Lucca
Lucca is a walled Tuscan city where you can bike the Renaissance ramparts and climb Torre Guinigi, a tower with trees on its roof.
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Lucca is a city in Tuscany, in northwestern Italy, known for the Renaissance walls that circle its old center. The top of the wall is wide and lined with trees, so you can walk or bike the full loop and look down over the rooftops. Inside, the streets are narrow and mostly flat, with churches, palaces and small squares. Torre Guinigi, a medieval tower with holm oaks growing on its roof, is one of the city's best-known sights. Giacomo Puccini, the opera composer, was born here.
Lucca suits travelers who want a slower pace in Tuscany. A day is enough to see the walls and the main churches. Two nights leave time for a full bike loop without rushing. Park outside the walls, since the center is a limited traffic zone (ZTL) where driving without a permit can bring a fine. Pisa's airport is a short train ride away. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for walking and cycling outdoors; summer is hot.
Lucca in five
- Rent a bike for the wallsThe wall circuit is about 4 km and tree-lined, with bike hire near the gates. Go in the early morning or at sunset to avoid the midday crowds.
- Climb Torre Guinigi earlyThe tower with oak trees on its roof gives views over the old town. Check the city's official page for hours and ticket rules before you plan around it.
- Check the ZTL before you driveThe walled center is a limited-traffic zone. Park outside the walls, and ask your hotel about access rules rather than guessing; fines are issued by camera.
- Time summer concerts and the comics festivalBig concerts fill July and the Comics and Games festival fills rooms in autumn. Check the festival dates and book rooms early if they overlap your trip.
- Use Lucca as a base for Pisa and FlorenceTrains reach Pisa in about 30 minutes and Florence in about 1.5 hours. A night here is calmer than staying in either city.Florence
Things to do in Lucca
See all attractions in Lucca
Need to know
- Airport
- Pisa (PSA), about 40–60 min by PisaMover and train
- Getting there
- Train: Pisa about 30 min, Florence about 1.5 hours
- Getting around
- Walking and bicycles inside the walls
- Best base
- Inside the walls, near Piazza San Michele or the Anfiteatro
- Time needed
- Half a day to 2 nights
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh10°Low4°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 124 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh12°Low5°Cool, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 113 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Spring startsMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring starts
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Spring walksAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring walks
- MayRain14 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Walls in leafMayRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 122 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Walls in leaf
- JuneClear8 rainy daysHigh27°Low17°Warm, long daysJuneClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyClear5 rainy daysHigh29°Low20°Hot, concertsJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 35 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, concerts
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh30°Low20°Hot, FerragostoAugustClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, Ferragosto
- SeptemberRain11 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Warm, quieterSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 150 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quieter
- OctoberRain12 rainy daysHigh20°Low13°Mild, ComicsOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 190 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, Comics
- NovemberRain15 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 182 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cold, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 151 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Lucca, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Feb Carnival of Viareggio · Mar Carnival of Viareggio
Right now in Lucca
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
9
- Feels like
- 7°
- Humidity
- 74%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Lucca
11:38 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today16°8°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue17°9°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed15°8°18%Wednesday: Rain. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Thu17°8°4%Thursday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Fri17°9°21%Friday: Rain. High 17°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 21%.
- Sat16°9°18%Saturday: Rain. High 16°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Sun16°6°31%Sunday: Rain. High 16°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 31%.
Updated 07:17 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarCarnival of ViareggioLucca
- Apr–JunMaggio Musicale FiorentinoFlorence, a day trip
- Jul–AugFestival PucciniPisa, a day trip
Before you go to Lucca
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Rules for Lucca, checked
- Non-EU visitors may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Check entry rules on the Italian visa site before you book.Source
- The historic center inside the walls is a limited traffic zone (ZTL). Driving in without a permit can bring a fine, so park outside the walls.
- Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
- Cover shoulders and knees before entering churches, including the Cathedral of San Martino.
- A cover charge (coperto) is common in restaurants. Check the bill before you add a tip.
Plan around Lucca
Tuscany's quieter cities in a wider Italy route
Read the guidePisaThe Leaning Tower, 30 minutes away by train
Read the guidePistoiaA small Tuscan city between Lucca and Florence
Read the guideLivornoA Tuscan port with canals, by train via Pisa
Read the guideFlorenceThe Renaissance capital, about 1.5 hours away
Read the guideItaly by train, off-peakFrecciarossa, Italo and regional trains compared
Read the guideLucca FAQ
Is Lucca worth visiting?
Yes, especially for a calm Tuscan night. The walls, towers and piazzas are compact, and it suits cyclists and travelers who prefer quiet to museum queues.
How many days do you need in Lucca?
One day covers the walls, Torre Guinigi and the Anfiteatro. Two nights let you add an evening concert, a Pisa trip and slow dinners.
Is Lucca better than Pisa?
For atmosphere and cycling, yes. Pisa has the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli, but Lucca is more pleasant to stay in. Many visitors do both: see Pisa in a few hours and sleep in Lucca.
Can you drive into Lucca?
Only into the outskirts and car parks outside the walls. The walled center is a limited-traffic zone, so check the city's official page and ask your hotel before you drive.
How do you get from Pisa airport to Lucca?
By the PisaMover shuttle to Pisa Centrale, then a regional train to Lucca in about 30 minutes. Taxis and buses also run, but the train is the simplest option.