what to do

Places to visit

To spend a vacation in Lucca means to be in contact with the Tuscany in all its aspects: art and culture, the country side with its local traditions, the sea and the mountains, the wine gastronomy. During your stay we advise you to visit Lucca . Lucca is characterized by its historical center with its narrow ways, squares, “one hundred churches” and palaces all surrounded by 4 km walls.

From Lucca you can easly reach other famous cities such as: Pisa with its famous Piazza dei Miracoli and leaning tower; Florence rich with art and history; Siena, another city of art and a rich tradition of cookery and surrounded by charming countryside .

For country lovers there are bicycle tours like the wine’s way in the lucchesian hills crossing a rare beautiful area with olive groves, vineyards and historic villas. The ‘way’ starts from Montecarlo to Matraia. by this route you can visit a lot of breathtaking villas such as: villa Mansi, villa Torrigiani, villa Grabau, villa Oliva Buonvisi.

For archaeology lovers there is the naturalistic archaeology park in ‘Media Valle’ are of Lucca close too Palazzaccio and Fossanera. In this place have been found the remains of 100 small roman age farms.

Don’t forget to visit Garfagnana situated between medium and high valle del serchio. Garfagnana is surrounded by the Apuane and Appennines mountains.

There are charicteristic villages rich with natural atmosphere. You can discover them choosing between 7 routes advises by CAI (one of these is Grotta del Vento).

Along the Serchio river don’t forget to visit Ponte del Diavolo in Borgo a Mozzano and the thermal bath in Bagni di Lucca is the most important in Italy since 1800.

If you want go to the sea, versilia is near, about half hour by car. You can start to visit in Torre del Lago where every summer there is the famous Puccini’s festival; then you can reach Viareggio, a famous holiday place since eight century, and, for the most beautiful carnival festival of Europe; you continue to Forte dei Marmi, it is place of èlite tourism, and in the end you can arrive until National Cinque Terre Park in Liguria.

Finally, you can visit Val di Nievole ( Pistoia direction) rich with: hills, villages, famous Montecatini Terme and then Collodi. Here you can admire the Pinocchio park and the historical post renaissance age Garzoni villa.