be found near the North entrance to the city, Porto Santa Maria. It is not a large city within the walls, so you may find it more enjoyable to simply walk around.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

  • Roman amphitheater - To be found off the Via Fillungo, main entrance by Piazza Scarpellini.
  • Old city walls
  • Ilaria del Carretto's Sarcophagus - By Jacopo della Quercia
  • Torre Guinigi -- this is a tower with trees atop it, a very dramatic sight, with good views of the city. No lift, many stairs.
  • Torre delle Ore -- ancient clock tower with original clock still working; is it possible to go upstairs on this tower too (beautiful view on the city, good perspective of Fillungo street).
  • Saint Michael's Church
  • Saint Frediano's Church
  • Via Fillungo
  • Duomo di San Martino, Piazza di San Martino. Romanesque cathedral dating to 14th century. Includes a sculpture of the crucifixion attributed to an eyewitness, Nicodemus. Some interesting carvings in the marble exterior, including a labyrinth. edit
  • Palazzo Pfanner, Via degli Asili, ☎ 340 923 30 85. Preserved rooms formerly inhabited by the Pfanner family, as well as a pleasant garden. Also on display, some 19th century medical equipment. 4 €.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

Lucca has many old churches, some of which now house art galleries. See art museum. This was the hometown of Puccini, and operas are held regularly. Be sure to come by during the summer months, as the area is regularly dotted with Puccini festivals, hosting a variety of young opera singers from across Europe and North America.

  • City Walls. One can walk or cycle on top of the ancient city walls. The entire perimeter is approximately 3 km. This gives a good introduction to the city layout. Expect crowds in the summer months. edit

Compared to Florence or Siena, there is relatively little late night activity on the streets of old Lucca. There is one dance club on top of the wall, near the Southern entrance to the city. Be aware that club nights are informally segregated by age group - go out on the wrong night, and you may find yourself amidst a sea of 16-18 year olds, instead of the more usual crowd of 20-25 year olds.

Most locals tend to make the short trip to Viareggio on the coast, which offers a far better selection of clubs, such as 7 Apples and La Canniccia

[edit] Learn

For those wishing to learn Italian in an immersive setting, Koinè Centro offers 2-week sessions for beginners and advanced alike. See: http://www.koinecenter.com/ for more information.

[edit][add listing] Buy

  • Enoteca Vanni, Piazza del Salvatore 7, ☎ 039 0583 491902 (), [2]. closed sundays?. A decent wine and liquor store. One could spend some time poking around the four cellar rooms. edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

Only in Lucca you can find a special Sweet-bread in shape of a small baguette or a bun. It's called "Buccellato" and it has raisins inside and has a unique taste of anise. You can find it in a small shop called Taddeucci, behind Saint Michael's church in the main square of Lucca

[edit] Budget

  • Trattoria da Leo, Via Tegrimi 1, ☎ 0583 492236. Fairly typical Tuscan cuisine with some Luccan touches (e.g. pine nuts). The menu is only in Italian (a good sign). Vegetarian friendly. Reservations are a good idea or arrive around 7:00. An excellent meal for the price. edit
  • Pizzeria La Bersagliera, Via Pisana 2136, ☎ 0583510758. If you happen to have a car, do check out this pizzeria, just ten minutes drive outside of town, it's worth. The owners come from Calabria, so you are likely to find all kinds of spicy salami, olives, mushrooms on top of your pizza. A different meal, served by distracted waitresses. Beware: You can't have your expresso coffee there. Being asked for coffees, the old owner – I don't think she's still around – used to reply: "Yeah, go get that at La Cubana", which is a bar downtown. Oh, and you can't make reservations: Be there by 7pm. edit
  • Forno a vapore Amedeo Giusti, Via Santa Lucia 18/20, ☎ 0583 496285. Strolling along the Torre Guinigi (the one with trees on top), you'll probably sniff some irresistible oily and flory smell. It's called focaccia, the Lucchese idea of a snack. edit

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit][add listing] Drink

It is safe to drink the water that comes out of the public fountains. Many locals fill gallon jugs and it is their primary source of drinking water. It is delicious and quite refreshing. In fact, it taste better than most bottled water.

The digestive tonic China Massagli (http://www.massagli.com/ithome.html) is produced at the Farmacia Massagli in Lucca. This is an eminent example of the "china" style of amaro (Italian potable bitters). If you ask for an "amaro locale" at a restaurant, this is likely what you will receive.

"Biadina" is another local style of bitters, bottled by Massagli and other producers; this drink is often sold with a small pack of pine nuts.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Accommodations are plentiful, and cheaper than in Florence or Siena. The best stay is at San Giuliano Terme (health giving waters are still offered to an international clientele) on the road which runs along the foot of the hills from Pisa to Lucca.

[edit] Budget

Hostel Franco is very nice and relatively cheap (15 euro per night) when I stayed there in 2003.

  • Guest House Italy - Lucca Accommodations & Info [3] Informations and Cheap accommodations into Lucca.

[edit] Mid-range

  • Casa Alba, Via Fillungo 142, ☎ 0583 495361, [4].

Only 5 rooms, and on the second floor with no lift, this place is charming nonetheless. Owner speaks English, clerk does not. Located in historical center of town. 60-85 euro/night, October 2007. edit

  • Hotel Versilia Palace, Viale Roma 27, 55045, Marina di Pietra Santa, ☎ ''+39'' 0584 745848 (, fax: ''+39'' 0584 23382), [5].

4 star hotel located on the Tuscan Seaside between Forte dei Marmi resort and the Marina di Pietrasanta. The hotel has 50 guestrooms and 2 outdoor swimming pools.  edit

[edit] Splurge

  • La Cappella - 7 km from Lucca, Villa La Cappella was constructed on the walls of a former monastery, dating back to the 17th century. Private swimming pool, garden furniture, parking by the house.
  • Albergo Pietrasanta, Via Garibaldi, 35 - 55045 Pietrasanta, Lucca - info@albergopietrasanta.com - 28 km from Lucca. Situated in a seventeenth century palace known as Palazzo Barsanti Bonetti, in the historical center of Pietrasanta, this 19 room luxury hotel boasts elegant rooms, a lovely interior garden veranda and a world class art collection.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

Women travellers should be particularly careful with eye contact in Tuscany. What is perceived as normal eye contact in some cultures is in local culture perceived as very flirtatious, and is an open invitation for would-be Romeos.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
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