About this experience
All the sights of Lucca seem to catch your eye right away, and you may think that you have understood, explored, and understood everything within an hour and a half of walking. But beware! I will help you see in this city what is easy to miss aimlessly strolling from one delicate church to another. You will understand how the Napoleonic era transformed Lucca, see the main architectural monuments and the magnificent garden on the roof of a high tower, learn local legends, and appreciate this city that was so beloved by the sister of the French emperor.
What to expect
Basic route: 2.5 hours
You will enter the city through medieval walls and stroll through it, discovering gates and buildings from different eras. I will teach you to distinguish time frames through architectural styles, tell you which ones were popular among the townspeople, and which ones were not. The cathedrals and churches of Lucca will amaze you with the amount of detail, you can study them for hours from the outside and inside. But you will see not only temples but also the main squares of the city and magnificent mansions and villas. You will pass through Piazza Napoleone, see the House-museum of Puccini, and climb the medieval Guinigi Tower. From the top, you will enjoy a stunning view of the city and a real rooftop garden. And on Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, you will feel what it's like to stand in the center of the arena like a brave gladiator. In the past, there was a mini-coliseum on this site, which centuries later turned into a residential quarter. Lastly, I will recommend places where you can try the pasta and delicious wine beloved by the locals.
Extended route: 6 hours
If you want to delve deeper into the history of amazing Lucca, then after a lunch break, we will continue our journey. You will visit Basilica of San Frediano with its mosaic facade, where the relics of Saint Zita are kept (this main saint is revered by the townspeople as the patron saint of housewives). And then you will visit one of the two magnificent villas in Lucca, depending on the season: in warm weather, you will visit Palazzo Pfanner, whose baroque garden is so loved by many film directors, and in autumn and winter, you will enter Palazzo Mansi Museum. Both mansions once belonged to influential residents of Lucca and today operate as museums. In Palazzo Pfanner, you will see interesting surgical instruments (its owner was a doctor), and in Palazzo Mansi, works by artists such as Bronzino, Tintoretto, Titian, and others. Both villas, like much of Lucca's architecture, will not disappoint you with the harmony of their decor, and the beautiful urban legends that I will tell you will finally enchant and fall in love with Lucca.
Organizational Details
- Duration of the excursion on the basic route — 2.5 hours (cost 150 euros). Duration of the excursion on the extended route — 6 hours (cost 250 euros).
Additional payments:
- Ticket to the church of San Frediano: 3 euros per person
- Ticket to the Cathedral of St. Martin: 3 euros per person
- Ticket to Palazzo Pfanner: 5.5 euros per person (children under 12 years old — free, teenagers 12-16 years old — 5 euros per person)
- Ticket to Palazzo Mansi: 4 euros per person (children and teenagers up to 18 years old — free)
- Ticket to Guinigi Tower: 4 euros per person (children up to 6 years old — free, from 6 to 14 years old — 3 euros per person)
