Highlights of Lucca

Experience compelling Tuscan art and history on this relaxing guided walking tour of scenic and off-the-beaten-path Lucca. Upon arrival in this quaint city, founded in 180 BC by the Romans, you’ll notice the town’s massive red-brick walls, built between 1504 and 1645 and among the best-preserved Renaissance-era defenses in Europe. Admire the Pisan Romanesque Church of San Michele in Foro, which stands on the site of the ancient Roman forum and whose exquisite colonnaded façade rivals that of Pisa’s own cathedral. Pass the fabulous, tree-topped Guinigi Tower, one of several in Lucca built by the Guinigi family, rulers of the city in the 15th century, and reach the Piazza Amfiteatro, once the Roman amphitheater and today a charming elliptical square surrounded by sand-colored houses. Visit the chapel where the revered Santa Zita is interred, and tour the extraordinary Duomo di San Martino, a cathedral that holds the Volto Santo, a 13th-century wooden effigy believed by medieval pilgrims to have been carved by Christ’s follower Nicodemus at the time of the Crucifixion. Conclude your tour with free time to browse Via Fillungo, the town’s principal shopping street, or continue your exploration of unspoiled and magnetic Lucca.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Dress appropriately for a religious venue; shoulders and knees must be covered.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.