Lucca
Lucca
The beautiful, historic town of Lucca is an unspoiled medieval centre enclosed by walls which have remained intact as the town has expanded and modernised.
These walls, high brick on the outside but grassy slopes on the inside, are very wide, 4200 metres long and you can either walk or cycle around them. This makes a pleasant trip because as well as the views of the town itself, there are parks and gardens along the way and each of the four sides is planted with a different species of tree.
The beautiful, historic town of Lucca is an unspoiled medieval centre enclosed by walls which have remained intact as the town has expanded and modernised.
These walls, high brick on the outside but grassy slopes on the inside, are very wide, 4200 metres long and you can either walk or cycle around them. This makes a pleasant trip because as well as the views of the town itself, there are parks and gardens along the way and each of the four sides is planted with a different species of tree.
Lucca has barred all general traffic from driving
within the city walls and the locals the Lucchese have adopted cycling
as their preferred mode of transport. There are many places to hire bicycles,
including the tourist office, and this is easily the best way to make
the most of a day trip to Lucca
Once inside this fine Tuscan town you will find
a maze of little winding roads and alleys, which either disappear into
vaults or open up into little squares. The buildings along these narrow
streets consist of houses, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and offices,
all built in different centuries but blending subtly together. As each
street opens up into a sunny square you are faced with an abundance of
historical buildings and churches, some dating back as far as the 8th
century.
The main square is Piazza San Martino and it is
here that you will find Duomo di San Martino (St Martin's Cathedral).
This stunning cathedral, with its unmistakeable white topped tower, contains
many works of art, including the most precious relic in Lucca, the Volto
Santo (Sacred Countenance). This cedar-wood crucifix and image of Christ,
according to the legend, was carved by his contemporary Nicodemus and
miraculously conveyed to Lucca in 782.
Another famous landmark is the small circular piazza
with entrances at the four points of the compass which stands on the site
of the town’s Roman amphitheatre. It is also possible to climb Torre
Guinigi and look out over the rooftops of the town. As Lucca is small,
flat and contained with the walls it is possible to see it and all it’s
famous buildings and landmarks from the top of the tower.
Lucca is a little piece of history which is a lived
in, vibrant, modern day Tuscan town without the crowds and hype and grandeur
of nearby Florence.