Lucca is a small enchanting city in Tuscany. The old town is one of the most beautiful I have seen so far. Narrow streets invite you to stroll.
Lucca is known for its fortifications from the 16th and 17th centuries. These have been preserved until today. Today you can walk under trees on the ramparts. You can get to the old town through four gates.
In the old town there are churches, towers and little corners to discover. On squares you can linger in cafes and restaurants and watch the hustle and bustle on the street.
Travel information for Lucca
Arrival
By plane
The nearest major airport is in Pisa, only about 30 kilometers from Lucca. From Pisa there is a direct train connection to the city.
About 70 kilometers away is the airport of Florence.
By train
The train station Stazione Ferroviaria di Lucca is about 400 meters in front of the city walls.
By car
The A11 highway runs a few kilometers south of the city. It connects the city with numerous major cities in the vicinity.
On the way in …
Local public transport
The local public transport connects the Old Town with the surrounding districts. There is no bus service through the Old Town.
By car
The old town is almost entirely a traffic-calmed zone. Even the hotels can be approached only with a special permit. There is paid parking in front of and behind the city walls.
- Parking Mazzini: opening hours 0-24 daily
- Carducci parking: opening hours 8:00-20:00 daily
- Parking Palatucci: Opening hours 8:00-20:00 daily
On foot
The old town is small and compact. It covers an area of about 800×600 meters and is easy to explore on foot. Since there are no cars in the large pedestrian zone (only delivery traffic), you can explore the paths without any worries.
Lucca excursion tips
We walk through the beautiful old town of Lucca and come to a large square enclosed by chains. In Piazza San Michele, popularly known as Piazza della catene (Square of Chains), stands the imposing church of San Michele in Foro.
We are strolling through the narrow streets of Lucca when we come across one of the four gates that lead us to Piazza dell'Anfiteatro (Square of the Amphitheater).
Some time has passed before I came back to Lucca. This time without crutches and with Patrick - so we could catch up on everything I couldn't experience during the last visit. At the top of my wish list was a visit to the Torre Guinigi.
The AIDAperla has docked in Livorno. Passengers stream off the ship and take the buses to Florence or Pisa. I also disembark, get on a bus and let me drive to Lucca. A Lucca short visit in 2 hours, which in retrospect were much too short.