Ciao Lucca!

How exciting! We were actually going to staying in a medieval city – Lucca, Tuscany.

Arriving outside of the city walls in August our mini bus parked and we walked through St Michal’s Gate to reach out hotel.  We were travelling with Back Roads Touring in a small group tour called “Italian Indulgence”.  Parking was outside the walls as no cars are allowed inside – it was then a short walk to our incredibly old and comfortable hotel “Alla Corte degli Angeli”.

Quickly dropping our bags we headed out for a browse of this amazing old city.

Lucca definitely deserves the name of “the hidden gem of Tuscany”.  Why you ask?   One good reason is there’s plenty of space to move around streets, cafes, shops and churches – even in the height of summer (June – August).

Let’s face it, you can be in the most magical place of the world and lose the impact because of sharing with 000s of people.  NB – Have you ever tried to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, Rome, at the height of the season? I had to throw mine over rows and rows of people AND…the coin hit some guy on the head and bounced off AWAY from the fountain!  My wish and magic moment both disappeared together.

Exploring Lucca

First up the next morning we hired bikes for 3 hours at the very cheap price of three Euros an hour.  The bike rental company was only 100 metres from the hotel, but there are quite a few others.

Medieval City Wall

Lucca is the only town in Tuscany that has a continuous medieval city wall and moat (now empty) that is so well preserved.

As it’s only a bit more than 4km from one end to the other we did a quick lap on the bikes and then another much slower to fully appreciate these ancient walls.

A bonus is there are no cars allowed on the road around the walls, except for police vehicles, such a bonus for families we saw having picnics on the green grassed areas along the perimeter.

Panoramic views of the city are can be seen wherever you stop along the wall, and also of the other side in the surrounding region of Lucca.

City of 100 Churches!

Well let’s be clear, they aren’t all churches – many are religious buildings with that spectacular Italian architectural style.

Which ones to pick for a short visit?  The three we chose were:

1 –  Saint Michael’s Church (also known as Chiesa di San Michele in Foro)

The church is located in Saint Michael’s Square right in the heart of the Lucca. You can’t miss it because there’s a large statue on top of Saint Michael slaying a dragon plus it’s next to a 70m high bell tower.

Good news!  Entry into the church is free, unlike many others throughout Europe.

Saint Michael’s is next to the most famous street of Lucca, called Il Fillungo.  Ladies – drum roll – this is where you’ll find all the most important and high-end stores and shops in the city!

2 – Saint Martin’s Cathedral

 

The columns on this Cathedral are really intricate and worth more than a quick close up look.

3 – Basilica of San Frediano

The mosaic on the facade of this church was definitely worthy of a photo.  The incredible work goes as far back as the 13^thcentury and is apparently quite rare.  So rare in fact that the only other one in this style (Romanesce) is in Florence at the Church of San Miniato.

Being a lover of mosaics I was interested in the meaning.  Christ is depicted going up to heaven and is held by two angels. But…the figure of the Virgin Mary is missing between the apostles as she was removed and replaced with a modern window!

Via Fillungo, a Shoppers’ Delight

Piazza Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre Square)

From Via Fillungo, you get almost everywhere in the town centre and it’s only a few minutes walk to Piazza Anfiteatro, commonly known as “Amphitheatre Square”.  The square, that is actually oval, is a lasting memory of Roman times where gladiator shows and games were the order of the day.

As you stand inside the square, you can clearly see the buildings were built around the original Roman amphitheatre.  Obviously there is no amphitheatre still existing, but the “square” has the original oval shape.

Surrounded by many local cafes, restaurants and shops this is the place to be for a dose of people watching.   You could even be lucky to see a concert if visiting between May – September.

Did you know….the amphitheatre began in the 1st century during the rule of Emperor Claudius and the grand structure had fifty four arches (!!) and space for 10,000 spectators.

Climbing the Torre (Tower) Guinigi

Interestingly – in the medieval times Lucca’s walls had more than 200 House Towers. The taller the tower, the wealthier and more important the owners believed themselves to be! (Bit like everyone trying to outdo themselves with bigger houses in today’s world!)

Anyway, the Guinigi Tower survived the centuries and on top has “a garden in the clouds” that has been there for hundreds of years.

Energetic visitors can clamber up the tower’s 240 steps and be rewarded with a spectacular view of Lucca.  (Cost is four Euros for adults and three Euros for seniors and children). This was on our “to do list”, but we cancelled after a long day of cycling and walking – next time!

Talking of walking and cycling – make sure you wear decent shoes/sandals.  The cobbled streets are fantastic to look at but can be a big rough on your angles in not careful.  Thongs are a bit dodgy to wear on these streets.

It’s difficult to get a street level photo of the tower because the streets are so narrow and surrounded by all the historic buildings you can’t get your camera at the right angle. (Note to self – order a drone from Santa for Christmas!)

Alleyways

Alleyways are all throughout Europe, some the same same, and others far more intriguing.   The alleyway of Lucca are both intriguing and tricky because of being so narrow and criss-crossing many times.  Make sure you get a map from your hotel otherwise a short trip back could take you an hour.

Paper monuments and huge sculptures

As luck would have it, the International Biennial Festival of Modern Art was in full swing with many creative monuments and huge sculptures placed throughout the city. Universities and schools around the world are the creators, with the only medium used being paper and cardboard.  Quite incredible and the accompanying stories for each piece were mesmerising.

Happy Hours at Amphitheatre Square

 

For both of the evenings we were in Lucca, we headed to Amphitheatre Square and the Parlascio restaurant (no bookings needed) where we enjoyed a Happy Hour with our favourite starter – Bruchetta:

• Lemon ricotta bruschetta with broccolini and heirloom tomatoes and
• Mozzarella bruschetta with rocket drizzle

Both were enjoyed with a glass (or two) of the local Pinot Gris.

Be warned though, whenever you buy a drink (anywhere in Italy) an appetiser arrives at the same time.   This could be anything from a dish of potato chips to a full blown plate of cheese, olives, breadsticks, and prosciutto!  (This was the reason we only had starters and no main course).

Sadly, the next morning found us walking out of Lucca’s medieval gates towards our waiting mini bus….Florence here we come!

Arrivederci Lucca

Handy to Know:

• Our tour was called the “Italian Indulgence” with Back Roads Touring.  Twelve delightful, fairly slow pace, days travelling through Northern Italy in a mini bus –  visiting the important icons, and many other  out of the way places. Our fantastic guide (Stefano) was constantly explaining the fascinating history of Italy beginning with the Etruscans and later the Romans.  (Definitely the benefit of having a guide on a small tour).
• Wear really good walking shoes/sandals as the cobbled roads are a challenge at times if wearing thongs.
• Be sure to pick up a map of Lucca from your hotel – just so you can find your way back.
• Cost to climb Guinigi tower – four Euros for adults and three Euros for seniors/children.
• Learn the basic words – it really helps:

1. Hello – Ciao
2. Goodbye – Arrivederci
3. Yes – Si
4. No – Non
5. Sorry – Scus
6. Please – Perfavore
7. Thank you – Grazie
8. Do you speak English – Parla inglese?