Lucca was the last of the Tuscan cities we visited on this trip. I knew nothing about Lucca until I did a little research before I left home and discovered that the city was founded by the Romans in 180 BCE. From the 11th to the 14thcenturies, Lucca’s main industries were silk production and trade. During the Renaissance, international merchant banking became important as well. Lucca’s well-preserved encircling walls, which date back to the Renaissance era, were built to defend the city from the power-hungry Medici of Florence, located about 58 miles (94 kilometers) to the east. Since Lucca wasn’t a bombing target during the war, it’s retained much of its character as a Tuscan Renaissance town and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays, Lucca has a population of about 80,000. Since it isn’t primarily a tourist town, it was described as “relaxed and charming,” which sounded very appealing.
It only took half an hour to travel the approximately 20 miles (32.4 kilometers) from Montecatini to Lucca by bus. On the way through the flat landscape, we passed many paper factories. Lodo told us that the main industry of the area is paper production and he joked that people call Lucca the toilet paper capital of Italy.
Our local guide, Consuelo, met us where our bus had to park outside the walls. Then we set out on foot for the historic center.
About 9000 people still live in the old city center, i.e. within the walls. Since it was a Saturday, many local people from the surrounding area had come to spend the day here, enjoying the markets, shopping, dining, and recreational activities. Of course, there were some tourists as well.
We began our walking tour at the Basilica of San Paulino. Its official name is the Church of Saints Paulinus and Donatus, the city’s two patron saints. The Renaissance style church, rebuilt in 1515, sits on an 8th century sacred site. Inside the church, Consuelo called our attention to the Coronation of the Virgin, a 1475 painting by Baldassarre di Biagio. In the lower part of painting, the artist depicted Lucca as it appeared during Middle Ages, with all of its defensive towers and its limestone covered walls.
We moved on to the Piazza Cittadella where we saw the house where Giacomo Puccini, my favorite opera composer, was born. A statue in the center of the piazza shows him sitting and smoking a cigar. From Consuelo, I learned that he was a real ladies’ man as well as a cigar smoker who died of throat cancer.
At the Piazza San Michele, the former site of a Roman forum, we admired the Church of San Michele. The Romanesque and Gothic style church dates back to 1370. The façade is richly decorated and sculpted with scenes showing the struggle between good and evil. We all noticed how the columns differed in terms of color and decoration.
Many attractive restaurants, cafes, and shops were located in the broad square.
It was a one-minute walk from the Piazza San Michele to the smaller Piazza Salvatore.
Then it was time to explore Lucca’s defensive walls. The original walls were built in 180 BCE, during Roman times, but they were significantly enlarged during the Middle Ages. They were expanded again and rebuilt during the Renaissance, in 1513, forming a 2.6 mile (4.2 kilometer) ring around the city. Due to changes in warfare, such as the development of powerful cannons, the thickness of the new walls was increased to 20 meters (66 feet) and platforms 50 meters (164 feet) wide were added. When the French took control of Lucca around the year 1800, they planted trees along the top of the earthen ramparts.
A short climb brought us up to the top of the walls on the north side of the city. The defensive structure has been transformed into a delightful park-like promenade that loops around the historic city center. Judging by what we witnessed, the tree-lined promenade is a popular destination for people of all ages. We saw people strolling, pushing baby carriages, biking, picnicking, playing music, and even dancing. And looking out over the historic center, we saw the bell tower of the Basilica of San Frediano. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Lucca.
on top of the walls, looking away from the city center
One noticeable building right inside that walls was the Pfanner Palace. This private home was built in 1670 by an Italian who later sold it to the German Pfanner family who got rich when they opened a beer garden.
After enjoying some time on the walls, we descended back into the city center.
Consuelo led us down Lucca’s longest shopping street, Via Fillungo. When we reached the 12th century Basilica of San Frediano, I paused to admire the beautiful mosaic above the main entrance to the church.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the site where a Roman anfiteatro, i.e. a circular theater or coliseum, once stood. After the collapse of Roman empire, the coliseum was turned into an open-air quarry and eventually just the brick skeleton remained. In modern times, the ruins have been turned into apartments and shops.
Behind the buildings is a sprawling market square where one of Lucca’s historical festivals was going on. Lucca Historiae Fest (aka Rievocando Lucca or Recalling Lucca) celebrates 2000 years of the city’s history. Colorfully costumed participants paraded through the square as locals and tourists looked on.
Historical festivals aren’t the only gatherings that take place in Lucca. Every year, the city hosts Europe’s largest Comicon event.
As we continued our walk, we approached another one of Lucca’s famous towers, the Guinigi Tower. It was commissioned by the wealthy Guinigi family of silk merchants and bankers. Consuelo told us that at one time there were 110 towers in the city. What makes the Guinigi Tower unique is the garden at the top. The three tallest trees are 200-year old oaks. If you’re willing to climb 230 steps, you can visit the garden.
We walked past the Boccherini music school where Puccini began his music studies. His father was a teacher there. School is named for the late 18th century cellist and composer Luigi Boccherini who was born in Lucca.
Shortly before noon, just when I thought our sightseeing was over, Consuelo brought us to Lucca’s Duomo, the Cathedral of San Martino. Its façade, with columns of different designs, was reminiscent of the Church of San Michele, which we’d seen earlier in the day. Distracted by hunger pangs, I neglected to take photos of the columns.
However, one interesting feature that I documented was the Maze of Lucca, which was carved into the façade in the 11th or 12th century. The Latin inscription next to it refers to a Greek myth about a labyrinth built by Daedalus. To pilgrims visiting the church in the Middle Ages, the message would have been clear: Life is very dangerous; it’s easy to get lost in the maze so follow the teachings of the Church and you’ll stay on the right path.
Also from the façade of Lucca’s Duomo is a depiction of a panther, one of the symbols of the city.
A few minutes later, we ended our guided tour at Piazza Napoleon, the biggest square in Lucca, which was bustling with activity. The plaza is surrounded by a 19th century theater, various shops, and numerous restaurants and cafés with outdoor tables. Fortunately, a small group of us located a free table in shady spot. I was hoping to find some local specialties on the menu. At one point, Consuelo had mentioned that we should look for tortelli (smaller ravioli filled with meat and served with ragù) and a popular summer salad of spelt with chopped tomatoes, white onions, olive oil, and basil. However, almost all the offerings on the menu were generic Italian dishes.
After lunch, I set out in search of local gelato. Despite Consuelo’s warning that Lucca’s version of gelato wasn’t as creamy or sweet as the gelato in other cities, I found my cone of dark chocolate and amareno (small dark cherries in syrup) absolutely delicious. It was the perfect way to cool off on a hot and sunny afternoon.
During the rest of my free time in Lucca, I visited an exhibition of paintings by Giovanni Boldini, an Italian painter who lived from 1842 to 1931. He spent most of his career in Paris, doing portraits and genre paintings (paintings of daily life). Most of his portraits feature members of Parisian high society. There was something about his style that reminded me of John Singer Sargent, the American portrait painter who was also based in Paris.
Back in Montecatini, I contemplated my upcoming return to the U.S. In two days, I was supposed to fly from Florence to Paris CDG and then on to Washington’s Dulles Airport. But in the morning, just before we left for Lucca, I’d received an email from Air France informing me that they’d canceled my reservation – at my request! However, when I checked the app, I could still see part of my reservation. There was surely some mix-up to straighten out. I tried for over an hour to reach Air France by phone. When that wasn’t successful, I wasn’t sure what to do next.
In any case, I had dinner plans for my final night in Montecatini. Lauren, Carol, Steve, and I had a reservation at the Antica Osteria Toscana, a restaurant Lodo had recommended for its excellent Tuscan cuisine. We started by sharing a generous appetizer platter. (and thanks to one of my dinner partners for a few of the following photos)
Since Tuscany is known for its beef, two of my friends decided to order a large steak to share. Our server brought the piece of meat to the table for their approval before it was cooked. I knew I wouldn’t appreciate a steak so I chose homemade pappardelle with meat sauce of wild boar and juniper berries. The pasta dish was delicious. And I also sampled the gnudi (ricotta and spinach dumplings with butter and sage) that Carol ordered.
All in all, it was a great day, except for the fact that Air France cancelled part of my reservation! As much as I love Italy, after five and half weeks, I was ready to get back home.
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