What To See And Do On A Day Trip To Lucca

Many visitors to Florence often also use it as a base to explore the rest of the gorgeous Tuscan region. So just what are the best day trips from Florence, we hear you ask? Well, search no further - the beautiful walled city of Lucca has everything you’re looking for.

With frequent direct trains taking you right into Lucca’s old town in just over an hour, the convenient public transport links make it a popular choice for day trips from Florence. With its charming narrow lanes and typical terracotta roofs, Lucca is a great destination for sightseers looking to delve deeper into the local Tuscan culture. We’ve put together some of the best ways to spend a day in this pretty city, and hopefully you’ll soon see why it’s celebrated as one of the best day trips from Florence!

The City of One Hundred Churches

Lucca is renowned for its stunning religious architecture, but if you’ve only got a day to spend, you might struggle to see all of its ‘one hundred churches’! Focus on the St Martin cathedral, known as ‘il Duomo’, handily located in the piazza right next to the train station. Home to artistic masterpieces, such as Jacopo della Quercia’s Ilaria del Carretto’s Tomb, the cathedral is one of the city’s highlights.

Piazza Napoleone, Palazzo Mansi and Buccellato

Piazza Napoleone, also known as Piazza Grande, is a great spot to stop for some refreshments after wandering Lucca’s historical streets. If you’re visiting at Christmas time, make sure to take a spin around the skating rink that takes over the square. Fans of Renaissance art shouldn’t miss Lucca’s National Art Gallery in the nearby seventeenth-century Palazzo Mansi and if you’re hungry after all that exploring, pick up some buccellato, a local semi-sweet raisin bread that’s made and sold in many bakeries in Lucca.

Explore the 16th-century Walls

Lucca is world-famous for its city walls, which are the only ones in Italy to be wholly accessible by foot or by bike. Strolling along these is a must-do when you’re in the city. There are over four kilometres of walkways to explore, taking in panoramic views and hidden corners of this ancient city, including secret passageways and historical ramparts, the Botanical Gardens, and plenty of leafy, shaded picnic spots.

The Roman Amphitheatre

Stand in the centre of Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and look around you - you’ll notice it’s unique oval shape, which is a mark of the original structure of the Roman amphitheatre that stood on this spot many centuries ago. A link to Italy’s Roman heritage, today this buzzing square is packed with local shops and restaurants, and an ideal place for an aperitivo. In the summer you’re likely to catch an outdoor concert here as well!

As you can see, Lucca has preserved a great deal of its heritage and offers loads to see and do for daytrippers, without being a tourist trap. While there are many places that can be reached as day trips from Florence, Lucca certainly stands out as one of the most traditional and beautiful towns for that authentic Italian experience everyone’s looking for. We can guarantee that a day spent in Lucca will be a day you’ll remember long after your trip ends!

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Mauro Bramante is the Director of WalkAbout Florence, an independent business offering unforgettable day trips from Florence including Vintage Vespa tours, cooking classes and wine safaris. Wherever and whatever you want to explore Mauro's company promises excitement, adventure and above all, fun. If you're keen to experience the magic of Italy with the help of some passionate and knowledgeable tour guides, look no further than WalkAbout Florence for your next getaway.