Lucca - A Journey of Discovery

While staying in Florence we spent a few days exploring the surrounding areas. Among these short trips, Siena was definitely our favorite. After some thought we decided on Lucca. Although Lucca is as close to Florence as Pisa, it became our choice because it is less touristy and more preserved.

Lucca is a city that wins the hearts of almost everyone. It has everything it needs: a rich history spanning centuries, a well-preserved historical center, stunningly beautiful and unique medieval architecture and fully intact 16th and 17th-century city walls. These walls have been transformed into a magnificent city promenade in the 20th century. And the mountains surrounding Lucca add to the city's charm.

Although Lucca does not have a heroic history, it has certainly experienced a tumultuous one. Like many other cities in Tuscany, it was founded by the Etruscans, later coming under Roman rule. In the 10th and 11th centuries, it prospered through silk trade and was once the capital of Tuscany. For centuries, it competed with Pisa and Florence. In the 12th century Lucca was the largest city-state in Italy after Venice, maintaining its independence until Napoleon Bonaparte’s conquest. In 1860 during the unification of Italy, it joined the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia. Today it remains an important center in Tuscany with a population of around 89000.

One of the most striking features of Lucca is its 16th-17th century city walls. Although these massive fortifications were never used in battle, they successfully prevented a disaster in 1812. When the Serchio River flooded, the city was spared from damage thanks to the walls.

It takes only 30-40 minutes to reach Lucca from Florence by train and the historical center is just a 10-minute walk from the station. That's what we did and we headed straight for Lucca's main cathedral, the Duomo. However, first, we encountered the San Giovanni and Santa Reparata churches. By chance, a flea market was set up in the square in front of the church during our visit. Before entering we began exploring the city by observing the church's elegant carved door.

We were determined to climb the tower, but we hadn't anticipated that the entrance would be closed after 4:00 PM. Unfortunately, we missed it... However, this unexpected delay gave us some extra time and allowed us to explore the famous city walls of Lucca from start to finish. The city walls are completely intact and it’s clear from the map of the city that the entire historical center is surrounded by them. However, calling this structure a wall doesn’t quite do it justice; it more closely resembles a wide and shaded boulevard. Since the 19th century, these low but wide walls have been used as a walking path. It is said that at one point, even vehicles used to drive on top of these walls. Today, these walls have become a pleasant walking and biking path for both locals and tourists. We enjoyed a wonderful walk along this shaded boulevard and soaked in the peaceful atmosphere of Lucca.

For the best experience view this post on Liketu