Things To See When Traveling To Lucca
Traveling to Lucca, a visitor will find that they slowly are taken back in time. It is very easy to take the seventy minute ride to Lucca on the Florence-Viareggio train which leaves Florence at regular intervals throughout the day. Riding along a person can enjoy the beauty and countryside of Tuscany as the train meanders to the North and ends at the Lucca Station.
The city of Lucca is on a Plateau near the Serchio River. Unlike much of Tuscany, there are very few steep climbs in the city. Access to the first site a person will want to visit is on a beautiful path leading to the walking wall that surrounds Lucca. The three mile of wall than encircles the city gives a visitor to see the entire city from above. The wall is forty feet high and sixty feet wide. It is beautifully maintained and gives a person the opportunity to see all of the beautiful cathedrals, piazzas, and gardens and parks that lie within the city walls.
There are shops, cafes, hotels, and things to see and do in every corner of this beautiful city. The main mode of transportation is bicycling or walking and there are very few cars present. The streets are very narrow and many parts of the city retain the original elements of the Romans who built the city. The architecture shows the changes in architecture that occurred during important events in Italian history.
Getting around in Lucca is very easy. The streets and lanes provide entry into a piazza so one is never lost. Each piazza contains a unique sight to behold. The Piazza dell’ Antitetro, built on a former Roman amphitheater is a main meeting place for local residents. It has beautiful cafes, shops, and outdoor seating for visitors. In December, the outdoor market brings locals from all over the region with items that one can purchase.
When walking around the walls a person will notice a tower that has oak trees on top. This is the Tower Guinigi and is a must see when visiting. Getting to the tower through the Via Sant’Andrea gives a visitor a chance to wander through a tiny, narrow lane filled with shops, a shoemaker, and antiques. Once at the entry of the Tower one will find that the entire climb of two hundred thirty steps is made easier by the historical pieces, paintings, and drawings that ascend the steps with you.
There are many beautiful piazzas and cathedrals scattered throughout the city. One may visit the Piazza San Michele in the center of the city. This piazza is at the junction of cardo and decumaneus, a Roman street. The cathedral is beautiful and each marble figure in the facade is representative of a statesmen of the age when it was built.
The piazza is surrounded by medieval buildings and wonderful shops. When one want to try true Lucca treats, the Taddeucci bakery behind the cathedral sells traditional Lucca cakes. At the top of the cathedral, the archangel Michele stands with wings which are mobile. Walking around the back of the cathedral a person can see the stairs that two men must climb with poles to move the angel’s wings during events.
Traveling to Lucca provides a person with an opportunity to explore both the history and culture of Tuscany and this beautiful town. The people are friendly, warm, and inviting. A person will find that a short stay is impossible when they begin to explore the many lanes, shops, cathedrals, and piazzas that this city offers. Then, there are the parades, festivals, and events that take place daily from September through December. One can watch the spectacular fireworks from the city walls and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful city.
Click here for more information on Tips for Travelling to Lucca and Enjoying Lucca and Tuscany’s countryside Courtesy of Hotel Hambros Lucca
