Day trips from Lucca
 

Greetings-
Our trip to Italy is just around the corner...well close enough early June.
Looking for suggestions for day trips from Lucca via train or other public transport.
We spent a week in Vernazza (loved CT) two years ago and would like to expore other areas
DH and I enjoy hiking, exploring, good food.. not so excited about large cities. We plan to go to Florence for one trip. Any other suggestions for off the beaten path things to do/see?
Thanks in advance for any ideas
Janellebc

Well, the obvious one is Pisa but maybe you have done that already? Another one is Barga, I never got around to do it but it is up in the mountains and it's supposed to be pretty nice. I believe there is bus service from Lucca.

Yep we plan on a short trip to Pisa. We hope to see more of the countryside/smaller towns if possible. Will take a look at Barga sounds like a good start.
Thanks!

Hi, I love Tuscany and I visited a lot of place near Lucca and Grosseto.
If you like good food and trekking, escursion and visiting little countries I suggest you to stay in an agriturismo like this http://www.italy-farmholidays.com/ag...ionello_berni/ because you are in a very central position: precisely you are between beautiful historical and artistic city and wonderful natural places.
You have the possibility to have excursion in little countries near Lucca and also visiting Lucca or you can choose to do some horse ride around the green area, or do some trekking and walking (you can also fishing: one of the most relaxing activity in the world!)
I hope to be helpful! Bye

Your suggestion sounds great but we have already booked an apt within the city walls. Maybe next visit we can go that route. Being an equestrian I am always up for the view from the back of a horse.
Thanks!

Head north--stop at the Devils Bridge and Barga--but keep going to Castelnuovo Garfagnana--beautiful area.

If you can get reasonable transportation, going south to Vinci for the day, and visiting the Leonardo da Vinci museum is a very nice day trip.

janellebc,
See http://www.knowital.com/html/lucca_-...it__main_.html


Henry

Thanks everyone!
These look like great places.
Anyone have suggestions for good dining? Or places to avoid?!

The best in Lucca is Buca di San Antonio--not to be missed.

Be sure to rent bikes so you can ride along the top of the town walls! Have a wonderful trip - Lucca is my favorite town in Italy.

We enjoyed Montecatini Terme and Pescia. MT is famous for its thermal baths and Pescia for its commercial flower market (mostly carnations), olive oil and strawberries. Pescia has a nice weekly market on Saturdays, and here's a website with info on antique and flea markets as well as weekly markets throughout Tuscany.

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsle...letter_25.html

Jean: OMG! I wrote that about 5 years ago.

I'm tickled to see it here. Thanks.

janellbec

I got so excited that I didn't respond to your question as I had planned.

Is it possible to rent a car for one day? Going north from Lucca, beyond to Barga and beyond, is a good day trip. We went to Vagli di Sopra and it was truly this beautiful:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tizianotaddei/2224563866/

Not my photo, just the first one I came to when googling the Garfagnana.

tuscanlifeedit, I've had that web page on my favorites list probably since you wrote it. I always print it out whenever we go, just in case I'm near one of the towns on the right day. Belated thanks for the very helpful info!

Wow! Thanks for having me in your files. I am flattered. I had that little job for about 4 or 5 years and it was a lot of fun; especially the research.

Cinque Terre of course! We had a car and it was a wonderful (long) day trip.

Alice

BTW, the Devils Bridge can be seen here:
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

The town of Pistoia is incredibly underrated, and incredibly untouristed, filled with important art sites, historic cafes and a charming local scene. A few minutes tran ride.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistoia

You can get a good lunch in Pistoia at Trattoria dell'Abbondanza on via l'Abbondanza.

Buca di Sant'Antonio in Lucca is a great lunch choice. Do it as often as you can.

Ristorante del Teatro in Piazza Napoleone in Lucca serves very good fish and seafood, in addition to an excellent filetto al pepe verde.

I really disliked restaurant All'Olivo, which seems to get by on its setting, and is too pricey for what the kitchen delivers. Best to stick with Buca di Sant'Antonio. If you ate at no other place in Lucca but Buca di Sant'Antonio, you would not have missed anything.

The bar/geletaria right in and atop the walls at the Baluardo San Colombano (on the way to the train station) is a very enjoyable place to enjoy a break.

Thanks everyone!
Looks like we are in for a great trip with all your suggestions. I will try and post photos when we get back.
Thanks again for all the good ideas
J

Check my trip report for this region. Includes many Lucca restaurants, within the walls and S of the town.

Click on my name and you will find my 3 part Italy trip report. Part II is the relevant one.

Sarzana is someplace that you might consider. Not many tourists there. The train station is in the center of town so a visit would be easy. It may require a train change along the way.

http://www.terredilunigiana.com/eng/sarzana.php

Great day trips (or possibly over night) from Lucca;

By train: Florence, Siena, Ravenna, Cinque Terre, Pisa

By Car: Montalcino, Montepulciano, Umbria, Volterra,

Outside Florence: Monteriggione/Fiesole/Greve in Chianti (places to drive)

I, too, recommend Barga, not far from Lucca and (almost) reachable by train. I say "almost" because the train gets you most, but not all, the way there. I was able to catch a bus to return to the station but on my initial arrival no one could tell when or if the bus would come by the station and the only alternative was to walk up the mountain on the edge of a winding 2 lane road. But I'm glad I did it.

If Barga becomes anyone's destination, I suggest doing what I did not, find out when the bus comes to the station for the ride uphill to the town. Both the old town and new are perfectly lovely and because, I suspect, it hasn't been overrun with tourists, the people are especially friendly. The walk up to the town was well worth the effort.

Brooke_Harron thanks for reviving this thread, I found a good restaurant for our day in Lucca, and according to Michelin, it's still thriving!