Hozy

🇮🇹 Italy · Places to discover

What to see in Lucca ?

22 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.

Explore on the mapStays

MAP · OVERVIEW

Lucca resists. Whilst its Tuscan neighbours compete for tourist flows, this city of 90,000 inhabitants lives behind its Renaissance ramparts as if time held no particular urgency. Residents cycle along the Via delle Mura, shopkeepers know their customers by name, and Piazza dell'Anfiteatro preserves the exact form of the Roman amphitheatre that preceded it.

Spring (April-May) and autumn offer reasonable light and crowds - summer remains bearable but busy. Two days suffice to understand the city, three to appreciate it properly. You arrive by train from Florence or Pisa; cars are unnecessary inside the ramparts. The classic trap: spending all your time in restaurants around Piazza Napoleone, which trade on their location rather than their cooking.

Landmarks & heritage (10)

Piazza dell'AnfiteatroWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Piazza dell'Anfiteatro

Landmark

An elliptical piazza built on the foundations of a 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre – the medieval buildings follow exactly the curve of the ancient steps. A terrace café in the morning before the tourist crowds arrive is magical.
Walls of LuccaWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Walls of Lucca

Landmark

Perfectly preserved 16th-century Renaissance ramparts, 4.2 km long, walkable or cycleable along the top. A shaded promenade lined with plane trees that locals stroll each evening—commanding views over the rooftops and the Apuan Alps.
Pieve di BrancoliWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Pieve di Brancoli

Landmark

Romanesque church from the 11th century perched on the heights north of Lucca, accessible via a dirt path through olive groves. Preserved interior with a Romanesque baptistry and absolute silence – few guidebooks mention it.
Palazzo PfannerWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Palazzo Pfanner

Landmark

Baroque palazzo from the 17th century with an exceptional Italian-style garden – the only historic garden visible from the city walls. The interior holds a collection of historical medical and surgical costumes – an unusual and little-visited place.
Basilica di San FredianoWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Basilica di San Frediano

Landmark

Twelfth-century Romanesque basilica with a façade adorned with a gilded Byzantine mosaic depicting the Ascension. Sobering, luminous interior with exceptional Romanesque baptismal fonts – less frequented than the cathedral.
Cattedrale di San MartinoWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Cattedrale di San Martino

Landmark

11th-century Romanesque cathedral housing the Volto Santo, a black wooden crucifix venerated since the Middle Ages, and the marble tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia. A discreet masterpiece set against Tuscany's grand duomos.
Torre GuinigiWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Torre Guinigi

Landmark

Fourteenth-century medieval tower crowned with a hanging garden of seven holm oaks – symbol of Lucca and one of Tuscany's most distinctive images. Panoramic view of the city from 44 metres high.
Villa Guinigi and National MuseumWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Villa Guinigi and National Museum

Landmark

15th-century Gothic villa of the Guinigi lords, now an archaeological and art museum. Exceptional Roman collection from Lucca's excavations, medieval sculptures and local paintings – remarkably quiet for visitors.
Torre delle OreWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Torre delle Ore

Landmark

Lucca's tallest tower at 50 metres, with its original fourteenth-century mechanical clock still in operation. A different perspective from Torre Guinigi, more central, over the maze of medieval alleys.
Chiesa di San Michele in ForoWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Chiesa di San Michele in Foro

Landmark

Romanesque church built on the site of the ancient Roman forum, with a façade of stacked arcades of remarkable delicacy. The gilded copper angel at its peak gleams in the setting sun – a free spectacle from the piazza.

Nature & parks (3)

Villa Reale di MarliaWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Villa Reale di Marlia

Nature

A Napoleonic villa 8 kilometres from Lucca with 17th-century Italian gardens, a green theatre and lemon garden. Residence of Napoleon's sister, Elisa Baciocchi – less well known than the villas of Tuscany's Versailles.
Orto Botanico di LuccaWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Orto Botanico di Lucca

Nature

Botanical garden founded in 1820, one of Tuscany's oldest, nestled against the ramparts in a forgotten corner. Monumental 200-year-old plane tree, historic greenhouses and absolute silence just steps from the centre.
Garfagnana Trail – Monte PisanoWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Garfagnana Trail – Monte Pisano

Nature

The first foothills of Monte Pisano east of Lucca offer one-hour hikes from the city with a plunging view over the plain and the walled city. Accessible on foot from Porta San Pietro.

Viewpoints (4)

Piazzale Verdi and San Donato BastionWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Piazzale Verdi and San Donato Bastion

Viewpoint

Usual starting point for a ramparts tour, this grassy bastion serves as the outdoor salon for Lucchese students and families. Informal concerts on summer evenings, with views over rooftops and bell towers.
Passeggiata delle Mura—Bastione San RegoloWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Passeggiata delle Mura—Bastione San Regolo

Viewpoint

This bastion at the south-east of the ramparts offers the finest view of the snow-capped Apuan Alps in winter and the Garfagnana hills. A favourite sunset spot for locals, away from the crowds of the centre.
Frazione di Nozzano CastelloWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Frazione di Nozzano Castello

Viewpoint

Small fortified medieval village on a hill 8 km west of Lucca, with its tower and deserted lanes. Views over the Serchio plain and the Apuan Alps – a bike circuit favoured by Lucca residents on weekends.
Piazza Napoleone at SunsetWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Piazza Napoleone at Sunset

Viewpoint

Lucca's grand civic square, dominated by the Palazzo della Prefettura, takes on golden light at sunset. Locals gather here for aperitivo on the steps – an authentic scene of everyday life.

Activities (5)

Carmine MarketWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Carmine Market

Activity

Daily covered market in the deconsecrated church of del Carmine – fruit and vegetables from the Lucca plain, cheeses and cold cuts from the Garfagnana. Authentic popular atmosphere, best on Saturday mornings when producers are present.
Museo Nazionale di Palazzo MansiWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi

Activity

Picture gallery in a 17th-century baroque palazzo featuring a bridal chamber entirely clad in embroidered silk – sumptuous décor that remains little-known. The collection includes paintings from the Lucchese school and Tuscan Renaissance.
Lucca Comics & Games – City VenuesWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Lucca Comics & Games – City Venues

Activity

Beyond the October festival, the villas and spaces that host it – Palazzo Ducale, piazzas – reveal their monumental architecture. The festival itself is Europe's largest comics and games event – a unique experience if you're here in late October.
Bike Rental at the Walls – Wall CircuitWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Bike Rental at the Walls – Wall Circuit

Activity

Renting a bicycle (many shops at Porta Santa Maria) and cycling the complete circuit of the ramparts in 30 minutes is the initiation rite for every local. An unmissable experience – best tackled early in the morning or late afternoon.
Giacomo Puccini BirthhouseWikipedia (it) - CC BY-SA

Giacomo Puccini Birthhouse

Activity

The composer's birthplace, now a museum featuring the piano on which he composed Turandot. Lucca takes great pride in its famous son – the chamber concerts held in the house are intimate affairs of rare quality.
What to see in Lucca - Italy? 22 places · Hozy