Best things to do in Lucca: Tuscany’s walled city

If you’re hunting for things to do in Lucca, picture a walled Tuscan city where the pace is gentle, the views are timeless, and surprises wait around each corner. Expect slow-lane charm, hidden courtyards and just enough buzz to keep you exploring without giving the game away.

Best things to do in Lucca

Walk or cycle Lucca’s Renaissance walls (ramparts)

A tree-lined 4.2 km ring cradles the city, broad enough for prams and bikes, with bastions opening to views of terracotta roofs and the Apuan Alps on clear days. Built in the 16th–17th centuries for defence, the walls were never used in battle and later became Lucca’s favourite promenade.

• Sunrise and the hour before dusk are the quietest laps; start at Baluardo San Regolo for gentle gradients and easy bike hire nearby.

Torre Guinigi 

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A slender medieval tower capped with holm oaks crowns Lucca’s skyline, planted by the Guinigi family as a symbol of renewal and prestige. The climb is a steady workout rewarded by a canopy of leaves and views over red roofs and church spires.

• Go on a breezy day—rustling oak leaves muffle the city noise and make the summit feel like a secret garden.

Via Fillungo (shopping and strolling)

This elegant spine of the old town threads past medieval palazzi, artisan workshops and old-school pasticcerie, ideal for window-shopping and people-watching. Even at busy times, it still feels like a lived-in high street rather than a showpiece.

• Detour down Via Buia and adjoining lanes for indie boutiques and quieter photo nooks.

Piazza dell’Anfiteatro

An oval piazza hugs the footprint of a Roman amphitheatre, its curved façades stitched together by archways that once served as entrances to the arena. Medieval builders recycled the stone, leaving a lively square that still feels like a stage set.

• Slip through the narrow arch on Via Fillungo’s side to catch the most photogenic “reveal” of the ellipse.

Duomo di San Martino (Lucca Cathedral)

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A patchwork Romanesque–Gothic façade opens to a cool nave housing the Volto Santo, a venerated wooden crucifix tied to seafaring legends. Outside, trace the carved labyrinth on a pier—pilgrims once did the same before continuing along ancient routes.

• Time your visit for late afternoon light, when sunbeams pick out the marble reliefs on the façade.

Basilica di San Frediano

A shimmering 13th-century mosaic spills gold across the façade, while inside lies St Zita, Lucca’s beloved patron of housekeepers and keys. The basilica feels cooler and quieter than the main squares, a good pause point on hot days.

• Pop in early morning when locals stop to pay respects to St Zita—small bouquets often appear by her chapel.

Palazzo Pfanner and Baroque gardens

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Baroque statues and lemon trees frame a gracious 17th-century palazzo once linked to a pioneering local brewery run by the Pfanner family. The gardens feel cinematic, and they’ve indeed starred in film productions over the years.

• After rain, the gravel paths are empty and the statuary gleams—bring soft-soled shoes to keep it serene.

Wine tasting from Colline Lucchesi

Vineyards with some of Italy's best wines roll over the hills just outside town, producing fresh Vermentino whites and Sangiovese-led reds under the Colline Lucchesi DOC, often by small family estates. Cellar doors are intimate, with tastings that feel more like conversations than flights.

• ¡Book ahead and arrange a taxi or e-bike. Late-afternoon golden light over the vines is the sweet spot.

Orto Botanico di Lucca (Botanical Garden)

HauchnebelkabinetT, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative commons

Founded in the 19th century, this petite garden is a pocket world of rare trees, a lily-speckled pond and tidy greenhouses perfect for rainy spells. A local legend whispers of a ghost among the greenery, adding a touch of folklore to the flora.

• Seek out the labelled heritage trees first—shade and benches make this the best picnic spot inside the walls.

Gelato and sweets tasting

Gelaterie churn silky scoops with seasonal fruit and nutty classics. Go in search of the best Italian gelato. Then try Lucca’s anise-scented sweet bread, buccellato, which pairs beautifully with coffee.

• Try buccellato slightly toasted the next morning—it’s a quiet local habit that wakes up the anise and raisins.

Torre delle Ore (clock tower)

Lucca’s tallest tower houses a historic mechanical clock whose bells still mark the hours, echoing down cobbled lanes. The timber staircases creak delightfully as you rise to a pared-back platform with clean sightlines across the city.

• Avoid the top of the hour if you’re sensitive to sound—the bell rings at close quarters.

Casa Natale di Puccini (Puccini Museum)

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Puccini’s birthplace preserves manuscripts, family portraits and the composer’s piano, sketching the path from Lucca choirboy to opera icon. The rooms feel intimate, more like stepping into a life than a museum.

• Check for evening recitals in nearby churches—you’ll hear arias a short stroll from where Puccini began.

Acquedotto Nottolini (historic aqueduct)

A procession of 19th-century brick arches strides across meadows towards the hills, channelling pristine spring water to the city in its day. It’s a photogenic place for a walk or cycle, quietly grand against the Tuscan countryside.

• Start near Tempietto di San Concordio and follow the arches out of town for the most evocative stretch without traffic.

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Living in Lucca

Everyday life in Lucca feels unhurried: a sunrise lap on the Renaissance walls, a cappuccino near San Michele in Foro, and a wander through produce stalls at Piazza del Carmine before errands along Via Fillungo. Evenings drift by with an aperitivo under the plane trees in Piazza Napoleone, sometimes with Puccini arias floating from a nearby church. 

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