Lucca: Walls, Towers and Living City History

Lucca combines an exceptionally cohesive cityscape with routes that bring culture and exercise together directly. The Mura di Lucca have been fully preserved to this day and extend for more than four kilometres as an urban park. They can be explored on foot or by bicycle free of charge. For a stay combining different interests, this is a clear starting point: here, the city’s history is not confined to individual buildings but accompanies the route around the city.

Discover Lucca on foot and by bicycle

The Parco fluviale del Serchio also offers its own way to experience Lucca actively. A 11-kilometre circular route for pedestrians and cyclists runs there from the area around Ponte San Quirico to Ponte San Pietro and back. The Ciclopedonale Puccini leads through the walled city of Lucca and includes the Puccini Museum as a stop along the route. This makes it possible to combine a musical theme with a ride or walk through the city. For arrival, Lucca railway station is an easily recognisable point of orientation: it is located on Piazza Ricasoli, directly outside the city walls, and can be reached on foot in just a few minutes. When choosing accommodation in Lucca, you can therefore first consider whether your itinerary mainly includes the walls, towers, museums or the paths along the river and through the city. The places mentioned provide specific focal points for this.

Towers, squares and views

The Torre Guinigi is 45 metres high and has a rooftop garden where holm oaks grow. Together with the nearby Torre delle Ore, it is one of the two surviving towers among Lucca’s approximately 130 medieval towers. You reach the terrace of the Torre Guinigi via 25 flights of stairs with 230 steps. In clear weather, the view extends over the city, the green hills and mountains, the Apuan Alps to the northwest, the Apennines to the northeast and Monte Pisano to the south. The towers of the religious buildings also offer special perspectives. The bell tower of the Cattedrale di San Martino was opened to the public in August 2016 after restoration work. It is approximately 60 metres high, the climb consists of 217 steps, and the belfry offers a 360-degree panorama over Lucca and the plain of Lucca. In June 2023, access to the bell tower of the Basilica di San Frediano was also made possible. The tower is 55.20 metres high and, through its 31 openings, offers a distinctive view of the old town and the plain of Lucca. Piazza Anfiteatro was built over a Roman amphitheatre from the 1st or 2nd century AD, which had an elliptical design. Today’s Piazza Anfiteatro was created from 1830 onwards by the architect Nottolini. The Cattedrale di San Martino is notable for its asymmetrical façade and the Renaissance sarcophagus of Ilaria del Carretto. The cathedral was consecrated in 1070 by Pope Alessandro.

Museums, garden and local traditions

The Puccini Museum – Casa Natale is located in the heart of Lucca between Piazza Cittadella and Corte San Lorenzo. It contains the apartment where Giacomo Puccini was born on 22 December 1858 and spent his childhood and early youth. The museum displays original furnishings, handwritten scores and the Steinway & Sons grand piano on which Puccini composed his unfinished final masterpiece, Turandot. The Museum of the Via Francigena Entry Point presents another historical theme. It is located in the former Casa del Boia and offers an interactive multimedia tour. The barracks area of the Baluardo San Salvatore also includes a hospitality area with a cafeteria, refreshment facilities and a rest area, where you can relax and refresh yourself before continuing on your way. The Orto Botanico di Lucca covers two hectares on the southeastern side of the historic old town. It was established as a scientific garden in 1820, preserves endangered species and varieties, and supports botanical research and education. The Luminara di Santa Croce, a tradition deeply rooted in Lucca’s history, is another part of the city’s cultural character. In the local cuisine, you can ask for Tordelli: in the Lucca area, this is the name given to filled pasta parcels with meat and meat ragù, traditionally shaped as ridged half-moons. The following places are also available for further orientation within this selection of Lucca: Antisciana, Sant'Anna di Stazzema, Fosciandora, Corsanico, Castiglione di Garfagnana, Vallico di Sotto, Partigliano, Cardoso, Renaio, Gramolazzo, Ghivizzano, Marlia, Casatico, Cerageto, Campolemisi, Gorfigliano, Trassilico, Piaggiori, Verciano, Pugliano, Capezzano, Motrone, Villa Collemandina, Altopascio, Capannori, Massarosa, Montecarlo, Porcari, Segromigno, Camaiore, Forte Dei Marmi, Bagni Di Lucca, Barga, Borgo A Mozzano, Castelnuovo Di Garfagnana, Coreglia Antelminelli, Fabbriche Di Vallico, Giuncugnano, Seravezza, Lucca, Minucciano, Pietrasanta, Stazzema, Pescaglia, Camporgiano, Piazza Al Serchio, Viareggio, Gallicano, Vergemoli, Careggine, San Romano In Garfagnana, Molazzana, Torre, Pieve Fosciana, Sillano, Vagli Sotto, Villa Basilica.