Is it possible to see and taste Lucca in just one day?
There is no need to say that Lucca, the city of a hundred and one churches, cannot be discovered in one day. We still take up the challenge with a selection of highlights.
With Michelin (travel guide) at hand, we can still taste the essence of a vibrant city and catch a glimpse of many impressive palazzi.
We start at Porta San Donato. We stroll triumphantly for a quarter round on the shady medieval ramparts of the once impregnable fortified city. Bastions that offer a beautiful view from above are silent witnesses to turbulent and uncertain times. 'A place to be and to see'. Inspired by the past of power and wealth, we, like many history buffs, dive into the city.
Lucca was built according to a medieval plan and much of its architecture bears witness to the different historical eras it has passed through and made it what this city is today.
From one highlight to another we experience the most interesting highlights, including the Duomo di San Martino, whose Romanesque facade is the eye-catcher, and the Roman amphitheater on the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. You can still take “Panem et circenses” or “bread and circuses” literally here today.
Waiters try to win guests over to their establishment in playful ways. Street artists compete with each other to get money in 'their' pocket.
Beautiful spectacle to look at and compare, but ultimately we prefer our present and daily bread in other places.
With enough imagination you can spend a whole day wandering through the city center past the many squares, humble 😉 holy houses and lavish city palaces. Many other sights can be found in the highlights created.
Lucca, 'a place to be and to see' can be taken literally.
This could be your appointment with history.
Taste and enjoy...