Towns around Lucca
 

Traveling to Lucca tomorrow with a reservation at the Hotel Bernardino for 9/21 and 9/22. After that from 9/23 to 9/26 the town is booked unless I want to pay $200 - $1800 per night. (which I don't). We will l be traveling by bus/train (No car). Any ideas of towns in that area accessible by train that might have hotels that offer reasonable rates (less than $200/night) for the 3 days before we take off to Rome?

As always, thanks for your input!

Pistoia is between Lucca and Florence. It has a nice town center.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7627066754871/ and subsequent pictures.

Pisa.
Montecatini.

Thanks for the recommendation of Pistoia, Michael.

We were going to take a day trip to Pistoia. The Milano looks interesting- found it on Booking.com. I had been searching hotels.com and this one doesn't even show on their site.

Any other hotels that others can recommend in Pistoia?

Montecatini-Terme has loads of hotels as it is one of Italy's primo spa towns- short train ride from Lucca.

Pistoia has a disproportionate number of excellent restaurants & cafes for such a small town, and that would tip the balance for me. I would also look on AirBnb to see what is available, because many Italian b&bs use it as an advertising/booking platform rather than booking.com or hotels.com, etc.

Rolling Stones performing in Lucca hence hotel prices.

Viareggio on sea near Pisa is a delightful town out of high season - very reasonable hotels and good train service. Friends of mine stay there annually and take trains all around.

Have not been to Pistoia and you may be looking more for a proper city but for a relaxing place Viareggio could be it.

The Rolling Stones concert is going to have considerable impact on the city, including train service. Your hotel is outside the walls, within walking distance of the train station, so you might be able to dodge the worst of it.

You can use Google translate to read this article if you don't speak Italian

http://www.gonews.it/2017/09/18/roll...ti-spettatori/

Pistoia also has the advantage of having more train service from and to Florence than towns farther down the line, such as Lucca.

Montecatini has my vote too and offers train to Florence and incredible spas.

Wow! Great information. How the heck did I miss that The Rolling Stones will be in Lucca this weekend???

Love the Stones - last saw them for the Steel Wheels concert in Atlantic City and did the Exhibitionism in Chicago this summer.

<i>Exhibitionism in Chicago this summer</i>

I enjoyed that more than I expected to.

Which was also my reaction to Lucca and Pisa, btw.