Rediscovering Lucca: From Winter Memories to Springtime Charm
Our return to the charming Tuscan city in 2021, with memories from our 2017 visit
Lucca Revisited – Summer 2021
We returned to Lucca for a week in the summer of 2021 on our way back to France. We stayed in a lovely little apartment just inside the city walls in a quiet corner of town.
This time Lucca was very busy — crowds filled Via Fillungo and the popular tourist spots. This was during the pandemic with no international visitors, only Europeans. It’s easy to imagine how packed the city becomes when tourism returns to full strength.
We revisited our favourite spots: eating at Barilla, enjoying spritz in the piazza, and walking along the historic walls. Overall, we found Lucca more expensive than the towns and villages in Abruzzo, and the fresh produce wasn’t quite the same quality.
Lucca remains a beautiful town and highly recommended, but for us it will be the last visit for a while.
Lucca Stories 2017: A Timeless Charm Rediscovered
My first visit to Lucca was thirteen years earlier during a winter day trip from Siena. It left such a strong impression that I wondered whether returning would disappoint. Thankfully, it didn’t.
We arrived in early May, perfectly timed before the summer crowds. The city was lively but still pleasantly manageable. While spots like Chiesa San Michele and Via Fillungo were busy, the quieter streets offered peaceful escapes.
Spring was in full bloom with temperatures in the mid-20s. We stayed in a charming attic apartment with beautiful views over rooftops and distant mountains. Most evenings we cooked with excellent local produce from nearby delis and fruit shops.
Mornings started with coffee and a cornetto con marmellata at the corner bar. Evenings often included Aperol Spritz with generous complimentary snacks. A highlight was dinner at Baralla, a local restaurant recommended by our landlady, where we enjoyed hearty, authentic Tuscan food.
Our days were spent walking the ancient city walls, wandering charming alleys, and simply absorbing the timeless atmosphere of Italian life.
Lucca fully lived up to our fond memories from 2017. Even in 2021, its timeless beauty and charm were undeniable — a true hidden gem of Tuscany.