Hello there:

Later this month I will be taking a short trip to Tuscany. My weekend starts out on Friday evening when I land in Pisa (from Gatwick) at about 7pm. I will rent a car and then drive to Lucca. I was thinking of staying in an hotel right in the centre of the old town.

Just HOW difficult is it navigating through Lucca and into the old town at about 2100, find my hotel and park the car?: Easy, Difficult, Horrific? Do I have to be careful about narrow, one-way streets? Would I be better finding an hotel outside the walls or even outside the town?

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Best regards Ger

Hi Ger,
Lucca is a beautiful city to walk around in. You can also ride or walk along the top of the city walls. Most cars are banned in the city center. There are some parking areas, but I believe you require a special permit. There are some free parking areas outside the walls--about a 5 to 10 minute walk from the gates. I've noticed that many people get around either by bike or on foot. It's easier because some streets are quite narrow and wind around.

Good Luck,
Grace

You 'll be ok. To star with as I recall it is not at top of hill, like Carmona let us say. It shouldn't be difficult get directions from www.mappy.com /

I well remember trying to navigate by car to a hotel inside Lucca walls 25 yrs ago. Suffice it to say we wound up in a hotel outside the walls. There is plenty of parking outside, the city is small, you will have no use whatsoever for a car there, and I dont recommend trying (even if you can get near your hotel which is not clear). Does your hotel indicate in its listing that it offers parking? If so I would make inquiry of them. If it doesnt I would totally forget it.

We did have directions from the hotel but could not find it in those narrow winding streets. So, we parked right outside the city walls, walked in, found the hotel, and gave them our car keys to bring the car to their parking lot a few blocks from the hotel.We ususally are good at finding places but this one was difficult.

I am getting this premonition of Ger driving endlessly around the tiny streets of Lucca seeking the hotel

I have not booked the hotel as yet (waiting for responses). I think I favour SuQue's strategy: park the car, find the hotel, leave it to the staff to park the car.

Many thanks ggrace, Graziella, jjkbrook and SuQue for helping me avoid yet another tedious and stressfull battle with medieval alleys

Regards Ger