what’s to love in lucca
Lucca is a medieval walled city in Tuscany, about an hour and a half train ride from Florence. And it was the place that made me fall in love with Italy. I mean, head-over-sensible-walking-shoes in love.
I found about a million and six things to appreciate in Lucca, but I don’t want to tire you. So, here are a just a few key items.
Peace and quiet: Compared to Florence’s 400,000, Lucca has a population of 9,000 and I saw only about 30 of them on any given day. And very few tourists. It’s the perfect place to grab a gelato — go to Heaven Sent on Garibaldi near San Michele. Crema (custard) and nocciola (hazelnut) are my favorites.
San Giovanni: The church itself is gorgeous and has an interesting history. But underneath the church is where all the fun is - an excavation site with remains of a roman bath and a private residence from the first century BC. There’s even ancient graffiti and a crypt. And at night, the church hosts opera recitals. I went on a whim and was blown away. Lucca is Puccini’s hometown, so I was treated to arias from Madame Butterfly, La Boheme and a few others. Magnificent.
The Wall: Rent a bike (or a tandem!), or just take off on foot and wander the park areas that line the entire top of the city’s wall. Every morning after breakfast, I did a lap (4km total circumference) and enjoyed the quiet and the smell of baking bread. In the afternoon, I took a book and parked myself on a bench. It’s the perfect place to do absolutely nothing.
I am now oh-so-officially jealous of you.
Writing Lucca down as number one on “Places I Must Go The Minute I Have The Chance” list.
I had never heard of Lucca prior to reading this post, and now I really want to go! It sounds absolutely beautiful.
What was the name of the hostel you stayed in while in Lucca?
Thank you for sharing your stories with us.
Oh, and if you haven’t read it already, may I recommend reading Eat, Pray, Love to you? Its so lovely, and sounds very much up your alley (I’m an avid fan of your other blog, but iVillage never lets my comments go through).
I have always wanted to travel, but your blogs, and that book have really struck a cord in me that says I may actually have to in order to be the best possible me (or something similarly cheesy).
Hi!
I’ll be traveling through Italy in March. Just wondered how long you spent in Lucca and where you stayed? The same goes for Cinque Terra. I’d like to hike through the towns, too. Any comments about your experience?
You’ve got an amazing blog. Keep traveling!