Discover Lucca: Art, City Walls and Paths Through History

Lucca Between the Cathedral, Towers and City Walls

Lucca brings together art, urban history and outdoor routes within a compact thematic setting. If you would like to combine different interests during one stay, you will find prominent religious buildings, museums, gardens, a historic market and official routes through the city and into the landscapes around Lucca.

The Cathedral, Puccini and Important Collections

The Cattedrale di San Martino was founded by San Frediano in the 6th century. In the 8th century, it replaced the ancient church of SS. Giovanni e Reparata as Lucca’s cathedral. One building therefore makes it possible to trace how Lucca’s religious and urban significance developed over the centuries.

The city’s musical history also has a specific place associated with it. Giacomo Puccini was born on 22 December 1858 in the house that now houses the Puccini Museum – Casa natale. He lived there during his childhood and early youth before moving to Milan in 1880 to continue his studies. For visitors who like to explore urban history through personal biographies, this place adds a distinctly different perspective to the architectural sights.

The Museo Nazionale Villa Guinigi is housed in a late Gothic villa built for Paolo Guinigi from 1413 onward. It is the museum of the city of Lucca and its surrounding area. Its collections include works by local and non-local artists who worked for Lucca on ecclesiastical and secular commissions. The Torre Guinigi adds a highly recognisable architectural landmark: the 45-metre-high tower is crowned by a hanging garden with holm oaks.

City Walls, Garden Spaces and Routes

The city walls of Lucca form a green ring more than four kilometres long around the historic city. The official Lucca itineraries make use of this distinctive urban space and include walks through the historic streets, bike rides along the park on the city walls and excursions into the landscapes around the city. This allows you to combine cultural sightseeing with a walk, bike ride or excursion into the surrounding area without turning these experiences into the same kind of activity.

Another green side of the city can be seen at the Orto Botanico di Lucca. It covers two hectares at the southeastern corner of the historic centre and has been recognised as a museum of regional significance since 2022. In the La Montagnola section, the grounds are arranged with large boulders and crossed by a spiral-shaped path. The garden thus offers its own way of engaging with Lucca’s botanical and landscape character.

Market and Via Francigena

The Mercato contadino di Lucca at the Foro Boario takes place every Saturday; during the summer months, Wednesdays are also market days. Those who would like to include everyday regional culture in their stay can therefore plan a visit on two different days of the week.

For centuries, Lucca was a strategic hub on the Via Francigena. The city offered travellers and pilgrims accommodation and hospitality, markets, hospitals and places of worship. This historical role broadens the view of Lucca beyond individual buildings: the city also appears as a place where travel, provisions, trade and religious life were interconnected.

More Destinations in the Lucca Selection

For further research within this Lucca selection, you can also discover Santa Maria Del Giudice, Monte San Quirico, Piaggione, San Pietro A Vico, Mastiano, Monsagrati, Pieve Di Brancoli, Aquilea, Arsina, Balbano, Cerasomma, Chiatri, Montuolo, Nozzano Castello, Piazzano, San Concordio Di Moriano, Farneta, San Lorenzo A Vaccoli, San Macario In Monte and Ciciana.

For the overview of higher-level destinations: Lucca.