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Table of Contents:
How to get to Lucca from Florence
When to travel to Lucca
Lucca is a beautiful medieval town, situated in the Tuscany region. Cozy, blooming and fragrant – this is how you can see it in the spring and summer, but even in winter Lucca will captivate you with its palazzos, cathedrals and churches, narrow streets and unexpectedly wide squares. Although Lucca is often visited in one day, and even combined with neighboring cities such as Pisa or Arezzo, the town still deserves special attention. It’s worth going here for at least a few days, then you will see the town from a completely different side.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Lucca. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Lucca.
Tuscany has a rather mild climate so do not hesitate to visit the region at any time of the year. Spring months and the first half of autumn will suit you best in case you want to try long distance walking around the town and in the surroundings. The weather in these seasons is warm and sunny but not too hot. In winter it can be a bit blustery and rainy but it is also ok to travel to Lucca this period of the year in case you want to visit some museums and try other indoor activities. Summer is the most touristic season of the year, although in July and August it can be a bit too hot for long distance strolling.
How to get to Lucca
Where do you fly into to get to Lucca? Getting to Lucca is not difficult; the nearest cities with their own international airports are Florence and Pisa. The current flight timetable to any of these cities can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I often use this online service as it helps me a lot to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. You can get from these cities to Lucca by regional trains or by rented car. The second option will help you to reveal all the charm of Tuscan landscapes, especially if you are going to travel in May-June – the most blooming period for Tuscany.
How to get to Lucca from Florence
By public transport: The distance between Florence and Lucca is about 78 km. Direct trains run between the cities; the travel time is about 1.5 hours. Trains depart from Florence every hour during the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I use Raileurope regularly to check out the current train timetable throughout the whole of Europe. In my opinion, it is a very convenient service, because I can compare different routes, duration of the train journey, number of changes, prices, etc.
By rented car: You can also rent a car in Florence if you have an international driver’s license. The procedure of renting a car is pretty simple and does not take much time. Rental offices in Florence are open at the airport, as well as in the city center on Via di Santa Lucia and Via Forlanini. The cities are connected by highway No. A11/E76 (see on the map). You can get acquainted with the full list of options offered by rental companies on specialized online services, where you can also book a car in advance. For example, you can book a car before arrival at Discover Cars, Economybookings etc. I can recommend both online services as they have a decent search with a lot of useful options to find out the best available car rentals.
How to get to Lucca from Pisa
By rented car: The distance between Pisa and Lucca is even less – about 18 km. The journey will take you no more than 20 minutes if you travel by car. The cities are connected with the SS12 motorway (see on the map). You can rent a car in Pisa both at the arrival airport and in the city center. Car rental in Pisa is very popular among tourists. You can book the desired class of car in advance via various online services, for instance, via Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. To my mind, both online services are good. I would recommend comparing their results to find out the best available options.
By public transport: If you are used to traveling by public transport, then a regional train will come to your help; they run between the cities throughout the day. The travel time is about half an hour. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. It is one of my favourite online services for planning upcoming trips around Europe and I can definitely recommend using it.
Lucca is also located next to the beach resorts such as Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, and Viareggio. All of them lie along the Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia highway and can be reached either by car (from 40 minutes to an hour) or by public transport – all by the same regional train.
Where to stay in Lucca
Lucca is definitely worth staying for at least a few days. As I discovered, the town offers a lot of accommodation options. Depending on your preferences, you can choose among hotels of various star categories, apartments, bed and breakfasts, guest houses, and hostels.
Some hotels in Lucca in the 3*, 4* and higher categories are located in historical buildings, the so-called “palazzos”. The rooms of these hotels are decorated in appropriate styles and have elegant interiors. These, for example, include such hotels as:
San Luca Palace 4* is located in the “heart” of Lucca, within walking distance of the main attractions. There is a bar at the hotel. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking on site is provided for an additional fee. The hotel also has a terrace for relaxing. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage services;
Palazzo Alexander 4* is located within the walls of a historic building in the very center of Lucca. There is a bar at the hotel. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided on site for an additional fee. The reception desk serves guests 24 hours a day; you can find places for storing luggage here;
Albergo Villa Marta 4* is located in a historical building and offers its guests an outdoor swimming pool and a garden in the Renaissance style. The hotel also has a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site. The front desk serves guests 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage services;
Villa Cheli 3* is located in the countryside and has picturesque views. The hotel has a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar. You can stay in rooms of various categories, as well as apartments. Breakfast is included. Some rooms have a balcony. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided nearby. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that there is a children’s playground on site. You can store your luggage at the front desk.
As a rule, such hotels, despite their historical interiors, have the most modern equipment and a full range of necessary services, including Wi-Fi, parking, a bar or a restaurant, and in some cases, you can even find a swimming pool.
More affordable accommodation options are the so-called bed and breakfast hotels, which are ideal for a short stay of 1-2 days. These types of accommodation are the most popular among tourists coming to Lucca. For example, I discovered that the following B&B hotels gets the best reviews from travelers:
B&B Antico Concello is a hotel located in the very “heart” of Lucca. Guests can stay in double rooms. Breakfast is included. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. There is no parking though. Luggage storage services are provided at the front desk;
B&B Corte Toro 3* is located within the walls of a historic building in the town center. Guests can stay in double rooms. Breakfast is included. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided nearby upon reservation and at an additional cost. There is a terrace for relaxing. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk;
B&B La Romea 4* is located just 400 m from the Lucca Cathedral and 150 m from the Guinigi Tower. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Public parking nearby is provided for an additional fee;
B&B Residenza di Via Fontana 4* is located in the historical center of the town. You can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast is included. Every room is also equipped with a tea or coffee pot. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided on site upon reservation and at an additional cost.
To my mind, the advantage of such hotels is that they are all located in the historical part of the town, within walking distance of the main attractions.
What to see in Lucca
Lucca is perfect for long distance walking. Around every turn of the house there are some new and unexpected attractions hidden. This is due to the fact that the town managed to largely preserve its original exteriors. The first thing that will impress you in Lucca is the fortress walls, which were built back in the 15th century. The old part of Lucca has been preserved almost unchanged, so when you stroll along its narrow streets, you can feel like a person from the Middle Ages. In the area of the old part of the town there are more than 60 churches, cathedrals, palaces and even a tower, much older than the Pisan one.
The central architectural composition of Lucca is the Cathedral and the tower adjacent to it. The cathedral was built back in the 6th century and has a very interesting external facade, but the inside of the cathedral is even more impressive, as it is decorated with numerous objects of art. There is even a museum at the cathedral that carefully preserves collections of paintings, sculptures, and utensils. By the way, almost every church in the town has a small tower, so Lucca can safely be called the town of a dozen towers.
But the tallest of all the towers in Lucca is considered to be the Guinigi Tower, named after a noble family that once lived in the city. The height of the tower is about 44 meters. Curiously, there are oak trees at the top of the tower. According to legend, oak trees symbolize the revival of the town. If desired, tourists can climb the tower and see Lucca with its typical red roofs from a bird’s eye view. In my point of view, it is definitely worth it.
Lucca even has its own amphitheater. It may not be as famous as the Colosseum in Rome or the Arena in Verona, but it has high historical value. As far as I know, tourists can get inside the amphitheater through one of the four medieval gates.
Undoubtedly, the numerous palazzos (palaces in Italian) of the town usually attract the great attention of tourists. The main period of construction of local palazzos is the 17th-19th centuries, so their modern features and forms can be easily differed from the backdrop of medieval buildings. Many palaces can be viewed not only from the outside, but also from the inside, since authentic interiors are often preserved here, and some even have museums exhibiting works of art. Among the must-see palaces in Lucca are Palazzo Pretorio, Palazzo della Provincia, Palazzo Mansi, Palazzo Bernardini, as well as Villa Guinigi.
Going on a trip to the surroundings of Lucca, you will be able to see Tuscany in all its colors and splendor, because it is near Lucca that the famous Tuscan fields can be found, as well as seaside resorts that are located nearby. If you are traveling around Tuscany in the summer, then the beach resorts can be a great idea for a day trip for viewing the sea.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Dennis Yang
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…