🇮🇹 Italy · Places to discover
What to see in Lucca ?
22 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities. Click to discover each address in detail.
Landmarks & heritage (10)
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Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
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.
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Walls of Lucca
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.
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Pieve di Brancoli
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.
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Palazzo Pfanner
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.
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Basilica di San Frediano
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.
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Cattedrale di San Martino
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.
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Torre Guinigi
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.
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Villa Guinigi and National Museum
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.
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Torre delle Ore
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.
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Chiesa di San Michele in Foro
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)
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Villa Reale di Marlia
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.
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Orto Botanico di Lucca
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.
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Garfagnana Trail – Monte Pisano
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)
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Piazzale Verdi and San Donato Bastion
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.
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Passeggiata delle Mura—Bastione San Regolo
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.
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Frazione di Nozzano Castello
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.
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Piazza Napoleone at Sunset
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)
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Carmine Market
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.
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Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi
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.
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Lucca Comics & Games – City Venues
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.
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Bike Rental at the Walls – Wall Circuit
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.
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Giacomo Puccini Birthhouse
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.