Lucca Travelers Recommend

One of Tuscany’s gems, the lovely city of Lucca is packed with churches and palaces and known for its wealth of culture and culinary pedigree. Stroll the city’s defensive walls, sip locally made wine, and even plan a northern Italian day trip. Here’s how to spend three days in Lucca.

Day 1: Sightseeing in Style

Orient yourself in the city and discover its major attractions with a morning walking tour. Learn more about its past (which dates all the way back to ancient Etruscan times), and browse the shops lining the pedestrianized Via Fillungo. After a spritz and a snack at a local café, take in the views from tree-topped Guinigi Tower (Torre Guinigi). As evening descends, explore Lucca’s defensive walls, the best-preserved Renaissance-era fortifications in Italy. Horse-and-carriage rides offer an especially romantic way to soak up the ambiance and the city views.

Day 2: Art, Food, and Wine

Begin your second day on a leisurely note with a breakfast of buccellato (a local sweet bread studded with raisins) and a cappuccino, then dive into local culture at the Casa Puccini (once home to the Lucca-born composer) or the Lucca Center of Contemporary Art. Following your cultural break, it’s time for a culinary excursion—the hills surrounding Lucca are known for olive-oil and wine production. Spend the afternoon visiting local winemakers, and enjoy guided tastings of the region’s top varietals. Upon returning to Lucca, you can shore up in a family-owned trattoria for a languorous feast or—for a hands-on, personal experience—book a dinnertime cooking class in the home of a local chef.

Day 3: A Day Trip to Remember

While Lucca is a tremendously likeable place to pass the time, its convenient location in Tuscany means it’s also an excellent jumping-off point for further adventures. On your third and final day in town, see another side of the region when you plan an inspiring day trip. Nearby Pisa, with its Piazza dei Miracoli UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most accessible options for a getaway, while trips to historical Siena and lofty San Gimignano offer the ideal opportunity to visit some of Tuscany’s other heavy-hitters. Alternatively, you can spend a full day out along the Cinque Terre: one of Italy’s most in-demand destinations, renowned for its vertiginous, coastal beauty. Coach and private-car tours offer a hassle-free way to explore the UNESCO site and make it easy to wend your way among Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and the region’s other vibrant fishing villages.

One of Tuscany’s true gems, Lucca is an accessible city with charm to spare. From its Renaissance-era defensive walls and soaring towers to its charming churches and convivial bars and restaurants, the city is the perfect destination for day-trippers seeking la bella vita. Here’s how to make the most of your 1-day visit.

Morning: Immersive City Sightseeing

Lovely Lucca is, in many ways, the land that time forgot—and is all the better for it. The winding, narrow streets of the city center are largely car-free, but you don’t need a hop-on-hop-off-bus tour to discover its sights. Do as the native Lucchesi do and explore the city by bike; wend your way past churches, towers, and atmospheric piazze. Alternatively, walking tours provide a slower, more immersive way to see the sights, while horse-and-carriage rides offer a romantic option for circling the city by its Renaissance-era defensive walls.

Afternoon: Authentic Cooking and Dining

From homemade pasta to local wine, Lucca is the perfect destination for foodies and would-be cooks. Once you’ve worked up an appetite from your sightseeing excursion, indulge in a traditional, multicourse Italian meal. Visit a local trattoria, or, if you prefer a hands-on experience, sign up for a cooking class held in the home of a Lucca resident. You won’t just learn the secrets behind classic Lucchese dishes—you’ll also see a local’s-eye view of the Tuscan city.

Evening: A Classical Concert

Giacomo Puccini, the opera composer whose masterworks include Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, and Tosca, was a native Lucchese, and if you listen closely, you can still hear some of his most famous and beautiful melodies wafting over the city. End your day in Lucca on a high note—quite literally—when you book tickets to an evening of classical, Puccini-penned music. Venture into one of Lucca’s atmospheric churches, and listen to classically trained singers and musicians perform his best-known arias.

Nicknamed “The City of 100 Churches,” charming Lucca is packed with centuries-old religious landmarks and lofty towers and is ringed by the best-preserved Renaissance-era defensive walls in Italy. Two days in town is enough time to discover its highlights as well as indulge in the finer things. Here’s how to plan your trip.

Day 1: Culture and Sightseeing

**Morning:**Hop-on-hop-off-bus tours aren’t Lucca’s style—large swaths of the city are car-free—but there are other ways to discover its major landmarks. For a traditional Lucchese experience, zip between palaces and piazze on a bike tour. Alternatively, walkable Lucca can be easily explored on foot.

**Afternoon:**After pausing for a focaccia or other light bite, spend the afternoon exploring Lucca’s green spaces. The city’s defensive walls are its defining feature and offer a pretty place to walk, while the Palazzo Pfanner’s lavish gardens reward wanderers. You can also summit the lofty Torre Guinigi, a tower that offers panoramic views—and has trees growing on its top.

**Evening:**Following a busy day of sightseeing, a tranquil evening of classical music provides the perfect way to unwind. Composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, and you can still watch singers and symphonies bring his operatic arias to life.

Day 2: Food and Wine

**Morning:**Lucca is a city with a serious culinary pedigree—and there’s no better introduction to its gastronomic offerings than a local-led cooking class. Head to a bustling market in the morning to shop for ingredients before making a multicourse feast with the guidance of a chef.

**Afternoon:**After your home-cooked meal, experience another side of Lucca’s gastronomic plenty with an afternoon wine tour. Follow your guide between authentic local bars at aperitivo hour, or even venture beyond city limits for several hours to drop by a local winery.

**Evening:**Once evening descends, toast your stay with a late dinner. Lucca’s walkable center is brimming with family-owned trattorias and other charming restaurants. If the weather is fine, grab a table on the terrace and enjoy the unhurried hospitality.