HISTORY: Lucca was born as a Ligurian settlement around the 3rd century BC, and then inhabited by the Etruscans until 180 AD, when it became a Roman colony. During the Gothic War, in 553, Lucca was besieged by Narses, and from 571, it was under Lombard occupation.
From 1160 to 1805, when it was conquered by Napoleon, Lucca was an independent Republic. After 1847, Lucca was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860 and was included in the Italian State in 1861.
GEOGRAPHY: Lucca is located in the north-western part of Tuscany, on the plain between the Altopiano delle Pizzorne (plateau) and the Monti Pisani, on the left bank of the river Serchio. The city is situated at about 20 kilometers north-east of Pisa, about 72 kilometers west of Florence, 100 kilometers nortwest of Siena and 140 kilometers northwest of Arezzo.
TRANSPORT: The easiest way to reach the city by plane is to fly to Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport. From the airport, you can take the bus Line E3 to Lucca. The trip takes about 50 minutes and the ticket costs 3.5€.
Trains from Pisa Centrale Train Station run every 30 minutes and the city is also on the main Viareggio-Florence railway line. A train ticket from Pisa is 3.5€ and the trip takes about half an hour. A trip from Florence takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes, and the ticket costs 7.8€.
LANDMARKS: Lucca is known for its medieval walls (Mura di Lucca), started in 1545 and completed around 1650, for the superb oval square Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, for the Cathedral of San Martino and for the Basilica of Sant Michele in Foro, for the towers Guinigi and delle Ore and for many other places, which you can discover by visiting the city.
MORE INFO: Touristic Portal | Pisa Airport | Car Hire | Train Timetables & Fares | Bus Timetables & Fares | Hotels in Lucca