Florence is within easy striking distance of a number of great cities—as their fortifications attest. Along with Siena (see the Siena chapter), 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 50 minutes from each other by hourly 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 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.
In A.D. 1200, Pisa’s power peaked. For nearly three centuries (1000-1300), Pisa had rivaled Venice and Genoa as a sea-trading power, exchanging European goods for luxury items in Muslim lands. As a port near the mouth of the Arno River (six miles from the coast—when the wind blows in a certain direction, you can still smell the sea), the city enjoyed easy access to the Mediterranean, plus the protection of sitting a bit upstream. The Romans made it a naval base, and by medieval times the city was a major player.
The city used its sea-trading wealth to build the grand monuments of the Field of Miracles, including the now-famous Leaning Tower. The Pisans fancied themselves the natural heirs of the Roman Empire, and they peppered Roman engineering—and actual ancient fragments—into their distinct architectural style: Pisan Romanesque. In many of Pisa’s buildings and decoration from these glory days, you can see the earliest inklings of the coming Renaissance—centuries before it took hold in earnest in Florence. But the Pisan fleet was routed in battle by Genoa (1284, at Meloria, off Livorno), and their overseas outposts were taken away. Then the port silted up, and Pisa was left high and dry, with only its Field of Miracles and its university keeping it on the map. In 1406, it fell under the auspices of its former rival, the Medici family of Florence.
Today’s Pisa is a thriving mid-size city with some fine Renaissance architecture (as well as some gloomy, post-WWII flourishes). It’s known for two things: its fine university and its remarkable Field of Miracles. That means it’s thronged with both students and tourists.
Pisa’s three important sights—the Duomo, Baptistery, and the Tower—float regally on the best lawn in Italy. The style throughout is Pisa’s very own Pisan Romanesque. 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.
The Tower recently underwent a decade of restoration and topple-prevention. To ascend, you must get your ticket and book a time at least a few hours in advance (for details, see here).
For most visitors, Pisa is a touristy quickie—seeing the Tower, visiting the square, and wandering through the church 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 wonderful 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.
If you want to climb the Tower, go straight to the ticket office upon your 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). You can also buy a ticket and book a time in advance online (no sooner than 20 days and no later than one day beforehand) at www.opapisa.it. 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 between Pisa and Lucca, note that a handy bus runs hourly (less frequently on Sun) between the Field of Miracles and Lucca, saving time and hassle (see here).
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 (but allow up to 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).
The TI is about 200 yards from Pisa Centrale train station—exit and walk straight up the left side of the street to the big, circular Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. The TI is on the left at #13 (Mon-Fri 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-13:00, tel. 050-42291, www.pisaunicaterra.it). There’s also a TI at the airport, in the arrivals hall (daily 9:00-21:30, tel. 050-502-518).
Most trains (and visitors) arrive at Pisa Centrale train station, about a mile south of the Tower and Field of Miracles. A few trains, particularly those from Lucca, also stop at the smaller Pisa San Rossore Station, a dreary but manageable four-block walk from the Tower (not all trains stop here, but if yours does, hop off).
Pisa Centrale: This station has a baggage-check desk—look for deposito bagagli (€4/bag for 12 hours, 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 from this station to the Field of Miracles, you can walk (get free map from TI, 30 minutes direct, one hour if you follow my self-guided walk), take a taxi (€10-15, 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; ticket good for 70 minutes, round-trip permitted; bus departs at least every 10 minutes, runs until 20:30, 15-minute trip). Before getting on the bus, confirm that it is indeed going to “Campo dei Miracoli.” The bus lets you off at Piazza Manin, in front of the gate to the Field of Miracles (at the stop called “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 (again, confirm the destination—“Stazione Centrale,” staht-see-OH-nay chen-TRAH-lay). You’ll also find a taxi stand 30 yards from the Tower (at Bar Duomo).
Pisa San Rossore: From this train station to the Field of Miracles, it’s just a four-block walk (10 minutes). Take the underground walkway to Piazza Fancelli, and turn left onto Via Andrea Pisano. Continue for about 150 yards, and you’ll see the Tower ahead of you, a few minutes away.
Driving in the city center is risky, as Pisa has several restricted areas that are monitored by camera (you could get a ticket by mail). Instead, 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 the 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, WC, and a bus stop for the orange shuttle (navetta) that goes back and forth between the lot and the Largo Cocco Griffi bus stop, just behind the walls of the Field of Miracles (€1 ticket covers round-trip, runs about every 10 minutes). If you’d rather not wait for the bus, the walk to the Tower takes about 15 minutes. Or, to follow my self-guided walk through Pisa to the Field of Miracles, take bus LAM Rossa to Pisa Centrale train station (€1.20 at parking-lot cafeteria, €2 on board; also stops near the Tower at Piazza Manin en route).
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 7:00-18:00, 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: 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 (€140/3 hours, mobile 338-211-2939, www.pisatour.it, info@pisatour.it). Martina Manfredi happily guides visitors through the Field of Miracles, but particularly enjoys helping them discover Pisa’s other charms, from hidden gardens and piazzas to cuisine to artisans (€140/3 hours, €250/6 hours, mobile 328-898-2927, www.tuscanyatheart.it, info@tuscanyatheart.it).
Tours: The TI coordinates with local guides to offer walking tours most days. There’s usually a tour in English on Sundays at 10:30 (€12), but others are likely offered; check with the TI for the latest.
(See “Pisa” map, here.)
A leisurely one-hour stroll from the station to the Tower, following my self-guided walk, is a great way to get acquainted with the more 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 train station, walk north 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 recently rebuilt, and now this generous public space with grass and benches is actually a lid for an underground parking lot. The TI is on this piazza, in the arcade to the left. The circular pink building in the middle of the square, on the right, is La Bottega del Parco, a shop that sells Tuscan products that originated within or near the San Rossore natural park—cheese, salami, spices, oils, sauces, and so on (daily 9:30-20:30, tel. 050-086-8019).
At the top of the square, on the left (by the Credito Artigiano bank), find the little mini-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 big square and walk up Pisa’s main drag, Corso Italia, toward the river.
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. You’ll also see plenty of youthful fashions, as kids are out making the scene here. Be on guard for pickpockets—too young to arrest, they can only be kicked out of town. Pushed out of their former happy hunting grounds, the Field of Miracles, they now work the crowds here, often dressed as tourists.
Follow the pedestrianized Corso Italia straight north for several blocks. This is Pisa’s main shopping street for locals, not tourists. For a peek at off-the-beaten-track Pisa, after #45, on the right, watch for the little covered lane called Via San Bernardo. Follow it to pop out at the very local-feeling Piazza Chiara Gambacorti. Neighbors sit on the benches or at café tables and chat, while budding soccer stars practice their kicks at the far end. The recommended Pane e Vino is a fine place to grab a sandwich or takeaway pasta.
Locals call this square by another name, Piazza della Pera. To find out why, exit the square at the top-right corner (the opposite corner from where you entered) and go one block along the yellow wall. At the first intersection, watch for the knee-high, onion-shaped chunk of stone on your right. Dubbed La Pera (“The Pear”), it once topped an Etruscan tomb—a striking reminder of the layers of history underfoot in Pisa.
Turn left at the stone (on Via San Martino) and walk one block back to 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. This area was a marshland until the 11th century, and in the Middle Ages it was a crossroads of merchants from faraway lands: smelly, polluted, and a commotion of activity.
• Turn right at the loggia and cross to the middle of the bridge.
This modern bridge, constructed on the same site where the Romans built one, marks the center of Pisa. In the Middle Ages, this bridge (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.
Looking to the right, notice the red-brick building (the former silk merchants’ quarters) that looks like it’s about to slide into the river. Pisa sits on shifting delta sand, making construction tricky. The entire town leans. Using innovative arches above ground and below, architects didn’t stop the leaning—but they have made buildings that wobble without being threatened.
• Cross the bridge to...
This square is named for the charismatic leader of the Risorgimento, the unification movement that led to Italian independence in 1870. Knowing Pisa was strongly nationalist, a wounded Garibaldi came here to be nursed back to health; many Pisans died in the national struggle.
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 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. Browse its time-warp interior, lined with portraits and documents from the struggle for Italian independence (Sun-Fri 7:00-21:00, closed Sat).
• Back on Piazza Garibaldi, continue north up the elegantly arcaded street called...
Welcome to Pisa’s other main shopping street. On the right, the Church of St. Michael, with its fine Pisan Romanesque facade, still sports some 16th-century graffiti. I’ll bet you can see some modern graffiti across the street. Students have been pushing their causes here—or simply defacing things—for five centuries.
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 regenerate.
• Just past the church, detour left onto Via delle Colonne, and walk one block down to...
Pisa’s historic market square, Piazza delle Vettovaglie, is lively day and night. Its Renaissance loggia has hosted the fish and vegetable market for generations. The stalls are set up in this piazza during the morning (Mon-Sat 7:00-13:00, closed Sun) and stay open later in the neighboring piazza to the west (Piazza Sant’Uomobuono, Mon-Sat 7:00-18:00, closed Sun). You could cobble together a picnic from the sandwich shops and fruit-and-veggie stalls ringing these squares.
• 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). Then 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, Piazza dei Cavalieri.
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. The blind tenor Andrea Bocelli attended law school in Pisa before embarking on his well-known musical career.
From here, take Via Corsica (to the left of the clock). The humble Church of San Sisto, ahead on the left (side entrance on Via Corsica), is worth a quick look. With simple bricks, assorted reused columns, heavy walls, and few windows, this was the typical Romanesque style that predated the more lavish Pisan Romanesque style of the Field of Miracles structures.
Follow Via Corsica as it turns into Via dei Mille, then turn right on Via Santa Maria, which leads north (and grab a quick bite at the recommended Panetteria Antiche Tradizioni, on the right, or Paninoteca il Canguro, on the left). You’ll pass through increasingly touristy claptrap, directly to the Field of Miracles and the Tower.
▲▲▲Field of Miracles (Campo dei Miracoli)
Secondary Sights on the Field of Miracles
Museum of the Sinopias (Museo delle Sinopie)
Duomo Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo)
A 15-foot lean from the vertical makes the 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.
Cost and Hours: Free to look, €18 to go inside and climb to the top (see age restrictions in “Reservations to Climb the Tower,” below), always viewable from the outside; open to climb 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, last entry 30 minutes before closing. For details on how to get to the Tower from the train station, see here.
Reservations to Climb the Tower: 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 under age 8 are not allowed to go up. Children ages 8-12 must be accompanied by—and hold hands at all times with—an adult. Teenagers (under 19) must also be accompanied by an adult.
Reserve your timed entry in person at either ticket office (see below), or choose your entry time and buy your ticket online at www.opapisa.it.
Online bookings are accepted no earlier than 20 days and no later than one day in advance. Print out the voucher and bring it to the Tower 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, hidden behind the souvenir stalls. In summer, for same-day entry, you’ll likely need to wait two or three 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.
Pisa has a combo-ticket scheme designed to get you into its neglected secondary sights: the Baptistery, Camposanto Cemetery, Duomo Museum, and Museum of the Sinopias (fresco pattern museum). For €5, you get your choice of one of these sights; for two of these sights, the cost is €7; and for the works, you pay €9 (credit cards accepted except AmEx). No matter which ticket you get, you have to pay an additional €18 if you want to climb the Tower. Entry into the Duomo is free, but you need a free voucher (or you can show your combo-ticket).
You can get the Duomo voucher (good for up to two people) 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 Baptistery, almost suffocated by souvenir stands). Both ticket offices have big, yellow, triangle-shaped signs. You can buy tickets in advance online at www.opapisa.it (no sooner than 20 days but at least one day ahead of your visit; the free voucher for the Duomo is 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). With a bit 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 the likelihood of having to 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 a particularly scenic city, 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.
At the Tower: 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 a 5-minute presentation at the start, 10 minutes to climb, and 10 to descend. This leaves about 5 minutes for vertigo at the top.
Baggage Check: You can’t take any bags up the Tower, but day-bag-size lockers are available at the ticket office—show your Tower ticket to check your bag. You may check your bag 10 minutes before your reservation time and must pick it up immediately after your Tower visit.
Caution: The railings are skinny, the steps are slanted, 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.
Self-Guided Tour: 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.
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. 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 barged here from San Giuliano, northeast of the city. The thin columns of the open-air arcades make the heavy Tower seem light and graceful.
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 obviously 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 backward.
After the Tower’s completion, several attempts were made to stop its slow-motion fall. The architect/artist/writer Giorgio Vasari reinforced the base (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 steam pipes, 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.
As well as gravity, erosion 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 as well. Cracks were filled, and accumulations of dirt 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 it leans today as much as it did when Galileo reputedly conducted his gravity experiments here some 400 years ago.
Wait’s over? Great. It’s time to head inside. First, an attendant takes you into the room at the bottom of the tower (known as the Sala del Pesce for the Christian fish symbol on the wall) and offers a short explanation of the Tower’s construction and history. 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, climbing 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; you can enter using any of the combo-tickets (see sidebar on here) or pick up a free voucher (valid for up to two people) at one of the ticket offices nearby; 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, last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Crowd-Beating Tips: Because the Duomo is the only free interior at the Field of Miracles, it’s on every tour itinerary. Local authorities plan to start monitoring the number of visitors allowed inside, which could mean you’ll have to wait in line at busy times. Remember, the sights are most crowded between 12:00 and 15:00; ideally, try to see the Duomo before or after that window.
Dress Code: Shorts are OK as long as they’re not too short, and shoulders should be covered (although it’s not really enforced).
Audioguides: Don’t let the sparkle of the new coin-operated “phone guides” tempt you. These €2 machines still use narration from a bygone era.
Self-Guided Tour: Begun in 1063, the Duomo is the centerpiece of the Field of Miracles’ complex of religious buildings. Start by admiring its facade.
Exterior: The architect Buschetto created the Pisan Romanesque style that set the tone for the Baptistery and Tower. Five decades later (1118), the architect Rainaldo added the impressive main-entrance facade (which also leans out about a foot).
The bronze back doors (Porta San Ranieri, at the Tower end) were designed by Bonanno Pisano (c. 1186). 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.
Nave: Inside, the 320-foot nave was the longest in Christendom when it was built. The striped marble and arches-on-columns give it an exotic, almost mosque-like feel. Dim light filters in from the small upper windows of the galleries, where the women worshipped.
At the center of the gilded coffered ceiling is the shield of Florence’s Medici family. This powerful merchant and banking family took over Pisa after its glory days.
High up in the apse (behind the altar) is a mosaic (c. 1300, partly done by the great artist Cimabue) showing 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.
Galileo’s Lamp: Hanging from the ceiling of the central nave is a bronze incense burner (to the left of the altar), a replica of the one that supposedly caught teenage Galileo’s attention when a gust of wind set the lamp swinging. He 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.)
Giovanni’s Pulpit: The 15-foot-tall, octagonal pulpit is by Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250-1319), 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.
St. Ranieri’s Body: In a glass-lined casket on the altar, Pisa’s patron saint lies mummified, encased in silver at his head and feet, with his hair shirt covering his body. The silver, mask-like face dates from 2000 and is as realistic as possible—derived from an FBI-style computer scan of Ranieri’s skull. The son of a rich sea-trader, Ranieri (1117-1161) was a hard-partying, touring musician who one night was inspired to set fire to his musical instrument, open his arms to the heavens (à la Jimi Hendrix), and return to his father’s shipping business, where he amassed a fortune. He later gave away his money, joined a monastery, and delivered spirited sermons from the Duomo pulpit.
Tomb of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII: Pause at the tomb of this German king (c. 1275-1313), who invaded Italy and was welcomed by the Pisans as a leader of unity and peace. Unfortunately, Henry took ill and died young, leaving Ghibelline Pisa at the mercy of its Guelph rivals, such as rising Florence. Pisa never recovered.
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.
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. Theologically, the Campo’s buildings mark the main events of every Pisan’s life: christened in the Baptistery, married in the Duomo, honored in ceremonies at the Tower, healed in the hospital, and buried in the Camposanto Cemetery.
Lining this field of artistic pearls is a gauntlet of Europe’s tackiest souvenir stands, as well as 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.
The next four sights—the Baptistery, Camposanto Cemetery, Museum of the Sinopias, and Duomo Museum—share the same pricing and schedule.
Cost and Hours: €9 combo-ticket includes all the sights, plus the Duomo (credit cards accepted except AmEx; see sidebar on here for rundown on various combo-tickets). Open daily April-Sept 8:00-20:00, Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-17:00, March 9:00-18:00, last entry 30 minutes before closing. Note that the Duomo Museum will likely be closed for renovation through 2016.
Getting There: The Baptistery is located in front of the Duomo’s facade. The Camposanto Cemetery is behind the church on the north side of the Field of Miracles. The Museum of the Sinopias is hidden behind souvenir stands, across the street from the Baptistery entrance. The Duomo Museum is housed behind the Tower.
The round Baptistery is the biggest in Italy. It’s interesting for its superb acoustics and another fine Pisano pulpit.
Visiting the Baptistery: The building is 180 feet tall—John the Baptist is almost eye-to-eye with the tourists looking out from the nearly 200-foot-tall 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 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.
The pulpit by Nicola Pisano, Giovanni’s father, is arguably 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 relief panels, with scenes from the life of Christ, are more readable than the Duomo pulpit. Read left to right, starting from the back: Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Presentation in the Temple, Crucifixion, Last Judgment.
The acoustics are impressive. Make a sound in here and it echoes for a good 10 seconds. A priest standing at the baptismal font (or a security guard today) can sing three tones within the 10 seconds—“Ave Maria”—and make a chord, singing haunting harmonies with himself. This medieval form of digital delay is due to the 250-foot-wide dome. Recent computer analysis suggests that the 15th-century architects who built the dome intended this building to function not just as a Baptistery, but also as a musical instrument. A security guard sings every half-hour, starting when the doors open in the morning. Climb 75 steps to the interior gallery (midway up) for an impressive view back down on the baptismal font.
This site has been a cemetery since at least the 12th century. The building’s cloistered open-air courtyard, lined with traces of fresco on the bare-brick walls, is surrounded by an arcade with intricately carved tracery in the arches and dozens of ancient Roman sarcophagi. 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 1,000-square-foot fresco, The Triumph of Death (c. 1340), captures late-medieval Europe’s concern with death—predating but still accurately depicting Pisa’s mood in reaction to the bubonic plague (1348), which killed one in three Pisans. Grim stuff, but appropriate for the Camposanto’s permanent residents.
In 1944, the Camposanto took a direct hit from an Allied incendiary grenade (the rest of the Field of Miracles was miraculously unscathed). It melted the lead-covered arcade roof and peeled historic frescoes from the walls—one of the many tragic artistic losses of World War II (look for photos of the bombed-out Camposanto at the back of the courtyard). The Americans liberated the city on September 2 and later rebuilt the Camposanto.
Housed in a 13th-century hospital, this museum features the preparatory sketches (sinopias) for the Camposanto’s WWII-damaged frescoes (including The Triumph of Death, described earlier). Sinopias are 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; if he liked the results, his assistants made a “cartoon” by tracing the sinopia onto large sheets of paper (cartone). Then the sinopia was plastered over, and the assistants redrew the outlines, using the cartoon as a guide. 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.
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 7-minute, 3-D computer tour of the complex, and a 15-minute story of the Tower, its tilt, and its fix.
This museum behind the Leaning Tower (likely closed for renovation through 2016) is big on Pisan art, displaying treasures of the cathedral, paintings, silverware, and sculptures (from the 12th to 14th centuries, particularly by the Pisano dynasty), as well as ancient Egyptian, Etruscan, and Roman artifacts. It 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. You can stand face-to-face with the Pisanos’ very human busts, which once ringed the outside of the Baptistery.
Also on display are the Duomo’s original 12th-century bronze doors of St. Ranieri, done by Bonanno Pisano, which feature scenes from the life of Jesus. You’ll also see a mythical sculpted hippogriff (a medieval jackalope) and other oddities brought back from the Holy Land by Pisan Crusaders, along with several large-scale wooden models of the Duomo, Baptistery, and Tower. The museum’s grassy interior courtyard has a two-story, tourist-free view of the Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery.
Plans are being made to open the city walls that run behind the Field of Miracles to visitors, but details are constantly in flux. If you see people up on the walls, ask around about how to do it: The view from atop the walls offers a different angle on the great buildings.
In a former convent on the river, this art museum displays 12th- to 15th-century sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, and paintings on wood by pre- and early-Renaissance masters Martini, Masaccio, and others. It’s a fine collection—especially its painted wood crucifixes—and gives you a chance to see Pisan innovation in 11th- to 13th-century art, before Florence took the lead.
Cost and Hours: €5, Tue-Sat 8:30-19:00, Sun 8:30-13:00, closed Mon, near Piazza San Paolo at Lungarno Mediceo, a 5-minute walk upriver (east) from the main bridge, tel. 050-541-865.
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.
$$$ Hotel Royal Victoria, a classy place along the Arno River, claims to be the oldest hotel in Italy; while a hotel has stood here since around 1100, this version has been run by the Piegaja family since 1837. With 44 creaky, historical rooms filled with antiques, it’s ideal for romantics who missed out on the Grand Tour. The location, dead-center between the Tower and Pisa Centrale train station, is the most atmospheric of my listings (S-€55, D-€80, standard Db-€120, “traditional” Db-€155, suite-€200, family rooms, breakfast-€5, 10 percent discount with this book if you book directly with the hotel, check website for special deals, half-price off-season, air-con on request, elevator, Wi-Fi, parking garage-€20/day, bike rental, lush communal terrace, Lungarno Pacinotti 12, tel. 050-940-111, www.royalvictoria.it, mail@royalvictoria.it).
$$ Hotel Pisa Tower overlooks the tacky-souvenir-stand square just outside the gate to the Field of Miracles, along a busy street. But the location couldn’t be handier to the big sights, and the 12 rooms are crisp, modern, and romantically decorated. Their annex—a long block away—has 13 similar rooms at the same prices (Db-€80, prices very flexible, no breakfast, air-con, Wi-Fi, Piazza Daniele Manin 9, tel. 050-5200700, www.hotelpisatower.com, info@hotelpisatower.com).
$$ Hotel Villa Kinzica has 30 tired, worn rooms with high ceilings—and a prime location just steps from the Field of Miracles; ask for a room with a view of the Tower, ideally #42 (Sb-€70, Db-€89, Tb-€109, Qb-€119, better prices off-season, air-con, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, Piazza Arcivescovado 2, tel. 050-560-419, www.hotelvillakinzica.com, info@hotelvillakinzica.com).
$ Casa San Tommaso has 22 fresh but classic-feeling, homey rooms in a big house on a quiet back lane about a five-minute walk from the Tower (Sb-€58, Db-€68, no breakfast, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via San Tommaso 13, tel. 050-830-782, www.casasantommaso.it, santommaso@paimturismo.it).
$ Pensione Helvetia is a no-frills, homey, clean, and quiet inn just 100 yards from the Tower. Its 29 economical rooms are spread over four floors (no elevator); the lower your room number, the lower your altitude (S-€45, Sb-€54, D-€54, Db-€60, Tb-€75, no breakfast but small lounge with vending machines, ceiling fans, guest computer, Wi-Fi, Via Don G. Boschi 31, tel. 050-553-084, www.pensionehelvetiapisa.com, helvetiapisatravel@gmail.com, Maria, Sandra, and Micaele).
This zone is far less atmospheric than near the Tower—with a lot of concrete and congestion. Stay here only if you value the convenience of proximity to the station.
$$$ Hotel Alessandro della Spina, in a nondescript neighborhood near Pisa Centrale train station, has 16 elegant and colorful rooms, each named after a flower (Sb-€140, Db-€180, discounts off-season and online, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€10/day; head straight out from the train station, turn right on Viale F. Bonaini, and then take the third right on Via Alessandro della Spina—the hotel is on your left at #5; tel. 050-502-777, www.hoteldellaspina.it, info@hoteldellaspina.it).
$ Hotel Milano, near Pisa Centrale train station, is run with youthful enthusiasm. Barbara and Francisco offer 10 simple, clean rooms (D-€50, Db-€65, 10 percent discount for Rick Steves readers if you book directly with the hotel, no breakfast, Wi-Fi, air-con, Via Mascagni 14, tel. 050-23-162, www.hotelmilano.pisa.it, hotelmilano.pisa@gmail.com).
(See “Pisa” map, here.)
Particularly for day-trippers, a quick lunch may be all you need here. Fortunately, several good options are tucked between the many interchangeable snack stands.
At Paninoteca il Canguro, Fabio makes warm, hearty sandwiches to order. Check the chalkboard for seasonal specials, such as porchetta (€3-5 sandwiches, €7 pastas, same prices to eat in or take out, daily 9:00-24:00, may be closed Sun in winter, Via Santa Maria 151, tel. 050-561-942).
Panetteria Antiche Tradizioni—not to be confused with another panetteria across the street—is a sandwich/bread shop with complete fixings for a picnic. Build your own sandwich with homemade bread or focaccia, then choose fruit from the counter, fresh pastries from the window, and cold drinks or wine to round out your meal. If you prefer, you can sit in the air-conditioned back room or out on the streetside terrace for no extra charge (€3-5 sandwiches, daily 8:00-20:00, Via Santa Maria 66, tel. 050-561-1857).
Pizzeria al Bagno di Nerone is a local favorite and 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 €3 cecina, a crepe-like garbanzo-bean cake (€5-8 pizzas, Wed-Mon 12:00-14:30 & 18:00-22:30, closed Tue, a 5-minute walk from the Tower at Largo Carlo Fedeli 26, tel. 050-551-085). Don’t mistake this for the similarly named gelateria a bit closer to the Tower.
(See “Pisa” map, here.)
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 choices: a few antipasti, a few primi (homemade pastas and soups), and a few secondi. This place feels sophisticated, but without pretense. Sit in the elegantly simple interior or out at long tables facing the market. Most days, they serve lunch only (€8-9 pastas, €9-14 secondi, Sun-Thu 12:30-15:00, Fri-Sat 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-23:00, Piazza delle Vettovaglie 14, tel. 050-382-0433).
Pane e Vino is a delightful pizzicheria/entoeca/spuntineria (grocery/wine bar/place to eat) overlooking the very local-feeling Piazza Chiara Gambacorti, just south of the river. Step inside to review the display case, with a few carefully selected, seasonal Tuscan dishes (homemade pastas, soups, and secondi) prepared each day. They can also whip you up a sandwich with your choice of top-quality local ingredients. You can sit at one of the few tables tucked in the back, out on the square, or take your food to go—all for the same price (€3-5 sandwiches, €8-10 meals, vegetarian options, Tue-Sat 12:30-15:00 & 18:00-23:30, open Sun for dinner in summer and for lunch in winter, closed Mon, Piazza Chiara Gambacorti 7, mobile 347-531-4312).
Antica Trattoria il Campano, just off the market square, has a typically Tuscan menu and a candlelit, stay-awhile atmosphere. Their €30 tasting menus include wine and generous portions of local specialties. The ground floor, surrounded by wine bottles, is cozier, while the upstairs—with high wood-beam ceilings—is classier (€8-9 pastas, €15-16 secondi, €15 fixed-price lunches, Fri-Tue 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-22:45, Thu 19:30-22:45, closed Wed, reservations smart, Via Cavalca 19, tel. 050-580-585, Giovanna).
Ristorante Bagus, tucked in a gloomy square just off the river, attempts trendy twists on typical Tuscan fare in a modern setting (€9-10 pastas, €14-18 secondi, €30 fixed-price meal, Mon-Fri 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-23:00, Sat 19:30-23:00 only, closed Sun; heading south on Corso Italia, turn right on Via Nunziata and take your first right after Piazza Griletti to Piazza dei Facchini 13; tel. 050-26196).
Pizza: Il Montino is every local’s 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 old-school interior or out on the alley, or get a slice to go (€6-8 pizzas, Mon-Sat 11:30-15:00 & 17:30-22:30, Vicolo del Monte 1, tel. 050-598-695).
Lively Beer Hall: Orzo Bruno—il birrifico artigiano (“the artisan brewpub”)—is the place to go to relive your student days. This lively, rollicking brewpub is filled with Pisans of all ages enjoying the five different microbrews and simple menu of sandwiches and salads (€5-8 pub grub, nightly 19:00-24:00, Via Case Dipinte 6, tel. 050-578-802).
(See “Pisa” map, here.)
Da Michele is a handy choice if you are sleeping near the train station. A family-run, basic affair, the home-cooking is tasty and reasonably priced, and the place stays open late. The tiramisù is a classic (€6-8 pastas, €7-11 secondi, daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-23:00, sometimes closed Wed, a 3-minute walk from recommended Hotel Alessandro della Spina heading toward the station at Viale Bonaini 96, tel. 050-24128).
Pisa has good connections by train, bus, or car. The busy airport is practically downtown.
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 25-30 minutes compared with 50 minutes)—but getting to the train station is more time-consuming, so it’s a toss-up. If you’re heading directly to Lucca from the Leaning Tower, you can catch the train at San Rossore Station, a gloomy 10-minute walk from the Tower (the station area is a maze of tunnels; leave yourself enough time to find the ticket machines and make it to the platform).
A handy bus connects the Field of Miracles with Lucca’s Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi in about 50 minutes (Mon-Sat hourly, fewer on Sun, buy ticket on bus; in Pisa, wait at the Vai Bus signpost, immediately outside the wall behind the Baptistery on the right). You can also catch this bus at Pisa’s airport, Pisa Centrale train station, or around the corner from Pisa’s TI.
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, gateway to Cinque Terre (about hourly, 1-1.5 hours), Siena (2/hour, 1.75 hours, change at Empoli), Lucca (1-2/hour, 25-30 minutes; also see bus option, earlier). Even the fastest trains stop in Pisa, so you might change trains here whether you plan to stop or not.
By Car: The drive between Pisa and Florence is that rare case where the non-autostrada highway (free, more direct, and at least as fast) is a better deal than the autostrada.
By Plane: Pisa’s handy Galileo Galilei Airport—which is just two miles from the train station (“So close you can walk,” locals brag)—handles both international and domestic flights (airport code: PSA, tel. 050-849-300, www.pisa-airport.com). Two different buses zip you into central Pisa: a shuttle bus designed for train travelers, which drops you off just behind Pisa Centrale train station (€1.30, runs every 10 minutes; someday this may be replaced by a tram); and public bus LAM Rossa, which stops first at the station and then continues to the Leaning Tower (every 10 minutes, €1.20 ticket at kiosk, €2 on board). If you’re heading for the station, either bus will do; if you’re making a beeline for the Field of Miracles, take LAM Rossa. A taxi into town costs €10-15.
Pisa’s airport is handy for other towns as well: The bus to Lucca (described on previous page) originates at the airport. To reach Florence—or other destinations in Italy—take the shuttle bus 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: Terravision (€6, about hourly, www.terravision.eu) and Autostradale (€7.50, typically coordinated with Ryanair flights, online discounts, 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, known for being Europe’s leading producer of toilet paper and tissue (with a monopoly on the special machinery that makes it), is nothing to sneeze at. However, the town 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.
Locals say Lucca is like a cake with a cherry filling in the middle...every slice is equally good. Despite Lucca’s charm, few tourists seem to put it on their maps, and it remains a city for the Lucchesi (loo-KAY-zee).
Low-impact Lucca has no must-see sights, but its pleasant ambience, ample churches, and pristine piazzas reward any time you’ve got. With the better part of a day, stroll through the town center, dipping into the sights that interest you. Once you’ve had your fill, rent a bike and do a few spins around the ramparts (or do the loop in slow motion, by foot) before dinner.
Lucca (population 87,000) 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 15-20 minutes to walk from one end of the old town to the other. The train station sits just south of the wall (near the cathedral), and the bus stop from Pisa is 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 less intuitive. This, combined with tall houses and a lack of consistent signage, makes Lucca easy to get lost in. Use a map to find your way back to landmarks.
Lucca has two TIs. The very helpful main TI, on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi, offers city information and a no-fee room-booking service (daily April-Sept 9:00-19:00, Oct-March 9:00-17:00, futuristic WC-€0.60, baggage storage—see “Helpful Hints,” later, tel. 0583-583-150, www.luccaitinera.it).
The second TI, which may be useful for drivers, is west of town on Via Luporini (between Via Parri and Via delle Città Gemelle), at the tourist-bus checkpoint and near parking (April-Sept 9:00-17:00, closed Oct-March, tel. 0583-583-462).
By Train: There is no baggage check at the train station, but you can leave luggage at Tourist Center Lucca (near the station) or at the main TI on Piazzale Guiseppe Verdi (see “Helpful Hints” for specifics on both).
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, where the main TI is located.
By Car: The key for drivers: 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 parking lots (with two just inside the walls, both usually full).
An easy option is to park near the tour-bus lot and second TI, not far from the southwest wall. As you leave the autostrada, follow signs for Bus Turistico Checkpoint, which will lead you to parking lots on Via Luporini—one is for buses, but the other has free and paid parking for cars. White lines denote free parking, and blue lines are paid parking (daily 8:00-20:00, €1-1.50/hour, pay at automated kiosks). Avoid the yellow lines—these spots are for locals only. From here it’s about a five-minute walk to Porta Sant’Anna.
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 (€1.50/hour). Or consider parking outside the gates near the train station or on the boulevard surrounding the city (meter rates vary; also 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: Shops close most of Sunday and Monday mornings. Many museums are closed on Monday as well.
Markets: Lucca’s atmospheric markets are worth visiting. Every third weekend of the month (whenever the third Sun falls), 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, you’ll find produce and household goods (8:30-13:00, from Porta Elisa to Porta San Jacopo on Via dei Bacchettoni).
Concerts: San Giovanni Church hosts one-hour concerts featuring a pianist and singers performing highlights from hometown composer Giacomo Puccini (€20 at the door, €18 advance purchase at TI and some hotels, daily April-Oct at 19:00, Nov-March check schedule and location at www.puccinielasualucca.com).
Festival: 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.
Internet Access: Cafés around town have free Wi-Fi with a purchase. If you need a terminal, head for Betty Blue, a wine bar handy to the recommended launderette (€4.50/hour, free Wi-Fi if you buy a drink, Thu-Tue 13:00-24:00, closed Wed, Via del Gonfalone 18, tel. 0583-492-166).
Baggage Storage: For train travelers, the most convenient storage spot is Tourist Center Lucca (on the left side of the square as you exit the train station, at #203, €3/3 hours, €5/day, daily April-Oct 8:30-19:30, Nov-March 9:00-18:00). The main TI on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi is more convenient to buses (2 bags for €4.50/5 hours, €7/day, available until 30 minutes before closing—see hours earlier). In a pinch, you may be able to store bags at the recommended Hotel Rex (near the train station).
Laundry: Lavanderia Self-Service Niagara is just off Piazza Santa Maria at Via Rosi 26 (€10 wash and dry, 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 (same rates and hours as the competition, Corso Garibaldi 93, tel. 0583-490-591, www.chronobikes.com) and Tourist Center Lucca (a bit more expensive, near the train station).
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 make Tuscan fare. You prepare and then eat a four-course meal. Depending on how many others attend, the price ranges from €50 (a steal) to a whopping €125 per person. 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, tel. 0583-378-071, mobile 347-678-7447, www.italiancuisine.it, info@italiancuisine.it).
Language School: LIS (Lucca Italian School) offers a variety of immersive one- and two-week Italian language classes, with options including cultural activities, cooking classes, and nature walks. They can arrange lodging ranging from homestays to B&Bs and apartments (Via Sant’Anna 14, see website for prices and course details, book online and mention Rick Steves for a 10 percent discount, tel. 0583-311-051, www.luccaitalianschool.com, info@luccaitalianschool.com).
The TI offers two-hour guided city walks in English and Italian, departing from the office on Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi (€10, daily at 14:00, tel. 0583-583-150).
Gabriele Calabrese knows and shares his hometown well (€120/3 hours, by foot or bike, mobile 347-788-0667, www.turislucca.com, turislucca@turislucca.com).
(See “Lucca” map, here.)
This hour-long 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 self-guided walk right in the heart of things, at Lucca’s main square.
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. Today, the square is a circle of touristy shops, mediocre restaurants, and inviting al fresco cafés. The modern street level is nine feet above the original arena floor. The only bits of surviving Roman stonework are a few arches on the northern exterior (at Via Fillungo 42 and on Via dell’Anfiteatro).
• There are four exits from this square. Take the one between #16 and #17, toward the Baralla sign. Turn left down the little alley. You’ll soon pass the tempting Pizzicheria La Grotta salumi shop on the left, then turn left onto the busy shopping street, Via Fillungo. After a block, you’ll reach a little square on the right, which leads to the beautiful mosaic-slathered facade of the...
This impressive church was built in 1112 by the pope to counter Lucca’s bishop and his spiffy cathedral. 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 actual 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: Free, Mon-Sat 8:30-12:00 & 15:00-17:30, Sun 9:00-11:30 & 15:00-17:30, Piazza San Frediano, tel. 0583-493-627.
• Leaving the church, head straight back through the little square, and turn right onto...
The street to stroll, this 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. Many of the original storefront paintings, reliefs, and mosaics survive—even if today’s shopkeeper sells something entirely different.
Head down the street. After a block, on the left, you’ll pass Piazza degli Scapellini, with market stalls and another entrance into Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.
Between #104 and #102, notice the snazzy Old World shopping gallery, with glass canopies in the Liberty Style (Italy’s version of Art Nouveau).
You’ll see symptoms of Italy’s burgeoning obsession with craft beers at #92 (on the left), a hole-in-the-wall bottle shop selling a wide array of microbrews. Farther down, on the right at #97, is a classic old jewelry store (marked Carli), with a rare storefront that has kept its T-shaped arrangement (when closed, you see a wooden T, and during open 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.
Di Simo Caffè, at #58 (but currently closed), has long been the hangout of Lucca’s artistic and intellectual elite. Composer and hometown boy Giacomo Puccini tapped his foot while sipping coffee here.
A surviving five-story tower house is at #67 (on the right, after Via Buia). At one time, nearly every corner sported its own tower (see the sidebar). 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 San Andrea for a peek at the town’s tallest tower, Guinigi, in the distance—with its characteristic oak trees sprouting from the top (see more “Sights in Lucca,” later).
At #45 and #43 (on the right), you’ll see two more good examples of tower houses. Across the street, on the left, the Clock Tower (Torre delle Ore) 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 to see the view and the nonfunctioning mechanism, €6 combo-ticket includes Guinigi Tower, daily April-Oct 9:30-18:30, Nov-March 9:30-17:30, last entry 20 minutes before closing, corner of Via Fillungo and Via del’Arancio).
The intersection of Via Fillungo and Via Roma/Via Santa Croce (the street jogs a bit to the right here) marks the center of town, where the two original Roman roads crossed. The big building you’re facing—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, and 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 was known to do on special occasions. Perched above many of the columns are the faces of heroes in the Italian independence and unification movement: Victor Emmanuel II (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 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, next to the church tower). And 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.
• From here, take a little detour down...
This bustling street—which eventually goes all the way to Piazzale Guiseppe Verdi, with the TI and bus stop to Pisa—is another fine shopping drag. Along here, a wide variety of storefronts cater not just to tourists but also to locals. Appliances and electronics stores are mixed in with gifty Tuscan specialties boutiques. You’ll also pass—after just a half-block, on the right—the best gelato in town (the recommended De’ Coltelli, at #10).
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 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). The ticket office for the museum—on the left side of the square, in front of Puccini—is also a well-stocked gift shop with all manner of Puccini-bilia.
• 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 the cathedral. Facing the church facade, turn right and go down Via Vittorio Veneto (with the loggia on your left) to the vast, café-lined Piazza Napoleone—named for the French despot who was the first outsider to take over Lucca. Cut diagonally through this square, and continue to the little adjacent square with the statue. Continue straight, 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.
Cost and Hours: €4, €7 combo-ticket includes cathedral and Cathedral Museum; mid-March-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-mid-March Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon-Fri; audioguide-€1; see concert info on here.
• Continuing past San Giovanni, you’ll be face-to-face with...
This cathedral, 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, more fully understood the beauty of Christian compassion. (The impressive original hides from pollution just inside, to the right of the main entrance.) On the right (at eye level on the pilaster), a labyrinth is set into the wall. The maze relates the struggle and challenge our souls face in finding salvation.
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, 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). She’s so realistic 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.
Cost and Hours: €3, €7 combo-ticket includes Cathedral Museum and San Giovanni Church; Mon-Fri 9:30-18:00, Sat 9:30-18:45; Sun 9:00-10:15 & 11:30-18:00; Piazza San Martino.
• 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 first room displays jewelry made to dress up the Volto Santo crucifix (described earlier), including gigantic gilded silver shoes. Upstairs, notice the fine red brocaded silk—a reminder that this precious fabric is what brought riches and power to the city. You’ll also see church paintings and sculptures, silver ecclesiastical gear, and a big cutaway model of the cathedral. The exhibits in this museum have basic labels and are meaningful only with the slow-talking €1 audioguide—if you’re not in the mood to listen, skip the place altogether.
Cost and Hours: €4, €7 combo-ticket includes cathedral and San Giovanni Church; mid-March-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-mid-March Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00; to the left of the cathedral as you’re facing it, Piazza Antelminelli, tel. 0583-490-530, www.museocattedralelucca.it.
• 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—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.
Lucca has several small museums that stir local pride, but they’re pretty dull on a pan-European (or even pan-Italian) scale. Visit the following sights only if you have time to burn and/or a special interest (with the exception of the MUST Museum, which is free and offers a nice introduction to the city).
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. On your way up, you’ll pass colorful illustrations of historical Lucca—with its many towers—then huff up twisty metal stairs 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 and botanical garden, daily April-May 9:30-18:30, June-Sept 9:30-19:30, March and Oct 9:30-17:30, Nov-Feb 9:30-16:30, Via Sant’Andrea 41.
This modest, free museum—its initials stand for Memoria Urbana, Società e Territorio (Urban, Societal, and Territorial Memory)—does a fine job of introducing visitors to Lucca’s charms: its Roman heritage, sturdy walls, musical connections, and so on. Find the easy-to-miss entrance around the corner from the Guinigi Tower (inside the same building). On the first floor is an extensive wooden model of the town (helpful for getting your bearings) and video screens showing virtual re-creations of Roman Lucca. One thought-provoking exhibit shows a life-size cross-section of what lies underfoot in Lucca, illustrating the layers of history that have made the city what it is today. A quick spin through these exhibits is a good way to kick off your wanderings through town.
Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, enter around the corner from the Guinigi Tower entrance, on Via Guinigi.
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, 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; April-Oct Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, Nov-March Wed-Mon 11:00-17:00, closed Tue year-round; Corte San Lorenzo 9, tel. 0583-584-028, www.puccinimuseum.it.
Garden enthusiasts (and anyone needing a break from churches) will enjoy this 18th-century palace built for a rich Swiss expat who came to Lucca to open a brewery. A visit has two parts: the residence and the garden. Up the stairs is the palace’s lived-in interior, with Baroque furniture, elaborate frescoes, and a centuries-old kitchen. The second part is the restful garden, with manicured lawns, rows of dynamic statues, potted citrus trees, and gurgling fountains, tucked up against Lucca’s imposing wall.
Cost and Hours: Garden or residence-€4.50 apiece, €6 for both, April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, closed Nov-March, Via degli Asili 33, tel. 0583-954-029, www.palazzopfanner.it.
Built by Paolo Guinigi in 1413, the family villa is now a well-presented but empty-feeling museum displaying a lot of “also-ran” art and artifacts that are meaningful to the Lucchesi, but generally not to outsiders. While art lovers may find a few gems embedded here, others can skip it.
Cost and Hours: €4, €6.50 combo-ticket includes Palazzo Mansi, Tue-Sat 8:30-19:30, may be open Sun—check website, closed Mon, may have to wait in high season for an attendant to accompany you, Via della Quarquonia, tel. 0583-496-033, www.luccamuseinazionali.it.
Minor paintings by Tintoretto, Pontormo, Veronese, and others vie for attention, but the palace itself—a sumptuously furnished and decorated 17th-century confection—steals the show. This is your chance to appreciate the wealth of Lucca’s silk merchants. You’ll gape through several grand halls of both public and private apartments. In one wing, every surface is slathered in bubbly Baroque scenes; in another, each room is completely draped in tapestries, leading to one of the most impressive two-story canopy beds I’ve seen. Since all visitors must be accompanied by an attendant, during high season you may have to wait a bit for your chance to enter.
Cost and Hours: €4, €6.50 combo-ticket includes Villa Guinigi, generally Tue-Sat 8:30-19:30, may be open Sun—check website, closed Mon, no photos, request English booklet at ticket desk, Via Galli Tassi 43, tel. 0583-55-570, www.luccamuseinazionali.it.
$$$ A Palazzo Busdraghi has seven comfortable, pastel-colored rooms with modern baths (some with Jacuzzi-style tubs) in a tastefully converted 13th-century palace tucked inside a creaky old courtyard. Sweet Marta hustles to keep guests happy, and bakes tasty cakes for breakfast. It’s very conveniently located right on busy Via Fillungo, but can be noisy on weekends—bring earplugs (Sb-€120, Db-€150-170 depending on size, junior suite-€180, extra bed-€20, cheaper prices off-season, air-con, Wi-Fi, parking-€15, Via Fillungo 170, tel. 0583-950-856, www.apalazzobusdraghi.it, info@apalazzobusdraghi.it).
$$$ La Romea B&B, in an air-conditioned, restored, 14th-century palazzo near Guinigi Tower, feels like a royal splurge. Its four posh rooms and one suite are lavishly decorated in handsome colors and surround a big, plush lounge with stately Venetian-style floors (Db-€100-135 depending on season, big junior suite-€160, extra bed-€20-25; 10 percent discount when you book directly with the hotel, show this book, and pay cash; Wi-Fi; from the train station, take Via Fillungo, turn right on Via Sant’Andrea, then take the second right to Vicolo delle Ventaglie 2; tel. 0583-464-175, www.laromea.com, info@laromea.com, Giulio and wife Gaia).
$$$ La Locanda Sant’Agostino has three romantic, bright, and palatial rooms. The vine-draped terrace, beautiful breakfast spread, and quaint views invite you to relax (Db-€160, extra bed-€20, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, from Via Fillungo take Via San Giorgio to Piazza Sant’Agostino 3, best to reserve by email, tel. 0583-443-100, mobile 347-989-9069, www.locandasantagostino.it, info@locandasantagostino.it).
$$ La Bohème B&B has a cozy yet elegant ambience, offering six large rooms, each painted with a different color scheme. Chandeliers, 1920s-vintage tile floors, and tasteful antiques add to the charm (Db-€125, less off-season, 10 percent discount with this book if you pay cash and book directly with hotel, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via del Moro 2, tel. 0583-462-404, www.boheme.it, info@boheme.it, Sara).
$$ Hotel la Luna, run by the Barbieri family, has 29 rooms in a great location, right in the heart of the city. Updated rooms are split between two adjacent buildings just off the main shopping street. The annex has an elevator, but I prefer the rooms in the main building, which are larger and classier, with old wood-beam ceilings (Sb-€90, Db-€125, suite-€190, these prices for Rick Steves readers who book directly with hotel, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€20/day, Via Fillungo at Corte Compagni 12, tel. 0583-493-634, www.hotellaluna.com, info@hotellaluna.com).
$$ Alla Dimora Lucense’s seven newer rooms are bright, modern, clean, and peaceful, with all the comforts. Enjoy their relaxing, sunny interior courtyard (Db-€125, suite for 2-4 people-€150-200; 5 percent discount if you pay cash, book directly with hotel, and show this book; air-con, Wi-Fi, half a block from Via Fillungo at Via Fontana 19, tel. 0583-495-722, www.dimoralucense.it, info@dimoralucense.it).
$$ Albergo San Martino is conveniently located for train travelers: It’s just inside the wall, about a block from the cathedral, but also close to the station. They have rooms in three different buildings. The 12 art-adorned rooms in the main hotel—with a cozy lounge and nice curbside breakfast terrace—are long in the tooth and not a great value (Db-€120, €30 more for bigger and newer “superior” rooms). The six rooms in the annex are newer and more affordable (Db-€90-100). And the nine good-value rooms in their sister Hotel Diana are fresh, minimalist, and retro-style at an affordable price (Db-€90—but these rooms only don’t include breakfast; all rooms: air-con, Wi-Fi, parking-€15, reception at Via della Dogana 9, tel. 0583-469-181, www.albergosanmartino.it, info@albergosanmartino.it).
$$ Hotel Universo, renting 55 rooms right on Piazza Napoleone and facing the theater and Palazzo Ducale, is a 19th-century town fixture. While it clearly was once elegant, now it’s old and tired, with a big Old World lounge and soft prices (“comfort” Db-€100, “superior” Db with updated bath for €20 more, air-con in most rooms, elevator, Piazza del Giglio 1, tel. 0583-493-678, www.universolucca.com, info@universolucca.com).
$ At Le Violette B&B, cheerful American Elizabeth will settle you into one of her six homey rooms near the train station inside Porta San Pietro (S-€40, D-€60, Db-€75, extra bed-€15, air-con in some rooms, Wi-Fi, communal kitchen, €5 to use washer and dryer, Via della Polveriera 6, tel. 0583-493-594, , bbleviolette@gmail.com).
$ Ostello San Frediano, in a central, sprawling ex-convent with a peaceful garden, is a cut above the average hostel, though it’s still filled mainly with a young crowd. Its 29 rooms are bright and modern, and some have fun lofts (€20 beds in 6- to 8-person dorms, 140 beds, Db-€68, Tb-€82, Qb-€105, nice two-story family rooms, prices include sheets, €2 extra/night for non-members, breakfast extra, no curfew, lockers, elevator, Wi-Fi, cheap restaurant, free parking, Via della Cavallerizza 12, tel. 0583-469-957, www.ostellolucca.it, info@ostellolucca.it).
$$$ Hotel San Marco, a seven-minute walk outside the Porta Santa Maria, is a postmodern place decorated à la Stanley Kubrick. Its 42 rooms are sleek, with all the comforts (Sb-€95, Db-€140, extra bed-€10, includes nice breakfast spread on terrace, air-con, Wi-Fi, elevator, pool, bikes-€7/half-day, free parking, taxi from station-€13, Via San Marco 368, tel. 0583-495-010, www.hotelsanmarcolucca.com, info@hotelsanmarcolucca.com).
$$ 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 (Db-€80-100, ask for best Rick Steves price, includes buffet breakfast, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, small gift when you show this book, free loaner bikes for guests, free parking, a few steps from the train station at Piazza Ricasoli 19, tel. 0583-955-443, www.hotelrexlucca.com, info@hotelrexlucca.com).
$$ 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 (Sb-€70, Db-€90, air-con, pay Wi-Fi, Via Vincenzo Civitali 38—turn left out of train station and go over bridge across tracks, tel. 0583-55-840, www.albergomodernolucca.com, info@albergomodernolucca.com).
$ La Mimosa B&B has five cozy rooms a 10-minute walk west of Porta Sant’Anna. Most practical if you’re arriving or leaving Lucca by bus, this trendy little house is run by the Zichi cousins, Giuseppe and Stefano, and decorated with modern paintings. It’s located on a main road, but double-paned windows reduce traffic noise (Sb-€50, Db-€80, Qb-€120, cheaper prices off-season, air-con, Wi-Fi, 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 (D-€50, Db-€65, Q-€70, 10 percent discount with cash; 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).
Canuleia Trattoria is run by enthusiastic Matteo and Eleonora, who make everything fresh in their small kitchen. You can eat tasty Tuscan cuisine in a dressy little dining room or outside on the garden courtyard. As this place is justifiably popular—and well worth reserving ahead—call to book for dinner (€9-10 pastas, €16-18 secondi, Tue-Sun 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, closed Mon, Via Canuleia 14, tel. 0583-467-470).
Port Ellen Clan is an unusual concept in traditional Lucca—a combination restaurant, wine bar, and whisky bar (featuring more than 150 types of whisky) 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 (€9-11 pastas, €15-18 secondi, Wed-Fri 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-24:00, Sat-Sun 12:30-15:00 only, closed Mon-Tue, Via del Fosso 120, tel. 0583-493-952 or 329-245-2762, www.portellenclan.com).
Vecchia Trattoria Buralli, on quiet Piazza Sant’Agostino, is a good bet for traditional cooking and juicy steaks, with bright-pastel indoor and piazza seating (€7-9 pastas, €8-12 secondi, €12 fixed-price lunches, €20-30 fixed-price dinners, Thu-Tue 12:00-14:45 & 19:00-22:30, closed Wed, Piazza Sant’Agostino 10, tel. 0583-950-611).
Trattoria da Leo packs in chatty locals for typical, cheap home-cooking in a hash-slingin’ Mel’s-diner atmosphere. This place is a high-energy winner...you know it’s going to be good as soon as you step in. Sit in the rollicking interior, or out on an atmospheric tight lane. Arrive early or reserve in advance (€7-8 pastas, €10-12 secondi, daily 12:00-15:00 & 19:30-22:30, cash only, leave Piazza San Salvatore on Via Asili and take the first left to Via Tegrimi 1, tel. 0583-492-236).
Osteria Via San Giorgio, where Daniela cooks and her brother Piero serves, is a cheery family eatery that satisfies both fish lovers and meat lovers (€10-12 pastas, €13-18 secondi, daily 12:00-16:00 & 19:00-23:00, Via San Giorgio 26, tel. 0583-953-233).
Bella ’Mbriana Pizzeria focuses on doing one thing very well: turning out piping-hot, wood-fired pizzas to happy locals in a no-frills, welcoming, wood-paneled dining room. Order and pay at the counter, take a number, and they’ll call you when your pizza’s ready. Consider takeout to munch on the nearby walls (€6-7 pizzas, Wed-Mon 11:30-14:30 & 18:30-23:00, closed Tue, to the right as you face the Church of San Frediano, Via della Cavallerizza 29, tel. 0583-495-565).
Il Cuore Enogastronomia/Ristorante includes a delicatessen and restaurant. For a fancy picnic, drop in the deli for ready-to-eat lasagna, saucy meatballs, grilled and roasted vegetables, vegetable soufflés, Tuscan bean soup, fruit salads, and more, sold by weight and dished up in disposable trays to go. Ask them to heat your order (riscaldare), then picnic on nearby Piazza Napoleone. Or you can eat in their small “restaurant” (a few tables tucked in the back) for the same price. For curious traveling foodies on a budget who want to eat right there, they can assemble a €10 “degustation plate”—just point to what you want from among the array of tasty treats under the glass (Tue-Sun 9:30-19:30, closed Mon, Via del Battistero 2, tel. 0583-493-196, Cristina).
Il Cuore Bistrot, located across the way, is a trendy find for wine-tasting or a meal on a piazza. Try the €8 aperitivo (available 18:00-20:00), which includes a glass of wine and a plate of cheese, salumi, and snacks, or feast on fresh pastas and other high-quality dishes from their lunch and dinner menus (Wed-Sun 12:00-22:00 with limited menu 15:00-19:30, Tue 12:00-15:00, closed Mon, Via del Battistero, tel. 0583-493-196).
Pizzeria da Felice is a little mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall serving cecina (garbanzo-bean crepes) and slices of freshly baked pizza to throngs of snackers. Grab an etto of cecina and a short glass of wine for €2.50. From fall through spring (Sept-early April), they’re known for their roasted chestnuts with ricotta (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:30, closed Sun and 3 weeks in Aug, Via Buia 12, tel. 0583-494-986).
Gelato: Just off Piazza San Michele, De’ Coltelli has some of my favorite gelato in Italy. Like its sister shop in Pisa, this gelateria uses organic ingredients to pull out delicious—and often unique—flavors (Via San Paolino 10).
From Lucca by Train to: Florence (2/hour, about 1.5 hours), Pisa (roughly 1-2/hour, 25-30 minutes; if going directly to Leaning Tower, hop off at Pisa San Rossore station—for more on this connection, see here), Livorno (about hourly, 1-1.25 hours, transfer at Pisa Centrale, €5.10), Milan (2/hour except Sun, 4-5 hours, transfer in Florence), Rome (1/hour except Sun, 3-4 hours, change in Florence).
From Lucca by Bus to Pisa: Direct buses from Lucca’s Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi drop you right at the Leaning Tower (Mon-Sat hourly, fewer on Sun, 50 minutes, also stops at Pisa’s airport, €3). Even with a car, I’d opt for this much faster and cheaper option.
