Tuscany Day Trip | Lucca

For all of you dreaming & planning a trip to Italy, here is the continuation of my favorite day trips from Florence. This one, though, is my favorite. Tyler & I call it "our" town...which it, obviously, is not, but whenever we walk it's sleepy streets drenched in sunlight, it feels like it was built just for us.

Lucca is about an hour and a half northwest of Florence, and- in my completely insignificant opinion-represents all that is wonderful in the world.

Clean, rich, romantic...this walled-city offers the best in dining, relaxed days riding bikes along it's ancient walls, and evenings with Puccini's famous operatic tunes floating through the windy towns idyllic streets. (Puccini was born in Lucca and nightly concerts are consistently available.) If you go to Lucca, please let me know. I would love to hear how you spent your day in "our" town.

TO SEE |

ANFITEATRO | Lucca's uniquely shaped Anfiteatro. This oval-shaped piazza now serves as a social base for restaurants, shops, and prestigiously priced apartments, but it was once home to the town's small coliseum.

IL DUOMO DI LUCCA |

Set centrally in the city, the main church in Lucca shows off the city's unique architecture. Most days, the piazza is full of daily markets selling clothes, honey, and meats.

TO EAT |

TRATTORIA DA GIULIO | I first found this restaurant through an article in Virtuoso Life, and since then- it's a guaranteed stop every time we are in Lucca.

Though the restaurant sits near the city walls, and almost as far away from the tourist zone possible... once you see the wall of celebrities that have dined there, you'll know you've come to the right spot.

With first and second courses ranging between 5-7 euro, you'll be happy to have moved out of the city center for this local gem that serves Tuscan (and Lucchese) classics like tortelli Lucchese (a rich tortelli filled with veal, beed, and pork) salsiccia e fagioli (don't be fooled by it's simple look- this is tasty!) or mixed antipasti full of polenta, vegetables, and meats.

SHOP |

Lucca has great shopping, but for a local find-look out for the copper bakeware and pots. Made in Lucca, these are

gorgeously hand-crafted and reasonably priced around 40 euro each.

DO |

Rent bikes near the walls of the city {these should cost you around 3 euro per bike per hour) and take the path around the city on the walls. This is a popular route for locals and tourists alike, as this high walls offer an easy path set along the Tuscan hills.