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It is said the Cathedral of Saint Martin was founded by San Frediano in the 6th century and rebuilt by Bishop Anselmo da Baggio in 1060. It came into its current form in the 12th and 13th centuries. Anselmo later became Pope Alexander II. In 1372, the apse of the church and the wall of the transept were completed. The style was Gothic.

The facade of the church is in three great arches surmounted by three rows of galleries filled with sculptures. To the right of the facade is the bell tower. It has a four-sided base and five rows of windows divided by pilasters. The crown is made of Ghibeline merlons.

The interior is laid out in a Latin cross with three naves. The two side naves are topped by false galleries. The central nave is contained in a semicircular apse with three large Romanesque windows.

The left aisle has a small chapel holding the sacred relic, the Holy Face of Lucca. The relic is a wooden crucifix with the image of Christ, supposedly carved by Christ's contemporary Nicodemus. It is said to have suddenly appeared in Lucca in 742 AD. The chapel itself was built by Matteo Civitali in 1484. Civitali was a sculptor of Renaissance Lucca.

Off the sacristy is the funeral monument of Ilaria del Carretto, made by the sculptor Jacabo della Quercia. Ilaria was the wife of Paolo Guinigi, Lord of Lucca until 1430. The Lady Ilaria died very young. Her image depicts her lying on the sarcophagus as if asleep, her faithful dog at her feet. Her ghost is said to haunt the Guinigi tower at night.

The Cathedral is also famous for its long association with members of the Puccini family who moved to Lucca from the mountain village of Celle in 1719. Giacomo Puccini’s personal involvement with the Duomo began when he was sent here to attend a seminary school.

The Cathedral, at one time, was a home of two magnificent organs: one from the 15th century and the other from the 17th. Little remains of these instruments today but the gallery and frontal pipes are still visible. From the early 1870s, Puccini took part in the Festival of Santa Croce at the Cathedral, first as a boy singer, then as a member of the choir, and later as a deputy organist.

The Church of Saints Giovanni and Reparata, situated in San Giovanni Square, is one of Lucca’s most historically significant religious sites. First mentioned in 754 in the will of Bishop Valprando, the church has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries, each adding to its rich architectural and cultural legacy. While not an overwhelmingly grand structure, its historical depth and artistic details make it an essential site for visitors.

The present-day church comprises both a Baptistery and a church, with a layout that includes three aisles and a transept covered by a wooden ceiling. The facade, built entirely of white limestone, is a striking feature, commanding admiration for its simplicity and elegance. The structure combines brickwork and sandstone, with most of it dating to a 17th-century reconstruction, its last major overhaul.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by two imposing lion statues, symbolically engaged in battles-one taking down a dragon and the other wrestling another lion. Above the entrance, the architrave features a depiction of the Madonna between two angels and apostles, while figures of David and Saul are seen on the capitals. The church’s bell tower, made of stone and brick, stands at the junction of the aisles and transept, offering a splendid panoramic view of Lucca.

The church's early Christian design features three naves with wooden ceilings and plastered walls painted to mimic stone. Over time, larger windows replaced the originals, a Baroque chapel for Saint Ignatius was added, and by the 18th century, it became a mausoleum, marked by numerous tombstones.

A 1969 excavation beneath the church revealed structures from the 4th–5th centuries, including the Basilica of Saint Reparata, the Baptistery of Saint Giovanni, and an earlier Roman temple. These findings offer a glimpse into Lucca’s long history of worship.

Villa Bottini stands as one of the most elegant and historically significant villas in Lucca. Built in the 16th century by the influential Buonvisi family, its architectural design became a model for many other villas in the region. The villa's balanced symmetry, large openings, and harmonious proportions give it a refined lightness rarely seen in similar structures.

In the early 19th century, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister and Grand Duchess of Tuscany, acquired the villa. During her ownership, neoclassical decorations were added to complement the existing 16th-century frescoes by Ventura Salimbeni, which remain the only surviving example of such interior decoration in Lucca’s villas. The frescoes, inspired by Raphael’s work at Villa Farnesina in Rome, adorn the main hall and the vaulted porch, adding an artistic grandeur to the residence.

The villa’s layout features a rectangular structure with a basement, a raised ground floor, a low-roofed first floor, and a central loggia. A small door on the rear façade leads into the main hall, while the large garden entrance, designed with impressive scale, contrasts with the villa’s more delicate architectural elements. The nymphaeum gate, one of the first instances of Venetian windows in Lucca’s villas, is an eye-catching detail, blending smooth and rough materials and crowned by two river statues forming a broken tympanum.

Following various changes in ownership-including the Marquis Bottini, the Motroni Andreozzi family, and the Marcheschis-the villa eventually came under the ownership of the Tuscany Region. After an extensive restoration, it was sold to the municipality of Lucca, which now uses it as a cultural venue. Today, Villa Bottini hosts exhibitions, events, and public gatherings, while its picturesque garden remains open to visitors, offering a tranquil escape in the heart of Lucca.

Officially named Via del Fosso, but affectionately called "Via dei Fossi" by locals, this historic street is one of the most characteristic and evocative in Lucca. Luccans use the plural for its name, reflecting its original layout. After the Madonna dello Stellario widens, the street extends toward the city walls. In 1821, a third section was covered, now Corso Garibaldi, which dazzles in early March with blooming Japanese magnolias.

Via dei Fossi originated in 1376 alongside a defensive moat on Lucca’s eastern walls. Over time, it became an industrial hub, with its canal powering silk workshops. Lucca was among the first in Europe to use hydraulic energy for large-scale silk production. In the 14th century, political turmoil drove artisans to Venice and Bologna, where they spread their advanced techniques, shaping Northern Italy’s silk industry.

Today, the street still bears architectural traces of its industrious past. Many buildings feature open roof terraces once used as drying racks for fabrics, while their ground floors house vaulted spaces that accommodate water-powered machinery. These elements reflect the crucial role water played in the silk production chain.

In 1822, under the commission of Duchess Maria Luisa of Bourbon, architect Lorenzo Nottolini designed a grand waterway to bring fresh spring water from the hills south of Lucca to the city center. His work included two neoclassical fountains, which are still in use today, providing locals with "clear and pure waters."

Strolling Via dei Fossi reveals Lucca’s history and hidden gems. Highlights include Villa Bottini-Buonvisi, the only traditional Luccan villa within the city walls, with its elegant garden and loggia. Nearby, the 16th-century SS. Trinità church once housed Matteo Civitali’s Madonna del Latte. A short walk leads to Porta San Gervasio, one of Lucca’s last medieval gates.

At the southern end of Via dei Fossi stands the Church of the Rose (Chiesa della Rosa), a rare Gothic church from 1309. Though old trades have faded, Lucca’s eastern side-Piazza San Francesco, Via della Zecca, and Porta dei Borghi-is now a vibrant hub of artists, craftsmen, breweries, and top trattorias. Palazzo Boccella, home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, adds a modern flair to the area.

The Church of Santa Maria Forisportam, also known as Santa Maria Bianca, is a Romanesque-style Catholic church located in Piazza Santa Maria Bianca in Lucca. Its name, meaning "Saint Mary Outside the Gate," reflects its original position outside the medieval walls of Lucca before being incorporated into the city during the 12th century.

The church’s façade features three portals below and a double series of loggias above, resembling the Cathedral of Pisa but with distinct pilasters and columns. Built in the 12th century, it retains its medieval character with three naves and sturdy columns. Modifications in the 16th century introduced a vaulted roof, circular windows, and brick elements. The bell tower was completed in 1619, with further restorations continuing into the 18th and 19th centuries.

The church was affiliated with the Canonici Regolari of San Salvatore di Bologna in 1512, remaining under their care until the Napoleonic suppression of religious institutions. In 1819, the canons returned, and by 1823 they had merged with the Canons Regular Lateran, who remain associated with the church to this day. Adjacent to the church, there is a small monastery and cloister.

Inside the church, an unusual camera oscura sundial is embedded in the pavement. A small hole in the upper part of the western wall allows light to enter, casting a beam onto an hour line drawn on the floor. This sundial provides an accurate reading of the solar noon, indicating the local true midday time, which is 7 minutes and 55 seconds behind Roman winter time.

The Church of Santa Maria Forisportam, with its blend of medieval origins, Renaissance modifications, and scientific ingenuity, stands as a testament to Lucca’s rich architectural and cultural heritage. Its incomplete yet striking exterior, historical affiliations and artistic masterpieces make it an intriguing destination for visitors exploring the city’s historical core.

The Guinigi Tower is easy to spot. It is a square tower of bright red brick. It rises to a height of 125 feet and there are Holm oak trees growing on the roof. There is a need to climb the tower, sit in the shade of aged oaks and look out over the ancient city of Lucca. Alert: this urge is irresistible.

The Guinigi Tower was built in 1384. The Guinigis were rich from the silk trade that passed through Lucca at the time. Once Lucca had as many as 250 such towers. Only nine remained after the warlord Castruccio Castracani ordered them demolished. This was in the 14th century, the interesting time of plagues, raids, violence. It was a time for towers.

The towers were not only havens and defensive assets, they were symbols of wealth and power and respect. Every player had to have one. At least one. When Castracani died, the Guinigi took over the city. They would keep their Tower of Power forever.

In 1805 Napoleon ruled in Tuscany. He gave the region to his sister, Elisa, making her the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. It is because of her the walls of the Tower were maintained. It is possible to visit the tower. It is 230 steps up to the observation deck. The original stairs were on the outside. Now they are inside. It's a small mercy.

Of course there are legends about the tower. If one climbs to the top in the evening, one may see a ghostly lady sitting under an oak tree with her pet dog. This is the lady Ilaria, the deceased wife of Paolo Guinigi. If she smiles at you, your heart is pure. If not, well...

The tower is open to the public for a modest fee. Reach the top and the amazing panorama of Lucca will unravel at your feet.

The elliptical square used to be a Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century AD in the reign of the Emperor Claudius, it was originally outside the city walls. It was rather large, having fifty-four arches and a seating capacity of ten thousand. Public meetings as well as games and dramas were held in the arena.

In the 6th century AD, during the Gothic wars, the amphitheater became a defensive liability because of its size and position outside the city walls. The amphitheater was fortified by closing the outer arches. In time, other buildings used as houses, storage spaces or prisons were added to the structures around the arena.

During the middle ages the upper parts of the original amphitheater began to disappear. The materials taken were used in the constructions. The arena remained along with a ruined arch or two. Buildings enclosed the space, creating a de facto square. Most of these buildings were military storehouses or used to stock salt or such.

In the early 19th century, architect Lornzo Nottolini, was deeply involved in what was called the Great Project of Tuscany, including the urban renewal of Lucca. Nottolini was commissioned to restore and revive the Piazza based on the Roman ruins of the amphitheater.

Nottolini designed a new open square just as big as the original structure. It followed the elliptical shape of the arena exactly. It became an urban market center and space for open shops. In the early 20th century the official market was shifted to another area but the square continued to be called Market Square (Piazza del Maercato).

The square can be entered only through one of its four doorways. The lowest one of these is part of the original structure of the amphitheater. To enter the market square is to follow in the steps of the Lucchese from ancient times until now.

In the 6th century AD, a church was built in Lucca dedicated to the Levites Vincenzo, Stefano and Lorenzo. Fredianus, an Irish pilgrim who became bishop of Lucca in 560 AD, gets credit for the construction. The Basilica today is built in the Romanesque style and it is located in the Piazza San Frediano.

In 1112 the church was rebuilt. It was reconsecrated in 1147 by Pope Eugene III. The church had three naves and an apse. The facade faced east. This was departure from the Dominican custom of facades facing west.

Sometime in the 13th century the central nave was raised and a wooden ceiling installed. In the same period the upper facade received a mosaic of the Ascension of Christ with angels and apostles around the Madonna. The Madonna image was later replaced by the center window.

In the 14th and 16th centuries chapels were built in the side aisles and the facade was extended. The three portals of the facade are marked by pillars under an architrave and blind arches. There is a loggia at the middle level with columns and two single lancet windows. The bell tower, near the apse, dates back to the 13th century.

Inside the church the aisles and nave are set off by columns with round arches. The center nave is high with a wooden truss ceiling.

The basilica is a short walk from the Ampitheater Square.

A tourist's dream is to stay in the Principe Federico Suite of the Palazzo Pfanner in Lucca. Prince Frederick of Denmark had trysts with noblewoman Maria Maddalena Trenta in the suite in 1692. The suite offers a princely view of the walls of Lucca and the alluring palace gardens below.

The Moriconi family, silk merchants of Lucca, sold the building to the Controni family in 1680. The Contronis engaged architect Domenico Martinelli to build their monumental grand staircase and galleries. Filippo Juvarra, set designer and landscaper, did the garden.

Felix Pfanner, a brewer from Austria, acquired the property in 1846 and established the first brewery of Lucca. The brewery, situated in the garden, was a pleasant place for brewing and tasting. The brewery closed in 1929.

The grand staircase to the main hall of the palace is sandstone. It has vaults adorned with 18th century frescoes by Bartolomeo de Santi and Lorenzo Castellotti. The walls of the main hall are painted with frescoes painted by Pietro Paolo Scorsini in 1720.

The prime attraction is the garden. It reaches from the monumental staircase to the graceful Lemon House. It encloses two bamboo groves and a green area holding palms and indigenous pines, yews, magnolias, peonies, hydrangeas, begonias, roses and germaniums.

There is a large octagonal basin at the center of a formal garden and marble statues of the ancient gods of Olympus, watching over this little slice of paradise.

Back in the Middle Ages, the towers of Lucca had been growing like mushrooms, with some collapses being rather commonplace. The towers were built higher and higher in the belief of their owners that the height equaled respect. In the 14th century, Castruccio Castracani, the Duke of Lucca, ordered a good number of them to be demolished.

Among the tallest towers still in place is the Clock Tower. Built in the 13th century, it stands 164 feet high on the corner of Via Fillungo and Via Dell'Arancio. Several families of the local nobility had owned the tower over the centuries, but it is better known for a dark legend involving a woman and the devil.

Lucida Mansi, a cruel beauty notorious for having killed her husband and many lovers after that, wanted to stay young forever. Mad at the sight of wrinkles on her face, she made a deal with the devil that would keep her young for the next thirty years, upon which he would claim her soul at the midnight of the 14th of August 1623.

Indeed, for the next three decades Lucida had enjoyed a fabulous life filled with extravagance, luxury, and numerous romances. People marveled at her youth whilst others grew old.

As the day of 14th of August 1623 drew nearer, Lucida grew more and more desperate. In a bid to stop the clock from chiming midnight, she climbed to the top of the tower but still failed to halt the bell strike, and so the devil took her soul.

There are 207 wooden steps within the tower leading to the clock mechanism. Entrance costs only a few euros, so it would be a shame not to see it.

The full name of the Church is San Michele in Foro. It was built in the Forum, the center of public life in the Commune of the City. The Church dates from 795 AD. Pope Alexander II ordered the Church rebuilt in 1070. The massive Pisan-Baroque facade resembles nothing less than a gigantic wedding cake.

There are four levels of arcades. The upper two tiers are free-standing loggias. The lower section is faced with white marble blind arcades. The center part of the upper facade has an iron-winged statue of Saint Michael spearing the dragon. If one looks closely one may see the emerald on Michael's finger ring.

On the lower right corner of the facade is a statue of Madonna Salute Portus, Made by Matteo Civitali to mark the end of the plague of 1476.

The interior has two aisles and a nave and a transept design with a semicircular apse. The nave is supported by arcades with massive columns. There is a terra-cotta image of the Madonna and child by Andrea della Robbia. A painted mural by Filippo Lippi celebrates saints Helen, Rocco, Gerome, and Sebastian.

The bell tower was built in the 13th century. It rises over the southern transept of the building. The upper level of the tower was cut off in 1366 by the Doge of Pisa, Giovanni dell'Angello, because the bells were too loud.

The basilica is only a short walk from the Lucca train station. The nearest bus station is San Salvatore on the LAM Verde route.

The Puccini Birth Home, located in Corte San Lorenzo, Lucca, is a museum dedicated to the life and works of Giacomo Puccini, one of the most celebrated opera composers in history. This historic house, where Puccini was born on December 22, 1858, and spent his formative years, remains a central piece of the Puccini Museum, preserving the composer’s legacy through an extensive collection of memorabilia, documents, and personal items.

The Puccini family settled in Lucca in the early 18th century, and after the untimely death of Domenico Puccini, Giacomo’s grandfather, in 1815, they relocated to Corte San Lorenzo. His widowed grandmother, Angela Cerù, moved the family there, likely to be closer to her brother Arcangelo Cerù, who provided both moral and financial support to the Puccinis. The house was originally home to multiple generations, including Antonio Puccini, his wife Caterina Tesei, Angela Cerù, and her children, including Michele Puccini, Giacomo’s father.

The museum collection, first established in 1979, has been continuously enriched by private donations and acquisitions. The house was converted into a museum in 1925 by Puccini’s son Antonio, and despite modern enhancements, it retains its original historical appearance. The museum’s restoration efforts have ensured that visitors can experience the home as it was during Puccini’s lifetime, preserving its original furnishings and atmosphere.

Among the notable exhibits inside the museum are Puccini’s Forster and Steinway & Sons pianos, the latter used for composing Turandot. It also features signed scores, manuscripts, rare librettos, and letters with publisher Giulio Ricordi. Highlights include Macchiaioli paintings, hunting trophies, and handwritten drafts of Tosca, La Fanciulla del West, and La Rondine. A standout is a Turandot costume by Umberto Brunelleschi, worn by Maria Jeritza at its 1926 Metropolitan Opera premiere.

The museum includes rooms showcasing Puccini’s personal life, such as the kitchen, veranda, and omnibus room, which holds his funeral mask and portraits. His hunting room displays rifles, boots, and gear. In 1926, his remains were moved to a chapel in the house, where he rests with his family amid musical-themed decor.

Today, the Puccini Birth Home stands as an immersive tribute to the composer’s genius and artistic journey. Located in the heart of Lucca’s historic center, the museum continues to be a cultural landmark, celebrating the enduring legacy of one of opera’s greatest composers.

Lucca has always needed its walls. Castruccio Castracani, 14th century Duke of Lucca, built the huge Fortress Augusta, where the Napoleon Square is today.

The fortress was certainly huge, it covered one-fifth of the city. In 1370 The Council of Elders ordered it demolished. Paolo Guingini, Lord of Lucca in the 15th century, restored it as The Citadel of Lucca. Paolo was out of favor by 1429 and the Citadel joined the Fortress Augusta in the dustbin of history.

From the ashes of the Citadel arose the Ducale palace, which stands on the Napoleon Square today. The square was established in 1806 by Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister. Elisa had a statue in the Square built in honor of her brother, but by 1815 Napoleon was passe.

Napoleon's statue was replaced by one dedicated to Maria Luisa of Spain. She was more popular so her statue stayed.

The Square is a popular venue for concerts and events. Each summer the square hosts the Lucca Summer Festival, not to be missed.

The first thing to notice as one approaches the city center of Lucca is the walls. They completely encircle the old town. In order to enter the old city, one must pass through one of the main ports, or gates. They are Porta Elisa, Porta San Donato, Porta San Jacabo, Porta Sangta Maria, Porta V. Emanuele or Porta San Pietro.

The midieval wall wraps around the old city for two and a half miles. It is the only complete and intact city wall left in Italy. Lucca has had three walls. The first was a Roman defensive wall that lasted to around 1000 AD. The second, medieval wall expanded to enclose the growing city. The last wall was built in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The final wall was made to repel raiders from Pisa and the quarrelsome Medicis of Florence. It was effective. Not even when the Medicis controlled the papacy could they control Lucca. The wall remains today as a reminder of Luchese independence. In 1860 Italy was unified and city walls became unnecessary. But Lucca insisted on keeping theirs.