Travel Itinerary: 24 Hours in Lucca

Ever since my mum and I returned from the Mediterranean Cruise in April, we wanted to visit Lucca. It was one of the options that was given to us for an excursion alongside Florence. We had opted for Florence at the time, but thankfully when you book yourself you can visit as many places as you want!

If you haven’t heard of it before, Lucca is a charming and historic city located in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is renowned for its well-preserved Renaissance walls, cobblestone streets, and medieval architecture, so great for exploring on foot. There were also a few shops I saw that enabled you to rent out bikes, which if I wasn’t with my mum I’d be very keen to do. They were very reasonably priced and a great way to see the town as there aren’t very many cars whizzing around at all!

Here’s what we did in the 24 hours we were here, which I hope provides some inspiration for some inspiration for your next trip!

Our itinerary:

Arrival:

When we returned in October, we took the train from Florence to Lucca, which should have been a straightforward journey. Unfortunately, like in the UK, the train drivers also strike quite a bit, which always puts a little spanner in the works. We had to get a replacement bus around halfway through our journey. This delayed our arrival time and meant that we missed an entire afternoon of exploring, which is always a shame, but sometimes just can’t be helped!

The next day:

In the morning…

Walking the city walls: Surprisingly I didn’t have a packed-out itinerary for the day. We spent the morning wandering around the city walls, which would also have been lovely to do by bike. The views were stunning and it was a lovely day which made it even better.

Visiting Chiesa di San Michele in Foro: The Chiesa di San Michele in Foro is a beautiful church dedicated to the Archangel Michael whose statue you can almost make out when you’re looking up. The façade is adorned with intricate sculptures and decorations and inside you can see various works of art, including paintings and sculptures. The church is situated in the main square of Lucca, which was the site of the Roman Forum.

Casa di Puccini: I was somehow surprised that this was located in a normal block of flats, but of course it is - it was Puccini’s house. Given the fact that Italian buildings are notoriously old, I should have realised! Tickets are €9 each and can be purchased at a little shop not far from the house. If you’re looking for a great view of the city, and of the Archangel Michael statue, going up to the top floor is a must!

Lunchtime:

Piazza dell'Anfiteatro: We made our way to Piazza dell'Anfiteatro which was built on the site of an ancient Roman amphitheatre. Unlike most “squares” it’s elliptical, and all of the buildings seem to bend to those rules. It was also the best place we saw for outdoor cafes, restaurants and shops.

La Triestina Ristorante: We opted for a little restaurant just outside of the Piazza, and it was so lovely and meant that I was able to try focaccia from Lucca! I’m keen to try all of the focaccia in Italy, and I can’t believe how different it is in the various regions. This was flat, salty and cheesy (but thankfully not the strong kind!) They even gave us a welcome prosecco which went down very well.

The afternoon:

Basilica of San Frediano: Wandering around we also stumbled upon the Basilica of San Frediano. One of the most distinctive features of the basilica is its ornate Romanesque facade. The facade is adorned with intricate mosaics depicting various religious scenes, including the Ascension of Christ. I was super impressed but the interior though. The paintings on the ceiling were so beautiful and all of the chapels are so richly decorated. If you like art, it’s worth a visit!

Old Charlie DiBianchie: We stopped at Old Charlie DiBianchie for some ice cream. The black cherry ice cream pot was delicious, and they even had truffle ice cream which was intriguing but I was a tad scared to try it!

Early evening:

Puccini Festival Opera Recitals and Concerts: The one thing I did book before we left home was the Puccini Festival Opera Recital at Oratorio Di San Giuseppe church through GetYourGuide. Tickets were £26.03 per person and it was such a lovely evening! The performers were so incredibly talented and the church was beautiful. (Side note: If you want unique experiences wherever you go, I recommend checking out GetYourGuide. I always check this to see if there’s anything I might not have thought of.)

Lucca, within the walls, is very small, so you probably don’t need more than a day or two here to explore. However, if you’re going to venture out, you might want to stay a little longer!