Having spent a month in Tuscany and Umbria last year, we're thinking of staying 5 days in Lucca, September 21-26, to visit some of the smaller towns in an area we love so much. We will not be renting a car as we prefer to travel by public transportation even though it is not as convenient.

I'm researching day trips to Pistoia, Montecattini Terme/Alto, Florence/Fiesole (too close to not visit for a day) which all seem easy to get to by train or bus. What, dear Fodorites, is your impression of these towns. Or are there others to consider? We love to wander through towns vs. spending our all our days indoors in museums.

I'd love to get to Impruneta for the sagra but my options only seem to be train to Florence (an hour) and then another hour by bus. Any quicker options outside of a car?

I'd also like to get to Panzano for the the Vino al Vino but only find 3 hours by bus with 3 changes. Again, any alternatives that don't involve a rental car?

Finally, I'd love some recommendations for hotels and restaurants (where the locals eat on a regular basis) in Lucca.

Thanks in advance for the great information always provided here.

Good for you, we go to Lucca every year, and love it, but we do rent a car for day trips, so I can't help you with public transportation. But for restaurants, we've never had a bad meal in Lucca - as always, we stay away from touristy places on the main drag, but just about anywhere else is wonderful. Our favorites are probably Macenate, Francesca, Cafe Boheme, & Vispa Teresa. A couple newer ones we tried last year, San Francesco, & Ammodonostro, were excellent, and pizza at Mara Meo is always good. Enjoy!

You could head up into the Garfagnana area using a mixture of train and bus. It's lovely and also has some good short hikes.

We also love Lucca having spent a month there a couple of years ago. But as with MariaG we had a car for day trips. Re restaurants - there is a lovely country restaurant about 20 minutes north (on the road to Barga) called Antico Locando di Sesto. You can take a bus there (or a quick cab ride) or sometimes the restaurant will arrange transport. We've had several delicious meals there and have become friends of the family of owners....charming.

http://www.anticalocandadisesto.it/en

Very close to Antico Locando is a Michelin 1 star - we had an excellent meal there as well - I think they will arrange transportation as well

http://www.ristorantebutterfly.it/index.php?lang=en

Thanks for the information and your endorsement for using Lucca as a base city. Funny that Elizabeth mentioned Barga - I just discovered it yesterday and it has my idea of a great day trip.

As for getting to Lucca, we will be coming from Paris and was considering flying into Pisa or Florence. Any suggestions? We are going to be in Normandy prior to this and if anyone has experience getting to Lucca from one of the smaller airports up there, it would be appreciated.

Thanks again!

We took a cab from Pisa for 50E - well worth it! (also a bus from the airport to inside the walls)

We spent five days in Luca as part of a trip and never left the city. It has so much to offer.

Collodi is the old village above Lucca - as hill towns go average - nice enough but known as Pinnocchio's town as the writer who created the liar was from here and the town now treads on its Pinnocchio link.

Montecatini-Terme(lower) is a whole different kind of place - a lush campus-like setting - few maddening mopeds and a gentile type place for folks - many elderly -who flock here to take the cures. I really enjoyed it for being so un-Italian yes Italian. Did not go to Alto or Upper Montecatini.

Fiesole is nice too - for its Roman ruins and the stellar view of Florence all laid out below.

Carrara and its famed marble mines are also an easy drive.