Lucca or Pisa/Castiglioncello
 

We will be staying in Cinqueterre for about a week and since my partner has never been to Italy, I would like to show him some of the Tuscany area as part of a day trip on the train. I have never been to Lucca or Castiglioncello (have been to Pisa). What would be the most memorable trip to take?
Suzanne

Lucca !

Hi Suz,
Ditto Bob

You always need to ask how many respondents have actually been to both places and whether or not they care about art or architecture, and history-- but more importantly, it really depends on what your partner likes and doesn't like, not what we like.

The Campo dei Miracoli in Pisa can be a near-life changing revelation for people interested in Renaissance and European architecture, frescoes, scientific and military history and maritime history, It also has the virtue of being very compact, and thus not frustrating as a day trip for all you have to pass by. It is also overrun with idiot tourists of the worst sort and touristy tat at the periphery (as you know)-- which really kills the enjoyment for some people.

I think Lucca makes for fairly long train trip from Cinque Terre, given the pokiness of the trains. (I live in Liguria.) And there is more in the town than can easily be appreciated as a day trip, especially some of the subtler pleasures of Lucca are best enjoyed once the day-trippers are gone. But it gets fewer tourists, has considerable charm and fascination, and it is something to see a true walled city intact.

Why don't you ask your friend?

By the way, Sarzana can be reached more easily by train from Cinque Terre (30 minutes instead of 90) and it was designed by the same minds as Lucca. And it gets almost no tourists -- because it's not in Tuscany.

For a week in Liguria, I highly recommend David Downie's guide to the Food and Wine of the Italian Riviera and Genoa which you can buy on Amazon.

Thank you Zeppole. My friend has no idea what he wants to see in Italy but I know he would appreciate visiting a walled city and I wanted to give him a taste of Tuscany since we wont make it there officially this trip (we are going end of Sept). My only hesitation with Sarzana is that it doesnt seem to be Tuscan like.
Suzanne

Well, Lucca and Sarzana were laid out by the same town planners in an area that has a long history of being contested between Pisa and Lucca, so what is "Tuscan-like" may just be a tourist concept built on modern-day borders.

http://www.sarzana.org/En/City/Histo...o_Fortress.htm

http://www.rivieratoscana.com/en/ct/riviera/sarzana.asp

I don't want to discourage you from going to Lucca if you think that's what your friend will prefer. For a "Tuscan-like" town, I would pick Castelnuovo Magra, but I'm not sure public transportation can get you there as day trip from le Cinque Terre.

Since your friend has no idea what he wants to see, it's not a bad idea to know something about Sarzana, since he may not like le Cinque Terre once he gets there.

A week is a long time for the Cinque Terre. Could you spend a night or two in Lucca? You might even get in a day trip from Lucca to Pisa.

When I think of "Tuscan-like" towns, I think of of medieval villages perched on hilltops, and you're not going to get that in Lucca (or Pisa). Lucca's worth your time, but if your friend comes way thinking he's experienced quintessential Tuscany he'll be off the mark.

>>When I think of "Tuscan-like" towns, I think of of medieval villages perched on hilltops<<

yes, that has become the stereotype, and Castelnuovo Magra is probably the closest to le Cinque Terre for that

http://www.casedilunigiana.it/img/di...uovo_magra.jpg

although there others if you know how to look

http://www.casedilunigiana.it/lunigianainfoto.php

http://www.zanzig.com/travel/italy-photos/2448-039.htm

But Lucca is certainly Tuscan, and richly so. It's simply not inside the very, very narrow box that has been marketed as "Tuscany" over the past decade or so, with its Under the Tuscan Sun movies and adulterated wines (although Lucca had an olive oil scandal).