- Beauty luxury romance escape
Things
to do
Cycling for all
Our tours are organized and designed by cyclists with over 20 years experience. They live in the region, and each of them cycle an average of 400 km a week through some of Lucca’s steepest areas. No matter what age or fitness you feel we have easy cycles of 10 kms to more challenging ones of 170 kms. The following two are easy cycles, beautiful scenery, with time for lunch and a glass of wine. Allow a few hours, and about 30 euros including bike hire, guide and lunch.
Option 1: This leisurely ride takes us along the Fiume di Serchio. A tranquil river with grassy banks, Il Serchio flows through to the Garfagnana region sitting at the foothills of the majestic Apuane Alps.
Option 2: Cycling through Tuscany's heart, you will see the major wine and oil production areas. When poet Mayes wrote of the Tuscan panorama: ‘the hills have a thousand ways of holding light in their hollows... peace seems to reside in their landscape’ surely she was thinking of here...Pieve Santo Stefano
African Proverb
'It takes a village to raise a child.'
Lucca's tranquility offers children a well-earned break from travelling and sight-seeing. Most of these are free or under 10 euros.
If it's time for a swing or a slide, go to Piazza San Donato, off Piazzale Verdi where the buses pull in or Via del Bacchetoni, near Porta Elisa. there are also more on top of the walls.
If bike rides are the idea, go to 'Chrono' for quality bike rental on Corso Garabaldi and ask Paladino for one of his bikes with an extra seat attached for a child, or hire a tandem or bike-drawn carriage from 'Poli' on Piazza Santa Maria and take a glorious ride on the walls.
Feeding the pigeons on Piazza San Michele or Piazza Napoleone is a favorite with local children. Corn may be purchased from the petshop on Via Beccheria, or old bread and pizza crusts should do the trick.
The botanic gardens are beautiful and children love to see the turtles sun themselves on lily pads in a pond at the rear. Children up to 4 yrs are free and if you are on the walls, exit at Via del Fosso and turn right at the bottom for Via del Giardino Botanico. Closed in winter months.
Lucca is a city rich in the arts.
There are various concerts every night of the year, including:
Jazz www.luccajazzdonna.it/
Contemporary/pop http://www.summer-festival.com/
Opera http://www.teatrodelgiglio.it/
Classical recitals and concerts http://www.associazionemusicalelucchese.it/
There are also operas and concerts given in the grand villas. Watch this space for information.
For inspiration, take a look at some of the exquisite marble work on the outside of the Duormo in Piazza San Martino. Each of the columns in the upper part of the facade were crafted by a local Lucchese artisan. Inside is Tintoretto's amazing 'Last Supper'.
For a 13th century mosaic go to Piazza San Frediano off Via Fillungo and look up at the facade of Chiesa San Fredlano. Inside the church is a beautiful 12th century baptismal know as the Fontana Lustrale. They often hold concerts in here too and the acoustics are great.
Chartered flights
Flight 1 - Island of Elba:
It‘s not just about the destination…it‘s also about the journey! Jump the queues, take a bird’s eye view of the most incredible landscape. Fly to the Island of Elba. The legend goes that a jewel from Venus’ crown fell into the sea off the island’s coast transforming it into a ‘precious gem’. Just off the Tuscan coast, this tiny place is idyllic.
Lunch: Gastronomic lunch including a bottle of sparkling wine.
Transport: Chartered return flights from Lucca to Elba, independent hire car.
Timeframe: Full day.
Includes: Airport taxes, entrance to Napoleans Villa.
Maximum: 3 people.
Price: Euro 1200 for 2 people. Additional person is Euro 150.
Flight 2 - Tuscan Landscape:
Fly over the beautiful Tuscan landscape surrounding
Lucca and it’s region. From the air it is a patchwork of countless shades of green, overlaid with a soft ‘golden light’ so adored by poets and writers for centuries. Flying directly over the grand villas and their gardens, and then continuing up to the Apuane Alps. You will see the incredible caves of white marble where Michelangelo worked on many of his statues including the ‘Pieta’.
Lunch: Degustation lunch including wine.
Transport: Chartered return flights.
Timeframe: Full day.
Includes: Airport taxes, car transfers.
Maximum: 3 people.
Price: Euro 600 for 2 people. Additional person is Euro 150.
Historical Villa Tours
More than three hundred villas sit graciously in the hills of our
ancient ‘six-mile State’. With a 10 or 15 minute drive, you'll discover some of the grandest amongst them. Villa Reale was once home to
Napoleon’s sister Elisa Baciocchi, the Princess of Lucca. Thought to be
dated back to the 10th century, the palace was restructured by Elisa
w hilst the incredible 17th century gardens with its famous Teatro di
Verdura and Viale delle Camelie remain with us still.
One of the best examples of baroque architecture
in Tuscany is Villa Camigliano. As you enter the grounds, there is a
crisp, clean perfume from a kilometre-long row of velvet green cypress
trees lining the driveway. They seem like dozens of uniformed butlers,
both welcoming and formal. Recalling Versailles, the whole façade
creates a mirror image in the sparkling water of the fountains.
For a minimum of four people, a guided tour of the Villa's can be booked, including private car transfers and finished with slow degustation at one of Lucca's finest restaurants.Allow 3/4 of the day and 150 euros per person.
Think Tuscany, Think Lucca ...
Philip Craig: +39 349 218 8696
Or email: info@experiencelucca.com
Experience it with Experience Lucca!
For information and bookings:
Rebekah Luisse: +39 348 575 0125