Pisa Day Trips: Things to do in Lucca

more than a year ago

Just a half-hour train ride or drive away, the walled city of Lucca is the perfect day trip destination from Pisa. The four seasons have a way of bursting out alongside the 16th-century walls, which we suggest you walk or bike along as an introduction to the city. Lucca is nicknamed 'the city of 100 churches', our favorites are the cathedral, the Basilica di San Ferniano, and San Michele in Foro. Between checking out these major monuments you may want to stop for a visit at the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini and certainly won't want to miss the oblong Piazza del Anfiteatro, which houses a Roman ruin in disguise. A charming book market, elegant shopping, quaint restaurants and cafés, and much more await you in this small but stately gem of Tuscany.

Puccini Museum

The birthplace of Lucca’s most illustrious native is now a museum where you can get a feeling for the world that inspired this giant of the opera world. Giacomo's Puccini's former house will delight fans of the maestro's music and history lovers alike. The museum bookshop shares its premises with the ticket office on Piazza Cittadella 5 and is a great place to pick up a souvenir of your visit to Lucca.

Piazza dell’Anfiteatro

You would be forgiven for missing it on first glance, but the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is in fact a former Roman amphitheater that’s been so heavily built over that it now forms a square surrounded by residential apartments and cafés. No visit to Lucca is complete without stopping by this utterly charming site.

The Three Churches

Lucca is the city of 100 churches. We've not been to each and everyone, but we have been to enough to recommend three must-see churches that are in easy walking distance from each other. Basilica of San Ferdiano, was founded by an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. Its exceptional 13th century mosaic on the façade sets this bad boy apart, well that and the mummified body of St. Zita which is on display in a glass shrine. According to the Catholic Church, you are meant to pray to the 13th-century saint when you lose your keys and she will help you find them.

Chiesa di San Michele in Foro was built into a Roman forum. Elaborate sculptures and inlays make this church's façade is one of the most theatrical in all of Italy. Finally, the Cathedral of Lucca, San Martino, is noteworthy because of the wonderful paintings it houses. Although you have to pay to enter seeing Tintoretto's Last Supper will be worth it for fans of Renaisance Art. Head to the right pier of the portico and you will find an enigmatic maze. The inscription in Latin explains that the labyrinth is none other than the one designed by Daedalus which Theseus survived thanks to Ariadne’s thread!

Osteria Baralla

The list of things we like about this restaurant is long and not limited to the excellent rustic cuisine, brick-vaulted ceilings, terrazzo floors, and perfect location. From the crostini all the way to the biscotti with vinsanto, dining here is a truly Tuscan experience.

Allabona

Here the focus is on organic and local products. By focusing on getting a few classic dishes down to perfection, they succeed where a lot of restaurants fail, that is to say, in getting the details right.

Dal Bardo

This neighborhood bar offers friendly service and a perfect location to sit back and relax while people watching.

La Piazzetta del Libro

You’d be surprised at what you can find in this quaint outdoor book market. Opera posters, old prints, antique maps, and much more make this a great spot for souvenir hunting.

Pisa