City of Lucca

Lucca is a beautiful historic city in northern Tuscany and is the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini. At one time, Lucca was a powerful city-state and trading center, and visitors are now charmed by its distinctly old-world atmosphere. It is nicknamed “la città delle cento chiese” because of the nearly 100 old churches throughout the city. Some of these churches are spectacular and unusual, with elaborate striped-marble façades and tall towers. Its surrounding wall was originally designed to protect Lucca from invaders, but it is now a tree-lined park with a paved bicycle path. The Lucchesi and tourists frequently use the walls for morning runs, afternoon walks, and leisurely rides on their bici. It is also an easy way to travel from one side of the city to another. Because of the wall, the buildings in the original centro of town have not changed much over the centuries. But inside these buildings one finds a wealth of boutique stores, traditional restaurants, local food markets, wine bars, and artisanal gelato shops. Many other travel destinations are nearby Lucca, including Pisa, Florence, Cinque Terre, Siena, sandy beaches, and mountain towns.