Keep exploring

I’ll take advantage of this short walk through the streets of Lucca to share a few ideas for visits not to be missed if you’d like to explore more of the city and its surroundings. Just a few minutes from here, Villa Reale di Marlia invites you to discover an elegant princely residence surrounded by vast Italian style gardens, while the Nottolini Aqueduct, with its long brick arcades crossing the Lucca countryside, offers a lovely walk that shows off both heritage and nature. A little further away, Ponte del Diavolo in Borgo a Mozzano draws every gaze with its spectacular arch and the mysterious legend associated with it, and if you are travelling with family, Pinocchio Park in Collodi immerses you in the world of the famous puppet imagined by Carlo Collodi. To reach the sea, Viareggio offers long sandy beaches and the atmosphere of a typically Tuscan seaside resort, while nature lovers may also enjoy Bagni di Lucca, a former spa town nestled in the heart of green hills. Not far from there, the village of Montecarlo invites you to wander through its medieval streets and taste the wines produced in the surrounding vineyards. About thirty minutes away, Pisa awaits you with its famous Leaning Tower and majestic Piazza dei Miracoli, and more discreet but just as charming, Pistoia reveals a preserved historic centre and a beautiful Romanesque cathedral. Montecatini Terme is an ideal stop to enjoy its thermal establishments and its funicular leading to the historic hilltop village, while the Apuan Alps and the Garfagnana region will appeal to lovers of spectacular landscapes between mountains, stone villages and hiking trails. All this goes to show that Lucca is not limited to its ramparts but opens onto a region rich in nature, heritage and traditions.