Pisa is a great base from which to explore the rest of Tuscany and neighbouring Liguria. Over the coming days, I aim to make the most of the excellent local and regional transport links to visit at many places as I can.
Lucca is just 30 minutes from Pisa by train, and there are services roughly every half an hour linking the two locations, For this trip, I had considered buying a one country rail pass – but the fact is that fares in much of Italy are really cheap, so unless you’re traversing the entire country, individual tickets are better value. None more so than a return ticket to Lucca which was less than 8 Euro.
Unlike many of the hill towns in Tuscany, Lucca is relatively flat underfoot, but you still need to get through the enormous city walls first. A path from the railway station leads through a tunnel and onto the walls themselves, giving a good view of everything below. Many visitors make a point of walking the entire circuit, but on a hot July day I want to explore within.
It’s barely 1030 in the morning but already the place is filling up. One of the coolest places to hand out – in the shade – is Napoleon Square, but today, it’s out of bounds. This is because the annual Lucca Summer Festival is in town. Some of the biggest names on the planet have performed here over the years, including Elton John and Ed Sheeran. This year one of the stars is Rod Stewart. He’s nowhere to be seen, but someone of keen to get as close to the action as possible.
But a town like Lucca doesn’t need huge stars to bring in the people. A few steps away is St Martin’s Cathedal. Dating back to 1060, it’s everything you’d want to see in a classic Italian scene. Impressive architecture, beautiful decoration and a massive bell tower. A modest 10 Euro ticket allows you access to both, and another nearby treasure. Which invariably means a climb to the top, and some rather lovely views.
Is St Martin’s is about climbing to the top, then saint Giovanni’s church, next door, is all about descending into the depths. At first, the interior looks a bit plain with no much to see. But steps leads you down into teh basement, where Roman remains dating back to the first century are intact. The stunning display is the work of careful archaeological excavations over the years, and includes ancient tombstones of the era. Obviously anything that might involve bones piques the interest of someone…
While everyone wants Lucca to be a city preserved in time, it’s sadly moved with the times a bit too much. High street fashion stores jostle side by side with local tourist tat along the man street. Obviously the trade helps bring in funds, which you’d hope would in turn go to keeping Lucca in good shape. By lunchtime, you can barely move for the sight of yet another identikit menu offering “authentic” local cuisine. Although at least in some places – like the Piazza Del Anfiteatro – it’s a little more controlled.
If St Martin’s church was all about Italian style, then St Michael’s is definitely about opulence. Built on the site of the Roman forum, it’s pretty difficult to miss, from whatever angle.
Wherever you are in Lucca – and this applies to a lot of places in Italy – avoiding the crowds is something you’re not likely to achieve. Even in the off season, towns like these attract visitors by the thousands. But if you can get over that, and gaze upwards , you’ll be rewarded with images that will stay with you long after the hoards have gone.
How to get here
Lucca is 30 minutes by train from Pisa or 90 minutes from Florence. The Trenitalia website is a good place to check times, but my tip is to not book tickets in advance. The price wil be the same whenever you buy. It’s possible to drive to Lucca but parking is outside the city walls and you may find it very busy.
The Lucca Summer Festival happens each July/August and details of who’s preforming can be found on its website.
There are plenty of options for accommodation in and around Lucca, though it may be cheaper to base yourself somewhere larger like Pisa and make a day trip instead.
TravelCaster 
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