When traveling around Tuscany, one stop that is definitely worth visiting is Lucca. It is a walled, medieval city with plenty of charm and wonderful little restaurants. You probably don’t need more than a half-day to visit Lucca and combining it with a trip to Pisa is probably a good idea. The Duomo di Lucca is truly a beautiful, typical gothic cathedral and is one of the highlights of the city. We definitely enjoyed walking the narrow streets, looking in the various shops, and enjoying a wonderful lunch.

The highlight of our trip to Lucca was climbing to the top of Torre Guinigi, which is a tower with oak trees growing on top of it that offers incredible views of the city. Another point of interest is the statue of Giacomo Puccini, the famous opera composer, that sits in a piazza. Every year there is a festival held in Lucca to celebrate the composer and his contributions to opera.

Although we were there on a rainy and overcast day, spending time in this quaint little city was extremely enjoyable. Tuscany has so many wonderful locations to visit, but Lucca is certainly one worth considering if you are touring the area. With its historic wall that is still standing and medieval architecture, you can wander the streets for hours. Located just an hour or two outside of Florence, it is also a perfect day trip if you are staying there as we were.