The city of Lucca is one of Tuscany’s jewels in the crown, a point of arrival or passage that cannot go unnoticed, because of its artistic beauty and evocative atmosphere. Visiting Lucca means exploring the narrow streets of one of the best-preserved ancient historic centres, walking around the well-known walls, tasting the typical local dishes in the numerous taverns and taking part in the many artistic and cultural initiatives organised. Anyone who visits the city of Lucca is pleasantly surprised by the possibility of peacefully experiencing the different aspects of the historic centre and its surroundings.
A visit can start with a walk along Lucca’s Walls, which were built in the sixteenth century and used as an urban park in the nineteenth century. The Walls encircle the historic centre and are the true symbol of the city recognised for its distinctiveness throughout the world. Next, there is the Guinigi Tower, the famous tower with trees at the top, built around 1390 by the powerful Guinigi family from Lucca, as well as the Torre delle Ore, Lucca Cathedral and the Cathedral of San Martino, which contains masterpieces by Nicola Pisano, Jacopo della Quercia and Tintoretto. We recommend a walk along Via Fillungo, the main street that cuts across the historic centre, the heart of Lucca’s commercial and artisan activity, and Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, now called Piazza del Mercato (market square), where the ancient Roman forum once stood. Piazza dell'Anfiteatro is a jewel in the city of Lucca, with its welcoming restaurants and its painters’ and artists’ workshops. The celebration in honour of the patron saint Santa Zita, on 27 April, fills Piazza dell'Anfiteatro with colour thanks to the traditional flower market.
While offering visitors a visit to places rich in history and culture, in recent years the city of Lucca has decided to open up to new trends, promoting interesting and progressive festivals and exhibitions that have acquired international visibility. The traditional Lucca antiques market therefore takes place alongside important contemporary initiatives of great appeal. Standing out among these, there is Lucca Comics&Games, an international comics festival recognised as the best in Italy and engaging the whole city between October and November, as well as the Summer Festival, a tried and tested musical event in July that turns Piazza Napoleone into a stage for internationally-renowned artists, and the LUCCA Digital PHOTO Fest, an important festival of photography and visual arts “on display" from the end of November until mid-December.
Find out more at https://www.comune.lucca.it/argomento/turismo/
