Lucca for a Day or a Month:  A Complete Guide

We loved our month-long stay in charming Lucca.  To read all about our experience, click here. If you’re planning your own escape to Lucca, whether for a day or a month, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of it.

Book a walking tour

Start with a quick walking tour to get your bearings and a dose of local history. You’ll learn that Lucca is one of only four European cities with fully intact medieval walls. And how it’s the only city in Tuscany that managed to avoid being conquered by the Medicis (those walls did their job as a deterrent). And how the Lucchese used to be known for its silk brocade, but now they make toilet paper.

Lucca city walls

Ride the walls

Rent a bike from Poli (or any local shop) and cruise the 4.2 km loop along Lucca’s city walls.  You’ll get sweeping views and leafy ramparts.

Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca

Get inspired by the vegetation

Pop into the Botanical Gardens. Accessible right from the walls, you’ll find an impressive collection of plant species and a picturesque lily pond that, according to local legend, might just be the gateway to hell.

Craving more flora?  Walk through the Palazzo Pfanner gardens along the way.

Duomo di San Martino

Check out the Cattedrale di San Martino

See the Duomo without a dome at Cattedrale di San Martino.  Inside, you’ll find the Volto Santo di Lucca, a life-sized wooden crucifix depicting Christ with notably dark skin and an Eastern appearance. Believed to be a miraculous, contemporary likeness of Jesus carved by Nicodemus himself until it was carbon-dated to the 11th–12th century. 

Every September, the crucifix is carried in a candlelit procession from San Frediano to the Duomo. Turns out Bologna’s Icon pilgrimage isn’t quite as one-of-a-kind as we thought.

view from Guinigi Tower 

Climb up the Guinigi Tower 

Lucca’s towers may not rival those of Bologna, but Guinigi is well worth a visit. It’s unique for the live oaks growing on top, the stunning views, and a pleasantly airy climb that won’t leave you doubled over, regretting your lack of cardio training. 

If you’re feeling extra motivated, you can also tackle the Torre delle Ore for a different perspective. We didn’t.

the lovely proprietor at Manon Lescaut and Puccini

Visit the Puccini Museum

Even if you’re not an opera fan, consider visiting the museum in Puccini’s childhood home.  However, this is a place he left for good, never to return, after the scandal of falling in love with a married Lucchese woman. The house, now a charming museum, sits right on the piazza where we enjoyed our morning cappuccinos, served by the lovely staff at Manon Lescaut. (Hot tip for non-opera aficionados: Manon Lescaut is one of Puccini’s operas.)

If this inspires you to listen to opera, head to one of the nightly 7 pm performances at the Church of San Giovanni.

Pet Shop Boys Piazza Napoleone

Or some live music

If opera’s not your thing, consider timing your visit for the July Lucca Summer Festival, which features small-scale live shows in Piazza Napoleone.

Chiesa di San Michele in Foro

See the pretty Chiesa di San Michele in Foro 

Enjoy a Limoncello Spritz in the lively piazza overlooking the Chiesa di San Michele in Foro. Honestly, we loved this church even more than the more famous Duomo. And, it’ll be even more stunning once the current cleaning is completed. For a perfect snack with your Spritz, grab a slice of thin, fluffy focaccia from Alice Pizza and follow it with one of the daily rotating flavors from Ele Gelati e Granite.

Gioielleria Carli 

Get in some retail therapy

Browse the shops and boutiques along Via Fillungo and elsewhere.  For leather Benheart Lucca, pottery at Rosso Ramina Negozio, women’s clothing and accessories at Gong Lucca. Take a peek at the elegant jewelry displays at Gioielleria Carli.

Piazza della’Anfiteatro and Lucca food and bev

Bathe in the light in Piazza della’Anfiteatro

In a country overflowing with beautiful piazzas, Piazza della’Anfiteatro might just be the most magical of them all. Here you’ll find a golden oval ringed with cafés, chatter, and centuries of history.

Built on the footprint of an ancient Roman arena, it is the prettiest spot in Lucca. While most of the ruins are long gone, you can still spot hints of the original brickwork peeking through.

Come in the evening, when the light is soft and glowy.  No filter needed.

For inventive, welcoming Italian, try SottoSotto or L’Angolo Tondo. Or, just plop down anywhere with a Negroni and soak it all in.

Sip the best cocktails

While the sipping is good in Piazza della’Anfiteatro, make your way to Bar Caffè Ristretto for what might be the best Spritz or Negroni you’ve ever had.

Chiasso13 alley

Try our other favorite restaurants

We loved Chiasso13, tucked into a tiny, charming alley, with its amazing bread and inventive menu. Other favorites included Ristorante L’Isola Che Non C’era for a casual bite. Trattoria da Giulio with its cozy spot beneath the city gates. Ristorante All’Olivo—fancier, seafood-forward, and set in a quiet piazza. Osteria da Pasquale won us over with warm service (and complimentary limoncello). Gli Orti di Via Elisa and Osteria del Manzo offered a truly local vibe, each in their own sweet, unpretentious way.

Pizzeria Sud

Make pizza with the Neapolitans

Pizzeria Sud is run by a team from Napoli, so naturally, we jumped at their offer of a pizza master class. The perfect time to brush up before returning to our own wood-fired oven at home. The class was excellent; we picked up some new tricks, though our dough skills left a lot to be desired. To be fair, we’ve made maybe 20 pizzas in our lives. They make 250 a night. 

Manage your carb intake

While traditional fare reigns at dinnertime, lunch in Lucca offers a welcome break from pasta. We found great acai bowls at Bioroom Juice Bar and incredibly fresh fish at Gusta Degusta. For something more picnic-style, Gino Fruta is perfect for picking up fresh fruit, veggies, and tasty prepared meals. The bread from Forno a Vapore Amedeo Giusti is excellent, and when you’re craving a proper, big salad, Pot Pourri dell’Ingordigia has you covered.

River Serchio

Get outside the walls

Play Padel or Pickle at Lucca Padel Club for 10 whole euros an hour.

Swim, steam, sauna, and engage in some strange aqua aerobics at Ego Wellness Resort.

Take a refreshing dip in the River Serchio if it is 95 degrees and you are roasting after pickle or the gym.

three generations + Doug and Charlotte

Beach day

Take the train to Viareggio and spend the day lazing under an umbrella at Bagno Il Sole. This friendly spot has been run by the same family since the mines were removed from the beaches in 1947. Cap it off with a Michelin-starred dinner at Il Porto.

Side Trip

And if you’re interested in an exceptional side-trip, head to Cinque Terre. Click here (coming soon) to hear the story of how two Sweenys wanted to get arrested in Italy.