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We're looking for a base from which to tour Tuscany. Both Cortona and Lucca look interesting - mainly because they are a)historic towns, b)smallish in size and c)have nice in-town apartments for rent. We really don't want to be in the country. Any advice on pros and cons of either/both places? Thanks!
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Lucca's a real Italian city with serious form: at the centre of a proper bus system, site of a major conference of the J Caesar/Pompey/Cassus triumvirate in the dying days of the Roman Republic, place where Puccini learnt his craft, opera house, railway station, centre of the olive oil industry...
Real town.
Cortona, though it's got a cathedral (but so does every one(long dead) horse village in Italy) is - well an overgrown village.
Which do you like the sound of the more?
Personally I'd go for Cortona, because it's more central for the Piero della Francesca trails. But I suspect most people would plump for Lucca.
Certainly a wider choice of places to eat.
I'm more inclined to Cortona since it's the smaller of the two. We stayed in St. Remy de Provence for a week in October and LOVED it - it appears smaller according to population numbers (St R 10,000+ v Cortona 22,000+). Not sure that's a very reliable way to choose though. On the other hand, there are more choices on apartment rental in Lucca. Too Many Decisions!!! But I do love the planning part of travel.
Thanks.