Florence is within easy striking distance of a number of great cities—as their fortifications attest. Along with Siena, Pisa and Lucca show that Florence wasn’t the only power and cultural star of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Pisa’s Leaning Tower is touristy but worth a visit. Many tourists are surprised to see that the iconic tower is only a small part of a gleaming white architectural complex—featuring a massive cathedral and baptistery—that dominates the grand green square, the Field of Miracles. The rest of the city is virtually tourist-free and merits a wander for its rich history, architecture, and student vibe.
Lucca, contained within its fine Renaissance wall, lacks any blockbuster sights, but has a charm that causes many connoisseurs of Italy to claim it as a favorite stop. The town’s garden-topped city wall is perfect for a laid-back bike ride—the single must-do activity in this pleasant getaway.
The two towns are about 25 minutes apart by train and 50 minutes by bus. Each is about 1.5 hours (or less) by train from Florence and well-served by excellent highways.
Using public transportation, you could day-trip from Florence to both cities. But with more time, stay overnight in Lucca. Take the train to Pisa in the morning, do your sightseeing, catch the bus or train to Lucca late in the afternoon, enjoy the evening scene, and stay the night. Sightsee Lucca the next day, then move on to your next destination by train.
Famous for its tipsy Tower, Pisa (“PEE-zah”) is much more than its iconic landmark. This thriving midsize city has a wealth of history and architectural treasures, an unexpectedly fun-to-explore arcaded core, and a prestigious university. The tower and its companion buildings at the Field of Miracles are undoubtedly a must-see. But beyond that tourist-clogged zone, Pisa feels like a real-world antidote to all that Tuscan cutesiness...a humbler Florence.
Centuries ago, Pisa was a major power—rivaling Venice and Genoa for control of the seas. City leaders erected a passel of Pisan Romanesque landmarks—the Duomo, Baptistery, and Tower—that float regally on the best lawn in Italy. Even as the church was being built, Piazza del Duomo was nicknamed the “Campo dei Miracoli,” or Field of Miracles, for the grandness of the undertaking.
After its port silted up, Pisa was left high and dry, and eventually entered a period of steady decline...leaving those grand landmarks as reminders of its past glory.
While Pisa is rewarding even on a short visit, lingering here helps you round out your Tuscan experience.
For most visitors, Pisa is a touristy quickie—seeing the Tower, visiting the square, and wandering through the Duomo are 90 percent of their Pisan thrills. But it’s a shame to skip the rest of the city. Considering Pisa’s historic importance and the ambience created by its rich architectural heritage and vibrant student population, the city deserves a half-day visit. For many, the lack of tourists outside the Field of Miracles is both a surprise and a relief.
The Tower recently underwent a decade of restoration and topple-prevention. To ascend, you must get your ticket and book a time in advance online (no sooner than 20 days but at least one day beforehand) at www.opapisa.it. Otherwise, go straight to the ticket office upon arrival to snag an appointment—usually for a couple of hours later, especially in summer (for directions to the Field of Miracles, see “Arrival in Pisa,” later). If you’ll be seeing both the town and the Field of Miracles, plan on a six-hour stop. If just blitzing the Field of Miracles, three hours is the minimum. Spending the night lets you savor a youthful Italian city scene.
If you’re connecting Pisa and Lucca, note that a train runs at least hourly between Pisa’s San Rossore train station near the Field of Miracles and Lucca, and buses leave frequently from Piazza Manin at the Field of Miracles gate (see here). This is so quick and easy that if you’re just planning on seeing the Field of Miracles sights, Pisa makes a good half-day side-trip from Lucca.
The city of Pisa is manageable, with just 100,000 people, but its 45,000 students keep it lively, especially at night. The city is framed on the north by the Field of Miracles (Leaning Tower) and on the south by Pisa Centrale train station. The Arno River flows east to west, bisecting the city. Walking from Pisa Centrale directly to the Tower takes about 30 minutes (allow an hour if you take my self-guided walk). The two main streets for tourists and shoppers are Via Santa Maria (running south from the Tower) and Corso Italia/Borgo Stretto (running north from the station). A thousand years ago the city was a fortified burg on the north side of the river between those two main streets.
The main TI is located on the Field of Miracles, next to the Duomo’s ticket office (daily 9:30-17:30, until 15:30 off-season, Piazza Duomo 7, tel. 050-550-100, www.turismo.pisa.it). It sells LAM bus tickets and offers videoguide walking tours of the main sights and the city center (€5-8), as well as guided tours on weekends (Sat-Sun at 11:15, €10 and up). For those doing Pisa as a stopover, the TI offers baggage storage (€3-4). There’s another TI at the airport, in the arrivals hall.
Most trains (and visitors) arrive at Pisa Centrale station, about a mile south of the Tower and Field of Miracles. A few trains, particularly those from Lucca or La Spezia, stop at the smaller Pisa San Rossore station, an easy five-minute walk from the Tower (not all trains stop here, but if yours does, hop off).
Pisa Centrale Station: This station has a baggage-check desk—look for deposito bagagli (daily 6:00-21:00). With the tracks to your back, it’s to the right at the far end of platform 1, just after the police station.
To get to the Field of Miracles, you can walk (30 minutes direct, one hour if you follow my self-guided walk), take a taxi (€10, tel. 050-541-600, taxi stand at station), or go by bus. At all bus stops in Pisa, be cautious of pickpockets, who take advantage of crowds to operate.
Bus LAM Rossa (“Red,” also marked L/R) stops across the street from the train station, in front of the NH Cavalieri Hotel. Buy a €1.20 bus ticket from the tobacco/magazine kiosk in the train station’s main hall or at any tobacco shop (€2 on board; bus usually departs every 10 minutes, less frequent off-season, runs until 23:00, 15-minute trip). The bus lets you off at Piazza Manin, in front of the gate to the Field of Miracles (stop: Torre).
To return to the train station from the Tower, catch bus LAM Rossa in front of the BNL bank, across the street from where you got off. You’ll also find a taxi stand 30 yards from the Tower (at Bar Duomo).
Pisa San Rossore Station: From this dreary little suburban station, it’s just a five-minute walk to the tower. Exit the underpass at platform 2L, and follow the exit signs to Torre Pendente. Once out of the station area, turn left and follow brown Torre Pendente sights—you’ll see the tower soon, straight ahead.
Driving in the city center is stressful, time-consuming, and risky, as Pisa has several restricted areas that are monitored by camera and marked by ZTL signs (you could get a ticket by mail).
For a quick visit, try the Parcheggio di Piazza dei Miracoli lot, just northwest of the tower (€2/hour, enter from Via Giovanni Battista Niccolini). From here, the Tower is practically across the street.
For a longer visit—or if the Parcheggio lot is full—it’s best to leave your car at the big Pietrasantina parking lot, designed for tour buses (which pay to park) and tourists with cars (who park for free). From there, you can walk to the Field of Miracles or hop on a shuttle bus. To reach this parking lot, exit the autostrada at Pisa Nord and follow signs to Pisa (on the left), then Bus Parking. The parking lot has a cafeteria and WC. At the center of the lot is a high-roofed bus stop where you can catch the LAM Rossa bus to Piazza Manin at the gate of the Field of Miracles (€1.20 at the parking lot’s cafeteria, €2 on board, continues to central Pisa).
The walk to the Tower takes about 10 minutes: From the newspaper/souvenir kiosk at the east end of the lot, turn right onto the curving road. Follow the blue signs indicating a pedestrian path and brown signs pointing to the Leaning Tower. Or, to follow my self-guided walk through Pisa back to the Field of Miracles, take bus LAM Rossa to Pisa Centrale station.
For details on Pisa’s Galileo Galilei Airport, see here.
Markets: An open-air produce market attracts picnickers to Piazza delle Vettovaglie, one block north of the Arno River near Ponte di Mezzo, and nearby Piazza Sant’Uomobuono (Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00, main section closes at 13:00, closed Sun). A street market—with more practical goods than food—bustles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings between Via del Brennero and Via Paparrelli (8:00-13:00, just outside of wall, about 6 blocks east of the Tower).
Festivals: Noon on March 25 (also the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary) is the Capodanno Pisano, the end of the year according to the Pisan calendar used in the Middle Ages. In a tradition carried on from medieval times, the city hosts New Year’s festivities for several days.
June is a big month in Pisa, when some hotels raise their rates. The first half of June has many events, culminating in a celebration for Pisa’s patron saint (June 16-17). The last week in June is the Gioco del Ponte (“Game of the Bridge”) festival, where burly residents of the city’s four districts meet on the bridge for a game of tug-of-war with a big carriage.
Local Guides: Dottore Vincenzo Riolo is a great guide for Pisa and the surrounding area (€145/3 hours, mobile 338-211-2939, www.pisatour.it, info@pisatour.it). Martina Manfredi happily guides visitors through the Field of Miracles, but her real passion is helping them discover Pisa’s other charms, from hidden gardens and piazzas to cuisine to artisans (3 hours-€140, 6 hours-€250, mobile 328-898-2927, www.tuscanyatheart.it, artemarty@libero.it).
(See “Pisa” map, here.)
A leisurely one-hour self-guided stroll from Pisa Centrale train station to the Tower is a great way to get acquainted with the subtle virtues of this fine city. Because the hordes who descend daily on the Tower rarely bother with the rest of the town, you’ll find most of Pisa to be delightfully untouristy—a student-filled, classy, Old World town with an Arno-scape much like its upstream rival, Florence.
• From Pisa Centrale, walk north (under the fascist marble arcade) up Viale Antonio Gramsci to the circular square called...
The Allies considered Pisa to be strategically important in World War II, and both the train station and its main bridge were targeted for bombing. Forty percent of this district was destroyed. The piazza has been rebuilt, and now this generous public space with grass and benches is actually a lid for an underground parking lot. The circular pink building in the middle of the square, on the right, is La Bottega del Parco, a shop that sells Tuscan products and light meals.
At the top of the square, on the left (by the Credito Artigiano bank), find the little piazza with a colorful bar/café that faces a mural, called Tuttomondo (Whole Wide World), painted by American artist Keith Haring in 1989. Haring (who died of AIDS in 1990) brought New York City graffiti into the mainstream. This painting is a celebration of diversity, chaos, and the liveliness of our world, vibrating with energy.
• Head back to the middle of the big square and take the first left. This is Pisa’s main drag.
As you leave Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, look to the right (on the wall of the bar on the corner, under the gallery) to see the circa-1960 wall map of Pisa with a steam train. Then follow the pedestrianized Corso Italia straight north for several blocks, toward the river. This is Pisa’s main shopping street for locals, not tourists. This is where the midrange department stores are and where students hang out and stroll—you’ll see plenty of youthful fashions.
A few blocks up, in front of the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine (#88), meet Nicola Pisano. He and his son, Giovanni (who worked in the 13th century) represented the pinnacle of Gothic art and inspired Michelangelo. Although they were from the south, their work in their adopted town earned them the name “Pisano” (from Pisa).
Continuing down Corso Italia, you’ll run into a gorgeous loggia. Like much of the city, this was built under Medici (Florentine) rule—and it resembles the markets you’ll still find in Florence. But remember that before Florence ruled Pisa, this city was an independent and strong maritime republic.
• At the Arno River, cross to the middle of the bridge.
This modern bridge, the site of Pisa’s first bridge and therefore its birthplace, marks the center of Pisa. In the Middle Ages, Ponte di Mezzo (like Florence’s Ponte Vecchio) was lined with shops. It’s been destroyed several times by floods...and in 1943 by British and American bombers. Enjoy the view from the center of the bridge of the elegant mansions that line the riverbank, recalling Pisa’s days of trading glory—the cityscape feels a bit like Venice’s Grand Canal. Back when the loggia area was stinky and crowded, nobles preferred to live in stately residences along the river.
• Cross the bridge to...
This square is named for the charismatic leader of the Risorgimento, the unification movement that led to Italian independence in 1860. Knowing Pisa was strongly nationalist (and gave many of its sons to the national struggle), a wounded Garibaldi came here to be nursed back to health. Study the bronze relief at the base of the statue and see him docking in Pisa and receiving a warm and caring welcome.
For a gelato break, stop by La Bottega del Gelato, right on this square and most Pisans’ sentimental favorite. Or, for a fresh take on the same old gelato, head about 100 yards downstream (to the left on Lungarno Pacinotti as you come off the bridge) to De’ Coltelli (at #23), which scoops up organic, artisanal gelato with unusual and vibrant flavors...some of the best I’ve had. Just beyond that, in the slouching red building (at #28), step into Caffè dell’Ussero. This venerable café has long been a hangout of both politicians...and the students bent on overthrowing them. Greet the proprietor and then browse its time-warp interior all the way to its back room—it’s lined with portraits and documents from the struggle for Italian independence.
• Back on Piazza Garibaldi, continue north up the elegantly arcaded street called...
Welcome to Pisa’s other main shopping street—this one higher end. On the right, the Church of St. Michael, with its fine Pisan Romanesque facade, was likely built upon a Roman temple.
From here, look farther up the street and notice how it undulates like a flowing river. In the sixth century B.C., Pisa was born when two parallel rivers were connected by canals. This street echoes the flow of one of those canals. An 11th-century landslide rerouted the second river, destroying ancient Pisa, and the entire city had to rebuild.
• Just past the church, pause to appreciate the Renaissance arcades (loggias) in every direction. Then detour left onto Via delle Colonne, and walk one block down to...
Pisa’s historic market square, Piazza delle Vettovaglie, is lively by day and sketchy by night. Its Renaissance loggia has hosted the fish-and-vegetable market for generations (closed Sun). Stalls are set up in this piazza in the morning and stay open later in the neighboring piazza to the west (Piazza Sant’Uomobuono). You could cobble together a picnic from the sandwich shops and fruit-and-veggie stalls ringing these squares, or enjoy lunch at the recommended La Vineria di Piazza trattoria (under the arcades of Piazza delle Vettovaglie).
• Return to Borgo Stretto and continue north another 100 yards, passing an ugly bomb site on the right, with its horrible 1960s reconstruction (Largo Ciro Menotti). You’ll pass Pasticceria Salza—while no place for fine food or snappy service, it has been an elegant place for a coffee and a central perch from which to observe the scene since 1898.
Take the second left on nondescript Via Ulisse Dini (immediately at the arcade’s end, just before the pharmacy). This leads to Pisa’s historic core, the square called...
With its old clock and colorfully decorated palace, this piazza was once the seat of the independent Republic of Pisa’s government. Around 1500, Florence conquered Pisa and made this square the training place for the knights of its navy. The statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici shows the Florentine who ruled Pisa in the 16th century. With a foot on a dolphin, he reminded all who passed that the Florentine navy controlled the sea—at least a little of it. The frescoes on the exterior of the square’s buildings, though damaged by salty sea air and years of neglect, reflect Pisa’s fading glory under the Medici.
With Napoleon, this complex of grand buildings became part of the University of Pisa. The university is one of Europe’s oldest, with roots in a law school that dates back as far as the 11th century. In the mid-16th century, the city was a hotbed of controversy, as spacey professors like Galileo Galilei studied the solar system—with results that challenged the Church’s powerful doctrine. Galileo’s legacy lives on, as the U of P is most highly regarded for its scientific faculties, especially engineering and medicine.
• From here, take Via Corsica (to the left of the clock). Follow Via Corsica as it turns into Via dei Mille, then turn right on Via Santa Maria, which leads north, becoming a touristy can-can of eateries, and finally ends at the Field of Miracles and the Tower.
(See “Pisa’s Field of Miracles” map, here.)
Imagine arriving in Pisa as a sailor in the 12th century, when the Arno River came to just outside the walls surrounding this square, the church here was one of the biggest in the world, and this ensemble in gleaming white marble was the most impressive space in Christendom. Calling it the Field of Miracles (Campo dei Miracoli) would not have been hyperbole.
Scattered across a golf-course-green lawn are five grand buildings: the cathedral (or Duomo), its bell tower (the Leaning Tower), the Baptistery, the hospital (today’s Museum of the Sinopias), and the Camposanto Cemetery. The buildings are constructed from similar materials—bright white marble—and have comparable decoration. Each has a simple ground floor and rows of delicate columns and arches that form open-air arcades, giving the Campo a pleasant visual unity.
Pisa’s combo-ticket scheme is designed to get you into its neglected secondary sights: the Baptistery, Camposanto Cemetery, Duomo Museum (closed for renovation), and Museum of the Sinopias (fresco patterns).
For €5, you get your choice of one of these sights; for two sights, the cost is €7; for the works, you pay €8 (credit cards accepted). It’s free to enter the Duomo, but you either need a voucher with an appointed time, or you can get in anytime with any combo-ticket. With any ticket, you’ll pay an additional €18 to climb the Tower.
You can get the Duomo voucher and any of these tickets from either ticket office on the Field of Miracles: One is behind the Leaning Tower and the other is at the Museum of the Sinopias (near the TI). It’s also possible to buy tickets in advance online at www.opapisa.it (no sooner than 20 days but at least one day ahead of your visit; free Duomo voucher not available online).
So, which ticket to buy? This depends on your time and level of interest. The shortest visit doesn’t cost a dime: Ogle the Tower and other buildings, and enter the Duomo (with the best interior). If you’re in a hurry, buy a €5 ticket to enter the Duomo right away. With more time, the interiors of the Baptistery and Camposanto Cemetery are well worth paying for and easy to appreciate.
The two museums—Duomo Museum and Museum of the Sinopias—are “extra credit” for those fascinated by the artistic details of the other sights; for most travelers, they’re skippable.
And what about entering the Tower? Is it worth that hefty price tag—and a likely wait to enter? It’s a minor thrill to clomp up those twisty stairs, and the view from the top is enjoyable. But Pisa isn’t particularly scenic, and it’s a lot of expense and hassle for a view. Unless climbing the Tower is what you came to do, I consider ascending it optional. The real thrill comes from seeing it from the outside.
As you consider your itinerary, remember that until the “cult of the Leaning Tower” was born around 1900, people came to Pisa not to see the tower but to visit the historic Camposanto Cemetery.
The style is called Pisan Romanesque. Unlike traditional Romanesque, with its heavy fortress-like feel—thick walls, barrel arches, few windows—Pisan Romanesque is light and elegant. At ground level, most of the structures have simple half-columns and arches. On the upper levels, you’ll see a little of everything—tight rows of thin columns; pointed Gothic gables and prickly spires; Byzantine mosaics and horseshoe arches; and geometric designs (such as diamonds) and striped, colored marbles inspired by mosques in Muslim lands.
Architecturally, the Campo is unique and exotic, so I’ve rated it ▲▲▲. Lining this field of artistic pearls are dozens of people who have simultaneously had the same bright idea: posing for a photo as though they’re propping up the Leaning Tower. Although the smooth green carpet looks like the ideal picnic spot—and many people are doing just that—officially, lounging on this lawn can result in a €25 fine.
If your time is limited, focus on the best of the Campo—the Tower and the Duomo. For a longer visit, also see “The Rest of the Field of Miracles,” later in this chapter, for details on the Baptistery, the Museum of the Sinopias, the Camposanto Cemetery, and the Duomo Museum (if open).
You’ve seen it in TV ads, in movies, and on posters, key chains, and souvenir dishes—now it’s time to see the actual tower. A 15-foot lean from the vertical makes the Leaning Tower one of Europe’s most recognizable images. You can see it for free—it’s always viewable—or you can pay to climb nearly 300 stairs to the top.
The off-kilter Tower parallels Pisa’s history. Construction began in the late 12th century, when Pisa was at its peak: one of the world’s richest, most powerful, and most sophisticated cities. Pisans had built their huge cathedral to reflect their city’s superpower status, and the cathedral’s bell tower—the Leaning Tower—was the perfect complement. But as Pisa’s power declined, the Tower reclined, and ever since, both have required a great deal of effort to prop up. However, after a 10-year renovation, the Tower’s been stabilized. You can admire it in all its cockeyed glory and even climb up for a commanding view.
Cost and Hours: €18, kids under age 8 not allowed, daily April-Sept 8:00-20:00 (until 22:00 mid-June-Aug), Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-17:00, March 9:00-18:00, ticket office opens 30 minutes early, reservations necessary if you value your time, www.opapisa.it.
Reservations: Entry to the tower is by a timed ticket good for a 30-minute visit. Every 15 minutes, 45 people can clamber up the 294 tilting steps to the top. Children ages 8-18 must be accompanied by—and stay at all times with—an adult.
Reserve your timed entry online or in person at either ticket office. Online bookings are accepted no earlier than 20 days and no later than one day in advance. Choose your entry time and buy your ticket at www.opapisa.it. Print out the voucher and bring it to the Tower no less than 15 minutes before your entry time.
To reserve in person, go to the ticket office, behind the Tower on the left (in the yellow building), or to the Museum of the Sinopias ticket office.
Planning Your Time: In summer, for same-day entry, you’ll likely wait 2-3 hours before going up (see the rest of the monuments and grab lunch while waiting). It’s busiest between 12:00 and 15:00; the wait is usually much shorter at the beginning or end of the day. Mondays, when museums in Florence are closed, are always the busiest.
Arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of your reservation or you may not be allowed in. Even though this is technically a guided visit, the “guide” is a museum guard who makes sure you don’t stay past your scheduled time. For your 30-minute time slot, figure about 10 minutes to climb, and 10 to descend. This leaves about 10 minutes for vertigo at the top.
Baggage Check: You can’t take anything up the Tower other than your phone or camera. Day-bag-size lockers are available at the ticket office next to the Tower—show your ticket to check your bag. You may check your bag 15 minutes before your reservation time and must pick it up immediately after your Tower visit.
Caution: The railings are skinny, the steps are slanted, there are no handrails, and rain makes the marble slippery—all in all, it’s more dizzying than you might expect. Anyone with balance issues of any sort should think twice before ascending.
If you’re going inside, you may have to wait around for a few minutes at the base of the Tower—the perfect opportunity to read this. If you’re not ascending, almost all of this tour is just as interesting from down below.
Yep, There It Is: Rising up alongside the cathedral, the Tower is nearly 200 feet tall and 55 feet wide, weighing 14,000 tons and currently leaning at a five-degree angle (15 feet off the vertical axis). It started to lean almost immediately after construction began (it would take two centuries to finish the structure). Count the eight stories—a simple base, six stories of columns (forming arcades), and a belfry on top. The inner structural core is a hollow cylinder built of limestone bricks, faced with white marble brought here by barge from San Giuliano, northeast of the city. The thin columns of the open-air arcades make the heavy Tower seem light and graceful.
The Building of the Tower: The Tower was built over two centuries by at least three different architects. You can see how each successive architect tried to correct the leaning problem—once halfway up (after the fourth story), once at the belfry on the top.
The first stones were laid in 1173, probably under the direction of the architect Bonanno Pisano (who also designed the Duomo’s bronze back door). Five years later, just as the base and the first arcade were finished, someone said, “Is it just me, or does that look crooked?” The heavy Tower—resting on a very shallow 13-foot foundation—was sinking on the south side into the marshy, multilayered, unstable soil. (Actually, all of the Campo’s buildings tilt somewhat.) The builders carried on anyway, until they’d finished four stories (the base, plus three arcade floors). Then, construction suddenly halted—no one knows why—and for a century the Tower sat half-finished and visibly leaning.
Around 1272, the next architect continued, trying to correct the problem by angling the next three stories backward, in the opposite direction of the lean. The project then again sat mysteriously idle for nearly another century. Finally, Tommaso Pisano put the belfry on the top (c. 1350-1372), also kinking it to overcome the leaning.
Man Versus Gravity: After the Tower’s completion, several attempts were made to stop its slow-motion fall. The architect/artist/writer Giorgio Vasari reinforced the base in 1550, and it actually worked. But in 1838, well-intentioned engineers pumped out groundwater, destabilizing the Tower and causing it to increase its lean at a rate of a millimeter per year.
It got so bad that in 1990 the Tower was closed for repairs, and $30 million was spent trying to stabilize it. Engineers dried the soil with pipes containing liquid nitrogen, anchored the Tower to the ground with steel cables, and buried 600 tons of lead on the north side as a counterweight (not visible)—all with little success. The breakthrough came when they drilled 15-foot-long holes in the ground on the north side and sucked out 60 tons of soil, allowing the Tower to sink on the north side and straighten out its lean by about six inches.
Erosion also threatens the Tower. Since its construction, 135 of the Tower’s 180 marble columns have had to be replaced. Stone decay, deposits of lime and calcium phosphate, accumulations of dirt and moss, cracking from the stress of the lean—all of these are factors in its decline.
Thanks to the Tower’s lean, there are special trouble spots. The lower south side (which is protected from cleansing rain and wind) is a magnet for dirty airborne particles, while the stone on the upper areas has more decay (from eroding rain and wind). The Tower, now stabilized, has been cleaned. Cracks have been filled, and accumulations removed with carefully formulated atomized water sprays and poultices of various solvents.
All the work to shore up, straighten, and clean the Tower has probably turned the clock back a few centuries. In fact, art historians figure the Tower leans today as much as it did when Galileo reputedly conducted his gravity experiment here 400 years ago.
• Wait’s over? Great. It’s time to head inside.
Climbing the Tower: First, you’ll enter the room at the bottom of the tower known as the Sala del Pesce (for the Christian fish symbol on the wall). Gape up through the hollow Tower to the oculus at the top, and marvel at the acoustics. Also check out the heavy metal braces stretching up to the top.
Then you’ll wind your way up the outside along a spiraling ramp to the first level, where you can stroll the colonnaded arcade. Then, finding the tiny spiral staircase next to where you entered the first level, head to the belfry on the top, climbing a total of 294 stairs. At the top, you’ll have fine views over the Duomo and the rest of the Field of Miracles, as well as over the rooftops of Pisa (admittedly, not the most striking city).
The huge Pisan Romanesque cathedral, with its carved pulpit by Giovanni Pisano, is artistically more important than its more famous bell tower. Budget some sightseeing time for the church’s artistic and historic treasures.
Cost and Hours: Free, pick up a voucher with an entry time at either ticket office (every 30 minutes, voucher not available in advance online) or show your combo-ticket (see sidebar on here); daily April-Sept 10:00-20:00, Oct 10:00-19:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, March 10:00-18:00.
Crowd-Beating Tips: Because the Duomo is the only free interior at the Field of Miracles, it’s on every tour itinerary and can be busy. Ideally, try to see the Duomo before 12:00 or after 15:00. Any combo-ticket or Tower ticket will let you in without an entry time.
Dress Code: Shorts are OK as long as they’re not too short, and shoulders should be covered (although it’s not really enforced).
Self-Guided TourThe Duomo is the centerpiece of the Field of Miracles’ complex of religious buildings. Begun in 1063, it was financed by a galley-load of booty ransacked that year from the Muslim-held capital of Palermo, Sicily. The architect Buschetto created the frilly Pisan Romanesque style that set the tone for the Baptistery and Tower. In the 1150s, the architect Rainaldo added the impressive main-entrance facade.
The lower half of the church is simple Romanesque, with blind arches. The upper half has four rows of columns that form arcades. Stripes of black-and-white marble, mosaics, stone inlay, and even recycled Roman tombstones complete the decoration.
• Enter the church at the facade, opposite the Baptistery.
The 320-foot nave was the longest in Christendom when it was built. It’s modeled on a traditional Roman basilica, with 68 Corinthian columns of granite (most shipped from Elba and Corsica in 1063) dividing the space into five aisles. But the striped marble and arches-on-columns give the nave an exotic, almost mosque-like feel.
Hanging from the ceiling of the central nave is Galileo’s Lamp. The bronze incense burner is said to be the one (actually, this is a replacement of the original) that caught the teenage Galileo’s attention one day in church. According to legend, someone left a church door open, and a gust of wind set the lamp swinging. Galileo timed the swings and realized that the burner swung back and forth in the same amount of time regardless of how wide the arc. (This pendulum motion was a constant that allowed Galileo to measure our ever-changing universe.)
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was born in Pisa, grew up here on Via Giuseppe Giusti, and taught math at the university (1584-1591). Legend says he dropped things off the Tower to time their falls, fascinated by gravity.
• The upper and front part of the church will be covered by scaffolding through at least 2018. But you can still pick out most of the following details.
High up in the apse (behind the altar) is the Apse Mosaic (c. 1300, partly done by the great artist Cimabue). It shows Christ as the Ruler of All (Pantocrator) between Mary and St. John the Evangelist. The Pantocrator image of Christ is standard fare among Eastern Orthodox Christians—that is, the “Byzantine” people who were Pisa’s partners in trade.
Look up into the dome. Because this church is dedicated to Mary—the patron and protector of the city—you’ll see the Assumption of Mary. As the heavens open, and rings of saints and angels spiral upward, a hazy God greets Mary (in red). Beneath the dome is an inlaid-marble, Cosmati-style mosaic floor. The modern (and therefore controversial) marble altar and pulpit were carved by a Florentine artist in 2002.
Next to Galileo’s Lamp, you’ll find a 15-foot-tall, octagonal pulpit by Giovanni Pisano (c. 1240-1319), who left no stone uncarved in his pursuit of beauty. Four hundred intricately sculpted figures smother the pulpit, blurring the architectural outlines. In addition, the relief panels are actually curved, making it look less like an octagon than a circle. The creamy-white Carrara marble has the look and feel of carved French ivories, which the Pisanos loved. At the base, lions roar and crouch over their prey, symbolizing how Christ (the lion) triumphs over Satan (the horse, as in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse). Four of the pulpit’s support “columns” are statues. The central “column” features three graceful ladies representing Faith, Hope, and Charity, the three pillars of Christianity. Around the top of the pulpit, Christ’s life unfolds in a series of panels saturated with carvings.
• Find the following two sights in the right (south) transept.
In an ornate, colonnaded, Baroque side-chapel at the end of the transept, you’ll see St. Ranieri’s Body. In a glass-lined casket on the altar, Pisa’s patron saint lies mummified, encased in silver at his head, with his hair shirt covering his body. The silver, mask-like face dates from the year 2000 and is as realistic as possible—derived from an FBI-style computer scan of Ranieri’s skull. Ranieri Scucceri (1117-1161) was the son of a rich sea-trader, who gave up his riches to join, preach, and perform miracles.
Look on the wall to the left to find the tomb of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII, whose untimely death plunged Pisa into its centuries-long decline. Henry lies sleeping, arms folded, his head turned to the side, resting on a soft pillow. This German king (c. 1275-1313) invaded Italy and was welcomed by Pisans as a nonpartisan leader who could bring peace to Italy’s warring Guelphs and Ghibellines. In 1312, he was crowned emperor by the pope in Rome. He was preparing to polish off the last opposition when he caught a fever and died. No longer enjoying its connection with the Holy Roman Empire, Pisa declined.
• Exit the church, turn left, and walk around to its back end (facing the Tower).
Under a canopy you’ll find the bronze Doors of St. Ranieri (Porta San Ranieri). Designed by Bonanno Pisano (c. 1186)—who is thought by some historians to have been the Tower’s first architect—the doors have 24 different panels that show Christ’s story using the same simple, skinny figures found in Byzantine icons. (The doors are actually copies; the originals are housed—but not always on display—in the Duomo Museum.) Cast using the lost-wax technique, these doors were an inspiration for Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze doors in Florence.
The Leaning Tower nearly steals the show from the massive cathedral, which muscles out the other sights. But don’t neglect the rest of the Field of Miracles: the Baptistery, Camposanto Cemetery, Museum of the Sinopias, and Duomo Museum.
To do all of these sights takes about two hours. Start with the Baptistery, located in front of the Duomo’s facade, and then head for Camposanto Cemetery, behind the church on the north side of the Field of Miracles. Next visit the Museum of the Sinopias, across the street from the Baptistery entrance. If it has reopened, end your day at the Duomo Museum, housed behind the Tower.
Cost and Hours: €5 for one sight, €7 for two sights, €8 includes all the sights (see sidebar on here for the rundown on various combo-tickets). All four sights share the same schedule: daily April-Sept 8:00-20:00, Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-17:00, March 9:00-18:00. Note that the Duomo Museum will likely be closed for renovation through 2018.
Pisa’s Baptistery is Italy’s biggest. It’s interesting for its pulpit and interior ambience, and especially great for its acoustics (which are demonstrated twice an hour).
The building is 180 feet tall—John the Baptist on top is almost eye-to-eye with the tourists looking out from the nearly 200-foot Leaning Tower. Notice that the Baptistery leans nearly six feet to the north (the Tower leans 15 feet to the south). The building (begun in 1153) is modeled on the circular-domed Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, seen by Pisan Crusaders who occupied Jerusalem in 1099.
Inside, it’s simple, spacious, and baptized with light. Tall arches atop thin columns once again echo the Campo’s architectural theme of arches above blank spaces. The columns encircle just a few pieces of religious furniture.
In the center sits the beautiful marble octagonal font (1246). A statue of the first Baptist, John the Baptist, stretches out his hand and says, “Welcome to my Baptistery.” The font contains plenty of space for baptizing adults by immersion (the medieval custom), plus four wells for dunking babies.
On your left is the pulpit created by Niocola Pisano. Is this the world’s first Renaissance sculpture? It’s the first authenticated (signed) work by the “Giotto of sculpture,” working in what came to be called the Renaissance style. The freestanding sculpture has classical columns, realistic people and animals, and 3-D effects in the carved panels. The speaker’s platform stands on columns that rest on the backs of animals, representing Christianity’s triumph over paganism. The white Carrara-marble panels are framed by dark rose-colored marble, making a pleasant contrast. Originally, this and the other pulpits were touched up with paint, gilding, and colored pastes.
The relief panels, with scenes from the life of Christ, are more readable than the Duomo pulpit. They show bigger, simpler figures in dark marble “frames.” Read left to right, starting from the back: Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Presentation in the Temple, Crucifixion, Last Judgment.
Until people started getting excited about the Leaning Tower just a century ago, the big attraction in Pisa was its dreamy and exquisite cemetery, the Camposanto (built from 1278-1465). Lined with faint frescoes, this centuries-old cemetery on the north side of the Campo is famous for its “Holy Land” dirt, reputedly brought here from the Middle East in the 12th century. Highlights are the building’s cloistered interior courtyard, some ancient sarcophagi, and the large 14th-century fresco, The Triumph of Death.
The delightful open-air courtyard is surrounded by an arcade with intricately carved tracery in the arches. The courtyard’s grass grows on special dirt (said to turn a body into bones in a single day) shipped here by returning Crusaders from Jerusalem’s Mount Calvary, where Christ was crucified.
The arcade floor is paved with the coats of arms of some 600 dearly departed Pisans.
Displayed in the arcade are dozens of ancient Roman sarcophagi. These coffins, which originally held dead Romans, were reused by medieval big shots. In anticipation of death, a wealthy Pisan would shop around, choose a good sarcophagus, and chip his message into it. When he died, his marble box was placed with the others around the exterior of the cathedral. Great sculptors such as Nicola and Giovanni Pisano passed them daily, gaining inspiration. After decorating these corridors for 600 years, the frescoes of Camposanto Cemetery were badly damaged in World War II; they’ve been under restoration ever since. Along these walls, you’ll see the ones that have been returned to their original position.
The Triumph of Death is a 1,000-square-foot fresco (c. 1340, by a 14th-century master). It captures late-medieval Europe’s concern with death—predating but still accurately depicting Pisa’s mood in the wake of the bubonic plague (1348), which killed one in three Pisans. Well-dressed ladies and gents (left half of the painting) are riding gaily through the countryside when they come across three coffins with corpses (bottom left). Confronted with death, they each react differently—a woman puts her hand thoughtfully to her chin, a man holds his nose against the stench, while a horse leans in for a better whiff. Above them, a monk scours the Bible for the meaning of death.
Housed in a 13th-century hospital, this museum features the original preliminary sketches (sinopias) for the Camposanto’s World War II-damaged frescoes. If you loved The Triumph of Death and others in the Camposanto, or if you’re interested in fresco technique, this museum is worthwhile. If not, you’ll wonder why you’re here.
Whether or not you pay to go in, you can watch two free videos in the entry lobby that serve to orient you to the square: a seven-minute, 3-D computer tour of the complex and a 15-minute story of the Tower, its tilt, and its fix. Good students might want to come here first for this orientation.
Once inside the turnstile, the stars of this museum are the sinopias: sketches made in red paint directly on the wall, designed to guide the making of the final colored fresco. The master always did the sinopia himself. It was a way for him (and for those who paid for the work) to see exactly how the scene would look in its designated spot. If it wasn’t quite right, the master changed a detail here and there. Next, assistants made a “cartoon” by tracing the sinopia onto large sheets of paper (cartone). Then the sinopia was plastered over. To put the drawing back on the wall, assistants perforated the drawing on the cartoon, hung the cartoon over the wall, and dabbed it with a powdered bag of charcoal. This process printed dotted lines onto the newly plastered wall, re-creating the cartoon. While the plaster was still wet, the master and his team quickly filled in the color and details, producing the final frescoes (now on display at the Camposanto). These sinopias—never meant to be seen—were uncovered by the bombing and restoration of the Camposanto and brought here.
Near the Tower is the entrance to the Duomo Museum, which houses many of the original statues and much of the artwork that once adorned the Campo’s buildings (where copies stand today), notably the statues by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. It’s big on Pisan art, displaying treasures of the cathedral, paintings, silverware, and sculptures (from the 12th to 14th century), as well as ancient Egyptian, Etruscan, and Roman artifacts. The museum will likely be closed for restoration through sometime in 2018.
Pisa is an easy side-trip from Florence or Lucca, either of which is a more all-around pleasant place to stay. But there’s more to Pisa than the Tower, and if you want time to experience it, consider a night here. To locate these hotels, see the map on here.
$$ Hotel Royal Victoria, a classy place along the Arno River, has been run by the Piegaja family since 1837 (though it was a hotel for more than 400 years before that and is likely the oldest hotel in Italy). Its tiled hallways and 38 creaky, historical rooms filled with antiques and chipped plaster may not be for everybody. But with the elegant ambience of a bygone era, it’s ideal for romantics who missed out on the Grand Tour. The location—midway between the Tower and Pisa Centrale train station—is the most atmospheric of my listings (RS%, family rooms, air-con in most rooms, elevator, pay parking garage, bike rental, lush communal terrace, Lungarno Pacinotti 12, tel. 050-940-111, www.royalvictoria.it, post@royalvictoria.it, proud owner Nicola Piegaja).
$$ Hotel Pisa Tower provides a yesteryear elegance in a stately mansion with 14 rooms thoughtfully decorated with clean lines and graceful warmth. In good weather, enjoy the garden for breakfast or an aperitivo. The annex, with 12 similar rooms, overlooks the noisy, tacky-souvenir-stand square just outside the gate to the Field of Miracles, along a busy street. Three more rooms are in a nondescript apartment block across the street from the main building (family rooms, air-con, pay parking; a long block west of Piazza Manin at Via Andrea Pisano 23, tel. 050-520-0700, www.hotelpisatower.com, info@hotelpisatower.com).
$$ Hotel Villa Kinzica, a last resort, has 30 tired, worn rooms with high ceilings—and a prime location just steps from the Field of Miracles; ask for a room with a view of the Tower, ideally #75 (family rooms, air-con, elevator, Piazza Arcivescovado 2, tel. 050-560-419, www.hotelvillakinzica.com, info@hotelvillakinzica.com).
$ Casa San Tommaso has 22 classic-feeling, homey, reverent rooms on a quiet back lane about a five-minute walk from the Tower (air-con, Via San Tommaso 13, tel. 050-830-782, www.casasantommaso.it, santommaso@paimturismo.it).
$ Pensione Helvetia, a friendly, no-frills, clean, and quiet inn just 100 yards from the Tower, rents 29 economical rooms over four floors. Ask them to show you the “biggest cactus in Tuscany” in their garden courtyard...it really is (cheaper rooms with shared bath, family suites, no breakfast, ceiling fans, no elevator, Via Don G. Boschi 31, tel. 050-553-084, www.pensionehelvetiapisa.com, helvetiapisatower@gmail.com, Micaele and Sandra).
This zone is far less atmospheric than the zone near the Tower—with a lot of concrete, congestion, and loitering. Stay here only if you value the convenience of proximity to the station.
$$$ Hotel Alessandro della Spina, run by Pio and family, has 16 elegant and colorful rooms, each named after a flower (RS%—use code “NEW GUEST,” air-con, elevator, pay parking; leaving the station, go right on Via Filippo Corridoni, take the third left on Via Alessandro della Spina, then find #5; tel. 050-502-777, www.hoteldellaspina.it, info@hoteldellaspina.it, Louisa).
$ Hotel Milano has 10 stale, no-frills rooms in a humdrum area close to the train station (RS%, cheaper rooms with shared bath, family rooms, no breakfast, air-con, Via Mascagni 14, tel. 050-23-162, www.hotelmilano.pisa.it, hotelmilano.pisa@gmail.com, Giada).
The Via Santa Maria tourist strip is pedestrianized and lined with touristy eateries. They seem competitive, and you can get a quick sandwich, pizza, or salad at any number of places along this street.
$$ Pizzeria al Bagno di Nerone, a five-minute walk from the Tower, is particularly popular with students. Belly up to the bar and grab a slice to go, or sit in their small dining room for a whole pie. Try the cecina, a crêpe-like garbanzo-bean flatbread (Wed-Mon 12:00-14:30 & 17:45-22:30, closed Tue, Largo Carlo Fedeli 26, tel. 050-551-085).
Make no mistake: Pisa is in Tuscany. And if you want to sample some famously delicious Tuscan cuisine, these restaurants make it easy. All are within about a 10- to 15-minute walk from the Tower, near the river, and several are within a few steps of the old Renaissance-style market loggia, Piazza delle Vettovaglie (described on here).
$$ La Vineria di Piazza is a quintessential little Tuscan trattoria tucked under the arcades of Piazza delle Vettovaglie. The chalkboard menu lists today’s seasonal choices: a few antipasti, a few primi (homemade pastas and soups), and a few secondi. Ask for a bis or even a tris to get a tasty sampling of two or three homemade pastas. English-fluent Claudia welcomes you to share dishes family-style, and she and her family make this place feel sophisticated, but without pretense. Sit in the elegantly simple interior or out at long tables facing the market. They typically serve lunch only, as the square can be a bit sketchy after dark (daily 12:30-15:00, Piazza delle Vettovaglie 14, tel. 050-382-0433).
$$ Antica Trattoria il Campano, just off the market square, has a typically Tuscan menu and a candlelit, stay-awhile atmosphere. The ground floor, surrounded by wine bottles, is cozier, while the upstairs—with high wood-beam ceilings—is classier (Thu-Tue 19:30-22:45, closed Wed, open Sat-Sun for lunch in high season, Via Cavalca 19, tel. 050-580-585, Giovanna).
$$ Il Vegusto is a reasonably priced, quality, vegan restaurant with elegant modern ambience. It sits all by its lonesome on a gloomy square a block off the river (Mon-Fri 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-22:00, Sat 19:30-22:00 only, closed Sun, Piazza dei Facchini 13, tel. 050-520-0667).
Piazza Dante is a characteristic square popular with university students and fun-loving locals, and graced with several good and economical eateries. I’d survey the five or six options on or near the square before sitting down.
$ Caffetteria BetsaBea is handy for takeaway meals, has good seating on the square, whips up hearty and creative salads—which you design with their interactive menu—and is popular for its aperitivo happy hour (Mon-Sat 8:00-24:00, closed Sun, Piazza San Frediano 6).
Just a few steps down Via l’Arancio is $ Pizzeria l’Arancio, where for decades Beppe and Papa Filippo have been serving pizza, antipasti, focaccia, and the delightful crêpe-like garbanzo-bean flatbread known as cecina (daily 12:00-15:30 & 19:00-22:00, Via l’Arancio 1, tel. 050-500-729).
$ Il Montino is a rambunctious favorite for tasty, no-frills pizza. Tucked behind a church in a grubby corner deep in the old center, it has a loyal following—particularly among students. Enjoy full pies in the nuovo rustico interior or out on the alley, or get a slice to go (Mon-Sat 11:30-15:00 & 17:30-22:30, closed Sun, Vicolo del Monte 1, tel. 050-598-695).
$$ Orzo Bruno—il birrifico artigiano (“the artisan brewpub”)—is a lively, rollicking brew hall filled with Pisans of all ages enjoying rock, jazz, and blues, with seven different microbrews (including a rotating tap) and a simple menu of sandwiches and salads (nightly 19:00-late, a block off Borgo Stretto at Via Case Dipinte 6, tel. 050-578-802).
Pisa has good connections by train, bus, or car. The busy airport (popular with discount airlines) is practically downtown. Note that the Pisa Centrale train station area is a maze of tunnels; leave yourself enough time to find the ticket machines and make it to the platform.
Side-Tripping to Lucca: Pisa and Lucca are well-connected by train and by bus (both options are about €3), making a half-day side-trip from one town to the other particularly easy. The train takes about half as long as the bus (about 25 minutes compared with 50 minutes)—but getting to the Centrale train station is more time-consuming. Perhaps the best option: If you’re heading to Lucca from the Leaning Tower, you can catch the train at Pisa San Rossore Station, about a five-minute walk from the Field of Miracles. From the tacky souvenir zone just outside the gate, cross the busy street and continue straight ahead along Via Andrea Pisano. After two blocks, you’ll see the gray gateway to the train station on your right.
A handy bus connects the Field of Miracles with Lucca’s Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi in about 50 minutes (€3, Mon-Sat hourly, fewer on Sun, buy ticket on bus; in Pisa, wait at the Vaibus signpost off of Piazza Manin, immediately outside the wall behind the Baptistery on the right). You can also catch this bus at Pisa’s airport, or at Pisa Centrale train station.
From Pisa Centrale Station by Train to: Florence (2-3/hour, 45-75 minutes), Livorno (2-3/hour, 20 minutes), Rome (2/hour, many change in Florence, 3-4 hours), La Spezia (about hourly, 1.5 hours), Monterosso (hourly, 1-1.5 hours), Siena (2/hour, 2 hours, change at Empoli), Lucca (1-2/hour, 30 minutes, also stops at Pisa San Rossore station).
By Car: The drive between Pisa and Florence is that rare case where the regular highway (free, more direct, and at least as fast) is a better deal than the autostrada.
By Plane: Pisa’s handy Galileo Galilei Airport—just two miles from the train station (“So close you can walk,” locals brag)—handles both international and domestic flights and tends to have more departures with lower fares than the Florence airport (airport code: PSA, tel. 050-849-300, www.pisa-airport.com). The new “Pisa Mover” train offers an easy connection to Pisa Centrale train station (€2.70, daily 6:00-24:00, every 5 minutes, 5-minute trip, www.pisa-mover.com). The airport is also on the line for public bus LAM Rossa, which stops first at the station and then continues to the Leaning Tower (usually every 10 minutes, less frequent off-season, €1.20 ticket at kiosk, €2 on board). A taxi into town costs €10.
Pisa’s airport is handy for other towns as well: The bus to Lucca (described above) originates at the airport. To reach Florence, the Cinque Terre, or other destinations in Italy, take the shuttle bus or Pisa Mover to Pisa Centrale train station and connect from there (allow about 1.5 hours total). Two companies also run buses from the airport directly to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station in about 1.5 hours (about €5 for either one): Terravision (about hourly, www.terravision.eu) and Autostradale (typically coordinated with Ryanair flights, www.autostradale.it).
Surrounded by well-preserved ramparts, layered with history, alternately quaint and urbane, Lucca charms its visitors. The city is a paradox. Though it hasn’t been involved in a war since 1430, it is Italy’s most impressive fortress city, encircled by a perfectly intact wall. Most cities tear down their walls to make way for modern traffic, but Lucca’s effectively keeps out both traffic and, it seems, the stress of the modern world. Locals are very protective of their wall, which they enjoy like a community roof garden.
Lucca has no single monumental sight to attract tourists—it’s simply a uniquely human and undamaged, never-bombed city. Romanesque churches seem to be around every corner, as do fun-loving and shady piazzas filled with soccer-playing children.
Even its touristic center—the mostly traffic-free old town—feels more local than touristy (aside from a few cruise excursions from nearby Livorno that pass through each day). The city is big enough to have its own heritage and pride, yet small enough that it seems like the Lucchesi (loo-KAY-zee) all went to school together. Simply put, Lucca has elegance and plenty of reasons to be proud.
Lucca is easy to enjoy. With a day in town, start with my self-guided Lucca Walk and spend the afternoon biking (or strolling) atop the wall, popping in on whatever other sights interest you, and browsing. Music lovers enjoy the Puccini concert in the evening. The busy sightseer can consider visiting Pisa’s Field of Miracles (with the Leaning Tower), an easy half-day side-trip away by train (to Pisa San Rossore Station in less than 30 minutes) or bus (from downtown Lucca to the Leaning Tower in 50 minutes).
Lucca (population 87,000, with roughly 10,000 living within the town walls) is big enough to be engaging but small enough to be manageable. Everything of interest to a visitor is within the 2.5-mile-long city wall; it takes just 20 minutes to walk from one end of the old town to the other. The train station sits south of the wall (just beyond the cathedral), and the bus to and from Pisa stops just inside the western tip. My self-guided walk traces the main thoroughfares through town; venturing beyond these streets, you realize Lucca is bigger than it first seems, but its back streets are very sleepy. While the core of the town is based on an old Roman grid street plan, the surrounding areas—especially near the circular footprint of the amphitheater—are more confusing. This, combined with tall houses and a lack of consistent signage, makes Lucca easy to get lost in. Pick up the town map at your hotel and use it.
Lucca’s helpful TI is on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi (daily 9:00-19:00, Oct-March until 17:00, futuristic WC, baggage storage—€1.50/hour for 2 bags, tel. 0583-583-150, www.turismo.lucca.it).
By Train: See “Helpful Hints” for specifics on checking your bags. To reach the city center from the train station, walk toward the walls and head left, to the entry at Porta San Pietro. Or, if you don’t mind steps, go straight ahead and follow the path through the moat-like park to go up and over the wall. Taxis may be waiting out front; otherwise, try calling 025-353 (ignore any recorded message—just wait for a live operator); a ride from the station to Piazza dell’Anfiteatro costs about €10.
By Bus: Buses from Pisa, Viareggio, and nearby villages arrive inside the walls at Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi (near the TI).
By Car: Don’t try to drive within the walls. Much of the center of Lucca is designated a “ZTL” (limited traffic zone), which could cost you a €90 fine. The old town is ringed by convenient parking lots.
Parking is always free in Piazzale Don Franco, a five-minute walk north of the city walls. If you must park inside the city walls, try just inside Porta Santa Maria, at the northern edge of town (€1.50/hour). Or park outside the gates near the train station or on the boulevard surrounding the city (meter rates vary; about €1/hour). Overnight parking (20:00-8:00) on city streets and in city lots is usually free. Check with your hotelier to be sure.
Shops and Museums Alert: City-run museums are closed Sunday and Monday. Shops close most of Sunday and Monday mornings.
Markets: Lucca’s atmospheric markets are worth visiting. On the weekend of the third Sunday of the month, one of the largest antique markets in Italy sprawls in the blocks between Piazza Antelminelli and Piazza San Giovanni (8:00-19:00). The last weekend of the month, local artisans sell arts and crafts around town, mainly near the cathedral (also 8:00-19:00). At the general market, held Wednesdays and Saturdays on Piazza Don Franco Baroni, you’ll find produce and household goods (8:30-13:00).
Concerts: San Giovanni Church hosts one-hour concerts featuring a pianist and singers performing works by hometown composer Giacomo Puccini (€20 at the door, €18 in advance—buy tickets at the venue, the TI, or possibly your hotel; daily April-Oct at 19:00, www.puccinielasualucca.com).
Festivals: On September 13 and 14, the city celebrates Volto Santo (“Holy Face”), with a procession of the treasured local crucifix and a fair in Piazza Antelminelli. Music lovers enjoy the annual Puccini Days festival in November.
Baggage Storage: For train travelers, there are two good options for paid baggage storage: Cicli Primo, in the train station at track 1 (€5/day, daily 8:00-20:00, shorter hours off-season, tel. 347-632-4315), and Tourist Center Lucca, on the left side of the square as you exit the train station (at #203; daily 9:00-19:00, Nov-March until 18:00). If you’re arriving by bus, the TI on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi also stores bags (see earlier).
Laundry: Lavanderia Self-Service Niagara is just off Piazza Santa Maria at Via Rosi 26 and Easy & Speedy Lavanderia is at Via San Giorgio 45 (similar hours, generally daily 7:00-23:00).
Bike Rental: A one-hour rental (ID required) gives you time for two leisurely loops around the ramparts. Several places with identical prices cluster around Piazza Santa Maria (€3/hour, €15/day, most shops also rent tandem bikes and bike carts, helmets available on request, daily about 9:00-19:00 or sunset). Try these easygoing shops: Antonio Poli (Piazza Santa Maria 42, tel. 0583-493-787, enthusiastic Cristiana) and, right next to it, Cicli Bizzarri (Piazza Santa Maria 32, tel. 0583-496-682, Australian Dely). At the south end, at Porta San Pietro, you’ll find Chronò (Corso Garibaldi 93, tel. 0583-490-591, www.chronobikes.com). At the train station, Cicli Primo and Tourist Center Lucca (both described earlier) are good.
Local Magazine: For insights into American and British expat life and listings of concerts, markets, festivals, and other special events, pick up a copy of the Grapevine (€2), available at newsstands.
Cooking Class: Gianluca Pardini invites you to the hills above Lucca to learn to prepare and then eat a four-course Tuscan meal. Depending on how many others attend, the price ranges from €50-70. This is great for groups of four or more (€14 cab ride from town, 3-hour lesson plus time to dine, includes wine, reserve at least 2 days in advance, Via di San Viticchio 414, mobile 347-678-7447, www.italiancuisine.it, info@italiancuisine.it).
The TI offers two-hour guided city walks in English and Italian, departing from the office on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi (€10, pay at TI, daily April-Oct at 14:00, likely weekends-only in winter, tel. 0583-583-150).
Gabriele Calabrese knows and shares his hometown well. He was a big help in creating the Lucca Walk in this chapter, and with his guidance you’ll go even deeper into the city (€130/3 hours, by foot or bike, tel. 0583-342-404, mobile 347-788-0667, www.turislucca.com, turislucca@turislucca.com).
(See “Lucca Walk” map, here.)
This hour-long self-guided walk (not counting time at the sights) connects Lucca’s main points of interest by way of its most entertaining streets. I’ve started this walk right in the heart of things, at Lucca’s main square. For the classic view of the circular square, stand at the east end of the oval at #29.
The architectural ghost of a Roman amphitheater can be felt in the delightful Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. With the fall of Rome, the theater (which seated 10,000 and sat just outside the rectangular city walls) was gradually cannibalized for its stones and inhabited by people living in a mishmash of huts. The huts were cleared away at the end of the 19th century to better show off the town’s illustrious past and make one purely secular square (every other square is dominated by a church) for the town market. The modern street level is nine feet above the original arena floor. Today, the square is a circle of touristy shops, galleries, mediocre restaurants, and inviting al fresco cafés.
Leave the amphitheater through the arch at #42, turn left, and begin circling it counterclockwise along Via Anfiteatro. At #89-95—right where you enter the street—is the butcher’s shop (Carni Val Serchio) where Felicino prepares meat and special dishes for appreciative locals. Farther along, on the right at #75, “The Loom of Penelope” is an innovative and caring place that helps young people with mental problems and depression deal with their troubles through weaving therapy. Across from #61, look up and study the exterior of the Roman amphitheater and how medieval scavengers transformed it. Barbarians didn’t know how to make bricks. But they could recycle building material and stack stones in order to camp out in Roman ruins. As you circle for the next 100 yards or so, study the stonework and see how medieval buildings filled the ancient arches. At #18 (on the left), you may see Antonio and Fabrizio busy making their gelato. Next you’ll pass the tempting Pizzicheria la Grotta salumi shop (on the left at #2) with lots of gifty edibles—worth popping into for a peek at local specialties. Then you reach the busy shopping street, Via Fillungo.
• Turn left and walk a block down Via Fillungo, then go right and cross a little square to the big church with a fine mosaic.
This impressive church was built in 1112 by the pope to one-up Lucca’s bishop and his spiffy cathedral (which we’ll see later on this walk). Lucca was the first Mediterranean stop on the pilgrim route from northern Europe, and the pope wanted to remind pilgrims that the action, the glory, and the papacy awaited them in Rome. Therefore, he had the church made “Roman-esque.” The pure marble facade frames an early Christian Roman-style mosaic of Christ with his 12 apostles. Inside, there’s a notable piece of art in each corner: a 12th-century baptistery showing the story of Moses; St. Zita’s body, put there in 1278; a particularly serene Virgin Mary, depicted at the moment she gets the news that she’ll bring the Messiah into the world; and a painting on wood of the Assumption of the Virgin (c. 1510), with Doubting Thomas receiving Mary’s red belt as she ascends so he’ll doubt no more.
Cost and Hours: €3, daily 9:00-18:00, Piazza San Frediano.
• Leaving the church, head straight back through the little square, and turn right onto...
Lucca’s best street to stroll and main pedestrian drag connects the town’s two busiest squares: Piazza dell’Anfiteatro (which we just left) and Piazza San Michele. Along the way, you’ll get a taste of Lucca’s rich past, including several elegant, century-old storefronts.
Head down the street. At #116 (left) is a truffle shop where you can often sample little treats with truffle oil. Just beyond, also on the left, you’ll pass Piazza degli Scapellini, with market stalls and another entrance into Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.
Near #104 (on the left) notice the snazzy Old World shopping gallery, with glass canopies in the Liberty Style (Italy’s version of Art Nouveau, from around 1900).
As you stroll, notice how many of the original storefront paintings, reliefs, and mosaics survive—even if today’s shopkeeper sells something entirely different. Observe the warm and convivial small-town vibe on the street. Notice also the powerful heritage of shops named for the families that have run them for many generations, the creative new energy brought by small entrepreneurs, and the aggressive inroads big chain stores are making in this tender urban econo-system.
At #92 (left) is a shop selling an array of beers from nearby microbreweries. Since 2007, vino-centric Italy has enjoyed a trendy and youthful microbrew industry. There are four breweries just in Lucca.
At #97 (right) is the classic old Carli Jewelry Store. Signore Carli is the 12th generation of jewelers from his family to work on this spot. (He still has a once-state-of-the-art 17th-century safe in the back.) The Carli storefront has kept its T-shaped arrangement, which lets it close up tight as a canned ham. After hours, all you see from the street is a wooden T in the wall, and during opening hours it unfolds with a fine old-time display. This design dates from when the merchant sold his goods in front, did his work in the back, and lived upstairs.
At #67 is a surviving five-story tower house (at the corner with Via Buia). At one time, nearly every corner in Lucca sported its own tower. The stubby stones that still stick out once supported wooden staircases (there were no interior connections between floors). So many towers cast shadows over this part of town that this cross-street is called “Dark Street” (Via Buia). Look left down Via Sant’Andrea for a peek at the town’s tallest tower, Guinigi, in the distance—capped by its characteristic mini oak-tree forest. You can pay to climb up for the view (see “More Sights in Lucca,” later).
The shop at #65 (right) sports a beautiful, Liberty Style Profumaria Venus sign. For over a century, its sexy reliefs (dating from the time of Puccini) have stirred Lucchesi menfolk to buy their woman a fragrant gift. Today the storefront is protected as a historic landmark—and, fittingly, a new perfume shop recently took up residence here.
At #45, you’ll see two more good examples of tower houses. On the left is the 14th-century Clock Tower (Torre delle Ore), which has a hand-wound Swiss clock that clanged four times an hour since 1754...until it died for good a few years back (€4 to climb the 207 wooden steps for the view and to see the nonfunctioning mechanism, €9 combo-ticket includes Guinigi Tower, daily 9:30-18:30, Oct and March until 17:30, closed Nov-Feb, corner of Via Fillungo and Via del’Arancio).
A bit farther along, on the left, is the striking 13th-century facade of a Pisan Romanesque church, now filled with a tacky Leonardo da Vinci exhibition.
The intersection of Via Fillungo and Via Roma/Via Santa Croce marks the center of town, where the two original Roman roads crossed. The big old palace you’re facing (on the right)—with the heavy grates on the windows and the benches built into its stony facade—is the In Mondadori bookstore. While the interior is worth a peek (for its speckled mosaic floors, columns, and stained-glass skylight), the benches out front are even more interesting: They’re the town hangout, where old-timers sit to swap gossip.
• Turn right down Via Roma, studying the people warming those stone benches along the way. You’ll pop out at...
This square has been the center of town since Roman times, when it was the forum. It’s dominated by the Church of San Michele. Circle around to the church’s main door. Towering above the fancy Pisan Romanesque facade, the archangel Michael stands ready to flap his wings (which he actually did on special occasions with the help of crude but awe-inspiring-in-its-day mechanical assistance from behind). Perched above many of the columns are the faces of about a dozen heroes in the Italian independence and unification movement: Victor Emmanuel II (with a crown, above the short red column on the right, second level up), the Count of Cavour (next to Victor, above the column with black zigzags), and—hey, look—there’s Giuseppe Mazzini.
The square is surrounded by an architectural hodgepodge. The circa-1495 loggia (to the right as you face the church) was the first Renaissance building in town. There’s a late 19th-century interior in Buccellato Taddeucci, a 130-year-old pastry shop (#34, behind the church, next to its tower). The left section of the BNL bank (#5, facing the church facade) sports an Art Nouveau facade that celebrates both Amerigo Vespucci and Cristoforo Colombo. This was the original facade of the Bertolli shipping company—famed among Italian-Americans as the shipping company their grandfathers sailed with to reach America.
If the church is open, pop in. A fine 12th-century wooden crucifix hangs above the high altar. Immediately to its right is an exquisite painting, The Four Saints, by Filippino Lippi (a student of the Florentine master Sandro Botticelli). Look closely at the pillars to see curious little doodles scratched into the marble back in the 12th century.
• From here, continue out of the square (opposite from where you entered) to take a little detour down...
This bustling street—which eventually goes all the way to Piazzale Guiseppe Verdi (with the TI and bus to Pisa)—is another fine shopping drag. Along here, a wide variety of storefronts cater not just to tourists but also to locals. You’ll also pass—after just a half-block, on the right—my vote for the best gelato in town (De’ Coltelli, Sicilian-style gelato, at #10; described under “Eating in Lucca”).
One block down this street, in the little square called Piazza Citadella (on the right), a statue of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) sits genteelly on a chair, holding court. The great composer of operas was born in the house down the little alley over his left shoulder (now the well-presented Puccini’s House museum, worth a visit for music lovers—see “More Sights in Lucca,” later). (If you’d like to hear some Puccini while you’re in town, soon we’ll be passing a church that hosts nightly concerts of his music—see here).
• Feel free to browse your way as far down this street as you like, but eventually return to Piazza San Michele to continue the walk to Lucca’s cathedral. Facing the church facade, turn right and go down Via Vittorio Veneto (with the loggia on your left) to the vast, café-lined pair of squares...
The first of these two squares is named for the French despot who was the first outsider to take over Lucca. The dominant building on the right was the seat of government for the independent Republic of Lucca from 1369 to 1799—the year Napoleon came and messed everything up. Caffé Ninci, on the left (with some nice tables for people-watching), has been caffeinating locals since 1925 and serves what’s considered to be the best coffee in town.
Cross diagonally through this square into the smaller Piazza del Giglio, dominated by the Giglio Theater. Like a mini La Scala, this has long been the number-one theater (of seven) in the highly cultured city of Puccini.
• Continue to the left, along the big orange building, up Via del Duomo. After a block, you’ll see...
This first cathedral of Lucca is interesting only for its archaeological finds. The entire floor of the 12th-century church has been excavated in recent decades, revealing layers of Roman houses, ancient hot tubs that date back to the time of Christ, early churches, and theological graffiti. Sporadic English translations help you understand what you’re looking at. As you climb under the church’s present-day floor and wander the lanes of Roman Lucca, remember that the entire city sits on similar ruins. Climb the 190 steps of the church’s campanile (bell tower) for a panoramic view (but not quite as good as the one you’ll enjoy if you climb the Guinigi Tower).
Cost and Hours: €4, €9 combo-ticket includes cathedral and Cathedral Museum, admission includes tower climb; mid-March-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-March Mon-Fri until 14:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00; audioguide-€2, concert info on here.
• Continuing past San Giovanni, you’ll be face-to-face with...
This cathedral—the main church of the Republic of Lucca and worth ▲—begun in the 11th century, is an entertaining mix of architectural and artistic styles. It’s also home to the exquisite 15th-century tomb of Ilaria del Carretto, who married into the wealthy Guinigi family.
The cathedral’s elaborate Pisan Romanesque facade features Christian teaching scenes, animals, and candy-cane-striped columns.
The horseback figure (over the two right arches) is St. Martin, a Roman military officer from Hungary who, by offering his cloak to a beggar, came to more fully understand the beauty of Christian compassion.
The interior—bigger than it seems from outside—features brightly frescoed Gothic arches, Renaissance paintings, and stained glass from the 19th century.
On the left side of the nave, a small, elaborate, birdcage-like temple contains the wooden crucifix—much revered by locals—called Volto Santo. It’s said to have been sculpted by Nicodemus in Jerusalem and set afloat in an unmanned boat that landed on the coast of Tuscany, from where wild oxen miraculously carried it to Lucca in 782. On the right side of the nave, the sacristy houses the enchantingly beautiful memorial tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia (1407). This young bride of silk baron Paolo Guinigi is so realistically realized that the statue was nicknamed “Sleeping Beauty.” Her nose is partially worn off because of a long-standing tradition of lonely young ladies rubbing it for luck in finding a boyfriend.
As you head for the church’s exit, stop by the third painting from the end (on the left)—The Last Supper by Jacopo Tintoretto. This is a typical Baroque spectacle, with the drama of the event emphasized as if it’s theater. Notice the actors on the stage and how the mother, giving her child his “first supper” in the foreground, connects with us, inviting us to be present. Enjoy Tintoretto’s perspective trick: As you walk by the painting, the foreshortened dinner table always faces you.
Cost and Hours: €3, €9 combo-ticket includes Cathedral Museum and San Giovanni Church, tower climb-€3; Mon-Fri 9:30-18:00, Sat until 19:00, Sun from 12:00; Nov-March daily 9:30-17:00; Piazza San Martino, www.cattedralelucca.it.
• There’s one more sight to consider, but it’s extra credit—worthwhile only if you want to dig deeper into the history of the cathedral. As you face the cathedral facade, on the little square to the left is the entrance to the...
This beautifully presented museum houses original paintings, sculptures, and vestments from the cathedral and other Lucca churches. Pass through a room with illuminated manuscripts on your way to the ticket desk, then follow the one-way route up and down through the collection. The exhibits in this museum have basic labels and are meaningful only with the slow-talking €2 audioguide—if you’re not in the mood to listen, skip the place altogether.
Cost and Hours: €4, €9 combo-ticket includes cathedral and San Giovanni Church; April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-March Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00; left of the cathedral on Piazza Antelminelli.
• Our walk is finished. From here, it’s just a short stroll south to the city wall—and a bike-rental office, if you want to take a spin. Otherwise, simply explore the city...lose yourself in Lucca.
Lucca’s most remarkable feature, its Renaissance wall, is also its most enjoyable attraction, worth ▲▲—especially when circled on a rental bike. Stretching for 2.5 miles, this is an ideal place to come for an overview of the city by foot or bike.
Lucca has had a protective wall for 2,000 years. You can read three walls into today’s map: the first rectangular Roman wall, the later medieval wall (nearly the size of today’s), and the 16th-century Renaissance ramparts that still survive.
With the advent of cannons, thin medieval walls were suddenly vulnerable. A new design—the same one that stands today—was state-of-the-art when it was built (1550-1650). Much of the old medieval wall (look for the old stones) was incorporated into the Renaissance wall (with uniform bricks). The new wall was squat: a 100-foot-wide mound of dirt faced with bricks, engineered to absorb a cannonball pummeling. The townspeople cleared a wide no-man’s-land around the town, exposing any attackers from a distance. Eleven heart-shaped bastions (now inviting picnic areas) were designed to minimize exposure to cannonballs and to maximize defense capabilities. The ramparts were armed with 130 cannons.
The town invested a third of its income for more than a century to construct the wall, and—since it kept away the Florentines and nasty Pisans—it was considered a fine investment. In fact, nobody ever bothered to try to attack the wall. Locals say that the only time it actually defended the city was during an 1812 flood of the Serchio River, when the gates were sandbagged and the ramparts kept out the high water.
Today, the ramparts seem made-to-order for a leisurely bike ride (wonderfully smooth 20-30-minute pedal, depending on how fast you go and how crowded the wall-top park is). You can rent bikes cheaply and easily from one of several bike-rental places in town (listed earlier, under “Helpful Hints”). There are also several handy places to get up on the wall. Note that the best people-watching—and slowest pedaling—is during passeggiata time, just before dinner, when it seems that all of Lucca is doing slow laps around the wall.
Many Tuscan towns have towers, but none is quite like the Guinigi family’s. Up 227 steps is a small garden with fragrant trees, surrounded by fine views over the city’s rooftops. You’ll head up wide stone stairs, then huff up twisty metal ones through the hollow brick tower. From the top, orient yourself to the town. Lucca sits in a flat valley ringed by protective hills, so it’s easy to see how the town managed to stay independent through so much of its history, despite its lack of a strategic hilltop position. From up here, pick out landmarks: the circular form of Piazza dell’Anfiteatro to the north, with the mosaic facade of the Church of San Frediano nearby; to the left (east), the open top of the Clock Tower, marking the Roman grid-planned streets of the oldest part of town; and to the south, the big, marble facade of San Martino Cathedral.
Cost and Hours: €4, €6 combo-ticket includes Clock Tower, erratic hours but likely daily 9:30-18:30—maybe later in summer, shorter hours Nov-March, Via Sant’Andrea 41.
This modern, well-presented museum fills the home where Giacomo Puccini grew up. It’s well worth a visit for opera enthusiasts...but mostly lost on anybody else. Buy your ticket at the shop/office on the square, then buzz the door to be let in. You’ll tour the composer’s birthplace—including the room where he was born—and see lots of artifacts (including the Steinway piano where he did much of his composing, his personal belongings, and pull-out drawers with original compositions and manuscripts). An elaborate costume from one of his works is on display, and if you ask, the attendant can accompany you for a peek in the garret (storage room up above the house), where a stage set from La Bohème evokes the composer’s greatest work.
Cost and Hours: €7; daily 9:30-19:30; April and Oct Wed-Mon until 18:30, closed Tue; Nov-March shorter hours and closed Tue; Corte San Lorenzo 9, tel. 0583-584-028, www.puccinimuseum.it.
$$$ A Palazzo Busdraghi has eight comfortable, pastel-colored rooms with modern baths (some with Jacuzzi-style tubs) in a tastefully converted 13th-century palace tucked inside a creaky old courtyard. Sweet Marta hustles to keep guests happy, and bakes tasty cakes for breakfast. It’s conveniently located on busy Via Fillungo, but can be noisy on weekends (family room, air-con, pay parking, Via Fillungo 170, tel. 0583-950-856, www.apalazzobusdraghi.it, info@apalazzobusdraghi.it).
$$$ La Locanda Sant’Agostino has three romantic, bright, and palatial rooms. The oasis-like setting—with a vine-draped terrace, beautiful breakfast spread, and quaint garden views—invites you to relax (family rooms, air-con, Piazza Sant’Agostino 3, tel. 0583-443-100, mobile 346-717-7762, www.locandasantagostino.it, info@locandasantagostino.it, Silvia and gruff Giacomo).
$$ La Romea B&B, in an air-conditioned, restored, 14th-century palazzo near Guinigi Tower, feels like a royal splurge. Its five rooms are lavishly decorated in handsome colors and surround a big, plush lounge with stately Venetian-style mosaic-linoleum floors (RS%, family rooms, Vicolo delle Ventaglie 2, tel. 0583-464-175, www.laromea.com, info@laromea.com, Giulio and wife Gaia). Giulio also offers excursions into the countryside.
$$ La Bohème B&B has a cozy yet elegant ambience, offering six large rooms, each named for a Puccini opera. Chandeliers, 1920s-vintage tile floors, and tasteful antiques add to the charm (RS%, air-con, Via del Moro 2, tel. 0583-462-404, www.boheme.it, info@boheme.it, Laura).
$$$ Hotel la Luna, pricey but well-run by the Barbieri family, has 29 rooms in a great location in the heart of the city. Rooms are split between two adjacent buildings just off the main shopping street. Rooms in the main, historical building are larger and classier, with old wood-beam ceilings (and, in some, original frescoes), while the modern building feels newer and has an elevator but less personality (RS%, family rooms, air-con, pay parking, Via Fillungo at Corte Compagni 12, tel. 0583-493-634, www.hotellaluna.it, info@hotellaluna.it).
$$ Albergo San Martino is friendly and conveniently located for train travelers, with rooms in three different buildings. The 12 art-adorned rooms in the main hotel—with a nice lounge and curbside breakfast terrace—are cozy, while the six rooms in the annex are newer and slightly cheaper. And the nine budget rooms in their sister $ Hotel Diana are fresh, minimalist, and retro-style at an affordable price (breakfast extra at Hotel Diana; family rooms, air-con, pay parking, reception at Via della Dogana 9, tel. 0583-469-181, www.albergosanmartino.it, info@albergosanmartino.it, Andrea).
$ At B&B Le Violette, cheerful American Elisabeth will settle you into one of her six homey rooms near the train station inside Porta San Pietro (cheaper rooms with shared bath, air-con in one room, communal kitchen, self-service laundry, Via della Polveriera 6, tel. 0583-493-594, mobile 333-588-0982, www.bbleviolettelucca.com, bbleviolette@gmail.com).
¢ Ostello San Frediano, in a central, sprawling ex-convent, comes with huge public spaces and a peaceful garden facing the busy town wall. Its 29 rooms are bright and modern, and some have fun lofts (dorms and private rooms, nice two-story family rooms, includes breakfast, no curfew, elevator, restaurant, pay parking, Via della Cavallerizza 12, tel. 0583-348-477, www.ostellolucca.it, info@ostellolucca.it).
$$$ Hotel San Marco, a 10-minute walk outside the Porta Santa Maria, is a postmodern place decorated à la Stanley Kubrick. Its 42 rooms are sleek, with all the comforts (air-con, elevator, pool, bike rental, free parking, taxi from station-€13, Via San Marco 368, tel. 0583-495-010, www.hotelsanmarcolucca.com, info@hotelsanmarcolucca.com).
$$ Hotel Rex rents 25 rooms in a practical contemporary building on the train station square. While in the modern world, you’re just 200 yards away from the old town and get more space for your money. Ask for a slightly quieter room at the back (family rooms, children’s play area and toys, air-con, elevator, free loaner bikes, free parking, a few steps from the train station at Piazza Ricasoli 19, tel. 0583-955-443, www.hotelrexlucca.com, info@hotelrexlucca.com, Elisabetta).
$ Hotel Moderno is indeed modern, with 12 rooms tastefully decorated in shades of white. Although it backs up to the train tracks, the rooms are quiet, and it offers class unusual for this price range (RS%, air-con, Via Vincenzo Civitali 38—turn left out of train station and go over stair-heavy bridge across tracks, tel. 0583-55-840, www.albergomodernolucca.com, info@albergomodernolucca.com).
$ La Mimosa B&B has five cozy, if musty, rooms a 10-minute walk west of Porta Sant’Anna. Most practical if you’re arriving or leaving Lucca by bus, this funky little house is run by the Zichi cousins, Giuseppe and Stefano, and decorated with modern paintings. It’s on a main road, but double-paned windows reduce traffic noise (air-con, free loaner bikes, free street parking nearby, Via Pisana 66; leave Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi through Porta Sant’Anna, swing right, then cross road, walk straight down Via Catalani, and take second road on the left; tel. 0583-583-121, www.bblamimosa.it, info@bblamimosa.it).
$ Sogni d’Oro Guesthouse (“Dreams of Gold”), run by Davide, is a handy budget option for drivers, with five basic rooms and a cheery communal kitchen (grocery store next door). It’s a 10-minute walk from the train station and a five-minute walk from the city walls (cheaper rooms with shared bath, free parking, free ride to and from station with advance notice—then call when your train arrives in Lucca; from the station, head straight out to Viale Regina Margherita and turn right, follow the main boulevard as it turns into Viale Giuseppe Giusti, at the curve turn right onto Via Antonio Cantore to #169; tel. 0583-467-768, mobile 329-582-5062, www.bbsognidoro.com, info@bbsognidoro.com).
(See “Lucca” map, here.)
$$ Canuleia Trattoria is run by enthusiastic Matteo (the chef) and Eleonora (head waiter), who make everything fresh in their small kitchen. You can eat tasty Tuscan cuisine in a tight, dressy, and romantic little dining room or outside on the garden courtyard. As this place is justifiably popular, reserve for dinner (Tue-Sun 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, closed Mon, shorter hours in winter, Via Canuleia 14, tel. 0583-467-470, www.canuleiatrattoria.it).
$$$ Ristorante Giglio is a venerable old dining hall where waiters are formal, but not stuffy, and the spirit of Puccini lives on. This is where local families enjoy special occasions under a big chandelier. They also have simple tables outside facing a tranquil square and the old theater. The short but thoughtful menu—with both traditional and creative Tuscan dishes concocted by three young chefs—makes you want to return. It’s only slightly pricier than most of my listings, but is a big step up in dining experience (impressive wine list, Wed-Mon 12:15-15:00 & 19:15-22:30, closed Tue, Piazza del Giglio 2, tel. 0583-494-058).
$$ Port Ellen Clan, unusual in traditional Lucca, is a combination restaurant, wine bar, and whisky bar in a trendy modern setting. Though the cuisine is purely Italian with a modern twist, the theme is creative and original, with a Scottish flair (Wed-Mon 19:30-24:00, closed Tue; Via del Fosso 120, tel. 0583-493-952, mobile 329-245-2762, www.portellenclan.com, Alessandro).
(See “Lucca” map, here.)
$$ La Bottega di Anna & Leo, run by Claudio and Lidia (and named for their children), is a lovable little pastel eatery with a simple menu and a passion for quality. They have tight seating inside and a few charming tables facing the side of the Church of San Frediano (Tue-Sun 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-22:30, closed Mon, reservations smart, Via San Frediano 16, mobile 393-577-9910 or 393-530-2512, www.labottegadiannaeleo.it).
$$ Osteria Via San Giorgio, where Daniela cooks and her brother Piero serves, is a cheery family eatery that satisfies both fish and meat lovers. The seating is tight and convivial, and the house wine is high quality (daily 12:00-16:00 & 19:00-23:00, Via San Giorgio 26, tel. 0583-953-233).
$$ Il Cuore Enogastronomia is a cozy blend of deli and restaurant. Browse their cases of prepared dishes and order food to take away, or sit in the dining room for homemade pasta, meats, and desserts (daily 8:00-22:30, shorter hours off-season, closed Jan-Feb, Via del Battistero 4, tel. 0583-490-689).
$ Pizzeria da Felice is a little mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall serving cecina (garbanzo-bean crêpes) and slices of freshly baked pizza to throngs of snackers. Grab an etto of cecina and a short glass of wine. From September through April, they’re known for their castagnaccio, a cake made with roasted chestnuts and ricotta (daily 10:00-20:30 except closed Sun Jan-Aug and closed 2 weeks in Aug, Via Buia 12, tel. 0583-494-986).
Basic Trattorias: For an affordable, fill-the-tank meal in a lively traditional environment, consider these two options, run by relatives. They’re a block apart in a quiet part of town, a short walk from the main sights: $$ Vecchia Trattoria Buralli, on quiet Piazza Sant’Agostino, has bright-pastel indoor and piazza seating. It’s fun to order a bis (2 different half-portion pastas) and watch your tordelli being handmade at the pasta bar (Thu-Tue 12:00-15:00 & 18:30-22:30, closed Wed, Piazza Sant’Agostino 10, tel. 0583-950-611). $$ Trattoria da Leo packs in chatty locals for typical, cheap home-cooking in a high-energy, Mel’s-diner atmosphere. Sit in the rollicking interior, or out on a tight, atmospheric lane (Mon-Sat 12:00-14:45 & 19:30-22:30, Sun 12:00-14:45, cash only, Via Tegrimi 1, tel. 0583-492-236, www.trattoriadaleo.it).
Fancy Deli: $ Antica Bottega di Prospero, proudly run by the Marcucci family, is an artisanal deli shop that feels more like a museum. Peruse their great selection of local meats and cheeses that are perfect for a picnic. You can satisfy your sweet tooth with cookies like cantuccini and befanini, or pick up dried pasta, spices, and beans for a tasty souvenir (daily 9:00-19:30, a block behind the Church of San Michele at Via Santa Lucia 13).
Après-Bike Drinks: In the little piazza just south of where Piazza Santa Maria (the bike-rental hub) meets the end of Via Fillungo, young people gather each evening to socialize and drink. This is a perfect spot to unwind after a late-afternoon cycle on the city wall before you head to dinner. De Cervesia is a craft beer pub, with three microbrews on rotating taps (and one English-style pull) and dozens by the bottle (Tue-Sun 17:00-22:00, closed Mon, Via Michele Rosi 20, tel. 0583-492-620, Matteo). Ciclo DiVino, across the street, is a wine bar with a bike-shop theme and enticing snacks (Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 18:00-22:00, Via Michele Rosi 7, tel. 0583-471-869). As this is a fast-emerging scene, scope out the area for other hip new bars before you choose.
Gelato: Just off Piazza San Michele, De’ Coltelli has some of my favorite gelato in Italy. It’s proudly Sicilian-style (with Arab roots) and many of their flavors rotate with the season. The coffee gelato is serious (and not served to children), and their granita takes the slushy to new heights (Sun-Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri-Sat until 21:00, Via San Paolino 10, 0583-050-667).
Refreshments on the Wall: Caffetteria San Colombano is a handy pit stop for bikers and walkers on the city wall. This place is slick with cheap bite-sized snacks and cappuccinos, perfect for a takeaway meal on top of the wall (overpriced at the table). If you’re not feeling too wobbly already from biking, try a caffè corretto (espresso with your choice of Sambuca, rum, or grappa) or a Biadina, a bittersweet liqueur served with pine nuts. The fancier sit-down restaurant serves pasta and big salads with a view (daily 9:00-late, near the top of ramp at Baluardo San Colombano, tel. 0583-464-641).
Groceries: Pam is a small, central market just off of Piazza San Michele (Mon-Sat 7:30-20:30, Via San Paolino 12).
Even if you have a car, I’d opt for the much faster and cheaper train or bus to reach the Leaning Tower. For more on day-tripping to Pisa, see here.
From Lucca by Train to: Florence (2/hour, 1.5 hours), Pisa (roughly 1-2/hour, 30 minutes; if going directly to Leaning Tower, hop off at Pisa San Rossore Station), Livorno (about hourly, 1-1.5 hours, transfer at Pisa Centrale), Milan (2/hour except Sun, 4-5 hours, transfer in Florence), Rome (1/hour except Sun, 3-4 hours, change in Florence), Cinque Terre (hourly, about 2 hours, transfer in Viareggio and La Spezia).
From Lucca by Bus: Vaibus has handy, direct routes from Lucca’s Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi to Florence and its airport (bus #DD, Mon-Sat nearly hourly, less on Sun, 1.25 hours to airport, 1.5 hours total to downtown Florence), and to Pisa and its airport (drops you right at the Leaning Tower or at the station, Mon-Sat hourly, fewer on Sun, 50 minutes). Before boarding, buy tickets at the bus ticket office on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi (Mon-Sat 6:00-20:00, Sun 8:00-19:30)—or you can buy them from the driver for a small surcharge.