Lucca

Located on the same street as the iconic Guinigi Tower, this apartment has a direct view of said tower from every window in the residence. What a special treat it is to gaze up at the tower every day with unobstructed views! The apartment is very spacious, beautifully decorated, and on a street tucked away from busier parts of town. With its very high ceilings, elegant master bedroom, and large living areas, it feels like staying in a palazzo. Whether you’re here for a brief stay, or a longer holiday, the apartment features a washer and dryer combo (our favorite!), upstairs loft with sofa bed and desk, and a kitchen stocked with all of the essentials for cooking. Be sure to make reservations far in advance.

Giorgio and Anna run a wonderful ristorante in the heart of Lucca. A newcomer that has only just opened in 2024, we see big things to come! The menu changes seasonally, so you know you will be getting the freshest ingredients at their peak. Visiting in the fall, we suggest getting anything on their menu that has zucca (literally pumpkin, but can also be certain squashes, like butternut squash). Other great items are the sweetbreads, which are cooked perfectly, and the pasta with deer ragù. Giorgio also makes some incredible desserts - we loved his tiramisù! We can’t wait to come back to this one!

Buca di Sant’Antonio can verify it has been operating since 1782, but there are signs it has been around much longer! Being a restaurant for hundreds of years means you know how to treat guests and how to cook. They begin the dining experience with a free glass of sparkling wine and savory pastry bites! The menu makes it extremely tough to order, as every dish sounds amazing. They make great neccio (a chestnut pancake/crepe), along with traditional soups, and well prepared grilled meats - we suggest the bistecca alla Fiorentina and the capretto (goat). Save room for the piattoforte Lucchese or the castagnaccio (chestnut cake) for dessert if you want to try something traditional that's not too sweet! Be sure to book ahead on their website.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is the eclectic decor - the vintage drink signs displayed throughout that give this space character! It’s a great contrast to the white table cloths, elevated food offerings, and extensive wine list you will choose from. At the table, you’re warmly greeted with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine and an aperitif, just to get the meal going. The food itself also has a blend of traditional and inventive tastes; we recommend the cervello fritto that melts in your mouth, the clams with a delicious broth, and pasta that goes with the season. Finally, order the ‘desperate, erotic Tiramisù’ for dessert. We don’t know why it’s called that, but it’s an excellent way to finish off the meal!

This small, efficiently run trattoria is a little bit off the beaten path, but very well known so book well in advance! The first time we dined here, we arrived right when they opened (without a reservation), and nearly got turned away like the many others after us. The food is traditional Lucchese cuisine, done exceptionally well. We suggest the tordelli Lucchese and the tagliatelle with white ragout. For starters, the ‘vegetable budino’ and the Polpettine di baccalà con crema di ceci are fantastic. For dessert, order the tiramisù - it’s unlike any we’ve had before! At the end of our meal, we made sure to book a reservation for the following week so we could enjoy this one again.

In the northeast part of town, along the Via del Fasso (Lucca’s Canal Street - very important during Lucca’s peak silk history in the 1200s and 1300s) sits Ristorante Mecenate. The location was formerly home to a laundromat (peep the historic sign above the door when you arrive). Ristorante Mecenate serves some of the best traditional Lucchesi food in town - think tordelli lucchese (a stuffed pasta akin with meats and spices, topped with a ragù sauce cooked), tacconi (a ribbon pasta) served with rabbit, and chicken liver pate served on bread with prosciutto. For dessert, the zuppa inglese is amazing. It pairs nicely with a glass of biadina - a traditional digestif served with pine nuts. Book ahead by calling or emailing!

In the northwest part of town, you'll find Trattoria da Giulio. This restaurant opened in 1945 and is now on its third generation. Trattoria da Giulio has an extensive menu of all the traditional Lucchese favorites, all at reasonable prices. The amount of seating here is impressive - they have a large indoor space, but also a great patio as well. Take advantage of dining alfresco if the weather is cooperating! We suggest ordering a traditional dish, like pici pasta with sausage, mushrooms, and tomato sauce. A simple recipe, but very tasty! For dessert, get the zuppa inglese, tiramisù, or the cantucci e buccellato served with Vin Santo.

With L’Angolo Tondo being inside Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, we were hesitant to go there despite the excellent reviews. We usually avoid places on main piazzas, but we are so glad we ate here because it was fantastic! The food and the service are the stars of this restaurant. With Asian influences sprinkled throughout the menu, you can eat adventurously or stick to the classics. If you’re feeling adventurous, go for the Bao or the Gyoza. If you want something more traditional, order the risotto and add the white truffle if in season - you will not be disappointed! The staff are professional and very helpful. We recommend sitting inside if you want a more quiet, private dining experience but be sure to book in advance!

Locanda Buatino is a few minutes walk north of town. Their menu is traditional Lucchese and they offer a great lunch special that includes one primo, one secondo, one contorno, and 0.5 liter of water. Dessert and coffee are also very reasonably priced if you have room to indulge. This was our favorite tordelli lucchese in Lucca! Filled with an excellent blend of meat and topped with a mild meat ragù, this alone is worth making the trek. Other recommendations include anything they make with acciughe (anchovies), their arista al forno (roasted pork), and the side of vegetables. The cakes they make are also delicious! We loved la torta con crema e pinoli and la torta al amaretto.

La Dritta is a small osteria (only 6 tables inside!) located on Piazza San Francesco in the north east portion of Lucca. Their menu is adventurous and modern, while not leaving what makes Lucchese cuisine great. For pasta, we recommend the octopus, if it’s available. It’s a rare thing for us to see an octopus pasta on the menu and this one is amazing. The duck confit plin is also a hit (if not also rare to seeing plin on the menu in Lucca; we’re more used to seeing plin on a Piedmont menu). For secondo, get the roasted quail; it’s very tasty and the delicate flavors will amaze you. You can’t go wrong with either the zuppa inglese or the tiramisù for dessert! Don't show up without a reservation here!

Talk about off the beaten path! Located on the northeast side of town (outside the walls of Lucca and near the stadium), NIDA is located on a nondescript street. If you’re in the mood for some international cuisine, this is where to get the best Japanese food. We are huge fans of their lunch special called the teishoku menu. You get to pick your main entree, then chef Masaki Kuroda complements it with the most delicious side dishes. The sushi and nigiri are fresh and delicious! Be sure to make reservations ahead of time on their website!

Pasticceria Dianda has 2 locations in town (and one a little northwest of town if you happen to be out that direction) that serve excellent pastries and coffee - it’s our go to breakfast spot and favorite cappuccino in town! We personally like the location better on the east side. It’s not on the tour guide trail as much, so you’re with the local crowd a bit more. That being said, the west side location has the same selections, so you can’t go wrong with either!

If you’re looking for high quality breads and pastries, this is the place. Located just around the corner from Piazza San Michele, you’ll see a steady stream of locals coming in to get their supplies (always a good sign!). Forno a vapore Amedeo Giusti runs a very efficient shop, with tons of staff to help you, even if your Italian isn’t great. From a mixture of quality pastries (we like the treccia - see below more about it!) to be enjoyed for breakfast to delicious focaccia sandwiches for lunch to a ton of bread selections - don’t miss stopping by here.

Sometimes, we just want a great piece of plain focaccia. This can be for breakfast, for a snack, or for part of a meal if we’re cooking in. Forno Francesco Casali offers exactly what we are looking for when we’re after focaccia. Located near Torre Giunigi, the shop offers some cooking staples as well as what their specialty is: bread. They also have a quality meat selection and will make you a fresh panino while you wait. A great place to get a quick bite that will leave you satisfied.

Inspired and mentored by Gianfrancesco Cotelli, of famed Gelateria De’ Coltelli in Pisa, you can tell they take great care in their craft of creating gelato, using only the best ingredients. Having been to Gelateria De’ Coltelli in Pisa, we can confirm that Ele is on the same level of quality and deliciousness. This hidden gem is close to Piazza San Michele (a highlight on every tour group), yet somehow a missed opportunity for most. Avoid the lines at the fake gelato shops and go here - you won’t be disappointed!

This delicious gelato can be found at two locations in Lucca. The first being at Caniparoli Cioccolateria, an artisanal chocolate maker that has been making chocolates for over 30 years in Lucca. They have also recently opened Gelateria Caniparoli, just outside of the walls. Since chocolate is what they do best, be sure to order the chocolate gelato! The other flavors, including crema, amarena, stracciatella, and zuppa inglese are also delicious. Pro tip: the location inside the walls closes a bit early (address below), but the location east and outside the walls stays open later!

You can’t talk about Lucca without talking about the wall that surrounds the entire Lucca city center. Actually, you can’t even see the city without going through it! One of the only remaining intact Renaissance era walls in all of Europe, the structure is very impressive the first time you come within sight of Lucca. What we love about La Mura is the functionality of it in the present day. It’s wide, tree-lined, perfect for a walk or bike ride, and a wonderful green space that surrounds the entire city center. The space is even used for festivals (like Lucca Comics & Games and the Lucca Summer Festival) and is a sight to behold.

Lucca, like many Tuscan towns, used to have a skyline dominated by towers. These were built as a sign of wealth by the powerful merchant families - at one point, there were over 130 towers in Lucca! Today, there are just a few left, with the most interesting one being the Guinigi Tower. It’s great to look from the ground as it has a ‘green roof’ with a garden of holm oaks on the top. With 25 flights of stairs, and 230 steps, you also get wonderful views of the surrounding Tuscan hillsides from the top of the tower. Pro tip: around sunset is a very popular time, so if the city is buzzing and the sunset is beautiful, either go early for a spot or choose a less busy time.

If you’ve read some of our other city guides, you’ll pick up that we like checking out botanical gardens when we travel. We find them relaxing and a great change of pace from the hustle and bustle of areas usually filled with tourists. The Lucca Botanical Gardens was founded in 1820 and transferred to the city of Lucca in 1903. It’s a quaint space, with 7 zones to wander through and enjoy a respite. Our favorite is the pond and peat area, which has a great story of The Legend of Lucida Mansi. It’s especially spooky around Halloween!

Whereas most pasta varieties do not have a lot of options in how they’re prepared, Tordelli Lucchese allows creativity! Tordelli Lucchese is a stuffed pasta with the outside shape in a crescent. It’s on the inside where the magic happens! The stuffing can be made of stale bread, meats, spices, swiss chard, pine nuts, and other ingredients that the chef can choose; no two tordelli stuffing recipes will be exactly the same. Once the pasta is cooked, it is finished with a meat ragù. Parmigiano Reggiano dusted on top at the table is recommended! Be sure to order this dish at more than one restaurant to see how different this dish can be!

Coniglio is in dishes all over Italy, but is more prevalent in Tuscany. It is a very tender meat, and can be used in a variety of different ways - we’ve had it with pasta as a primi or fried/grilled as a secondo. When it’s served in pasta, it can be served with a soffritto (onion, celery, carrots) base - it tastes like Thanksgiving! Sometimes this is called ‘alla lepre’, and can be served with numerous types of pasta like papardelle, tacconi, or tagliatelle. As a secondo, coniglio can be served as part of a ‘meat plate’, alongside chicken or other similar style meats.

If you want a traditional pasta, but don’t want the same styles offered everywhere - go for pici. There are two things that make pici unique. While it looks like a thicker version of spaghetti, it is hand rolled, making it not 100% uniform in size. Second, it usually is made without eggs, giving it a different texture and taste vs most pasta. We like it with a tomato base, sausage, and mushrooms. However, pici is very versatile and can be served with many combinations of sauces and ingredients.

Being near the coast (it’s only a 17-minute train ride to Viareggio!) means Lucca gets sea influence that we feel is underrated in their cuisine. You’ll find a ton of baccalà (cod) on menus, which is worth trying! We like it as an antipasto as a breaded fish ball served with a sauce made from ceci (chickpeas), which are also very common here. We highly recommend this starter from Trattoria Da Gigi if you are able to dine there for lunch or dinner!

Focaccia is a bread made with salt, olive oil, and water - and it just tastes better in Italy, in our opinion. From breakfast, where it was a common meal for sailors, to lunch where focaccia is used for panini (sandwiches), to dinner, where often you’ll have more traditional tuscan bread and focaccia served with your meals. It is one of our favorite breads to eat so we were thrilled that we got to have it so often!

Zuppa inglese is a multi-layered dessert that we just love. It’s up there as one of our favorites throughout Italy - along with tiramisù and gelato. The base recipe consists of liqueur-soaked (usually Alchermes) ladyfingers or sponge cake, vanilla custard, and chocolate cream. You’ll see variations and additions with creative bakers taking their own license to their versions. It’s heaven in every bite! While not originally from Lucca, we’ve had some of the best zuppa inglese in Lucca. We’re not quite sure why zuppa inglese is so popular to have on numerous menus all around Lucca - but we were happy to see it so often and the quality so good.

You’re going to see a theme of castagne (chestnuts) throughout Lucca’s ‘What to Try’. Chestnuts are plentiful here and the Lucchese cuisine makes excellent use of them. Neccio di castagne is a chestnut flour pancake/crepe, served as an antipasto. Just like your normal pancakes/crepes, neccio di castagne are versatile, and can be served sweet, savory, or a combination of both. If you ever see this on the menu (like at Buca Di Sant’Antonio), we suggest you make it part of your meal!

Keeping with the chestnut theme, we move to castagnaccio. Castagnaccio is on the other end of the meal - it’s a dessert! A recipe that has very few ingredients, castagnaccio often only uses chestnut flour for its base, making it gluten free (be sure to confirm this with the restaurant!). Its traditional recipe also doesn’t have any added sugars - making this a very healthy dessert. We like to enjoy it with biadina, as both incorporate pinoli (pine nuts) in the recipes.

Sometimes, we’re in the mood for a dish with a lot of vegetables. That turns out to be difficult to find more often than not! Frantoiana is exactly the dish we wish we could find when we’re in that mood. Frantonina is a vegetable soup that has all sorts of goodness in it - typical ingredients include beans, pumpkin, cabbage, leeks, zucchini, onion, celery - the list goes on! It’s served with toasted tuscan bread and finished with a local Lucchese olive oil. One note: while it’s a vegetable soup, it’s not normally prepared vegetarian as it uses lard as an ingredient.

Colline Lucchesi DOC is a small region that produces red, white, and rosé wine made in the hills North of Lucca. We opted to try different bottles of the rosso (red). Made using a blend of grapes which varies from producer, we particularly liked the bottles that had higher percentages of Sangiovese. One of our favorites of the trip was by Fattoria Sardi. You can book a wine tasting at the winery if you have time to visit this beautiful estate less than 10 minutes outside of town.

Biadina is a digestif that local history says was created in the 1800s in Lucca. It’s a dark, aromatic liqueur that the exact recipe is a secret to each producer that makes it. Served neat with some pine nuts sprinkled in, it’s a tasty way to end a traditional Lucchese dinner. Take note - it’s 27% alcohol, so it can pack a punch!