Lucca is encircled by spectacular Renaissance walls still intact (!), more than 4 km long! Today the walls are the park of the town, a place of pleasant walks but also a gym for sports people and a hang-out for the locals. In the town centre there is the most original Roman Amphitheatre I have ever seen; a beautiful oval square encircled by colourful houses. I take great pleasure behaving like a tourist and drinking cappuccinos or a glass of wine in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro! Here, time seems to stand still… Not far from the Anfiteatro we can see an ancient medieval tower with holm oak trees on its top; a real hanging garden! We can climb to the top with about 230 steps, and take in an amazing panoramic view of the Pisan Mountains, the Apuan Alps, Lucca hills and the town at our feet!

Lucca has a simple and elegant Cathedral named after Saint Martin which contains a crucifix most venereated by Lucca residents: the Holy Face of Jesus, solemnly celebrated every year in September. Lucca is also the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, composer of the operas La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and Turandot!