Lucca, the Garfagnana
and the Versilia coast
Three nights inside the walls of Lucca, two in the chestnut valleys of the Garfagnana, two on the Liberty seafront of Viareggio.
The Tuscany north of Florence
Most visitors see Lucca in a day and move on. Stay longer and the city opens up: the walls at dawn, the villas in the hills, Pisa half an hour away. Then follow the Serchio valley into the Garfagnana, between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, and end by the sea in Viareggio, with the marble quarries of Carrara above you.
- 1Lucca 3 nights
- 2Garfagnana 2 nights
- 3Viareggio 2 nights
7 days, 3 homes
For every stop: what to see and where to go, the dishes to try and where to eat them. Below, two or three of our homes in the area, with live rates for your nights.
Lucca, inside the walls
A city that kept its Renaissance walls intact and turned them into a tree-lined promenade. Everything inside is within walking distance, or better, within cycling distance.
What to see & where to go
- The walls, four kilometres on foot or by bike
- Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, built over the Roman arena
- San Martino Cathedral and Jacopo della Quercia's tomb of Ilaria del Carretto
- The Guinigi Tower, with holm oaks growing on its roof
- Pisa and the Piazza dei Miracoli, half an hour by train
- The villas and gardens of the Lucca hills, from Villa Reale di Marlia to Villa Torrigiani
What to eat
- Buccellato, Lucca's sweet bread with raisins and aniseed
- Tordelli lucchesi, meat-filled pasta with ragù
- Zuppa di farro, spelt soup
- Colline Lucchesi wines
Where to eat
- Buccellato from Taddeucci, in Piazza San Michele
- Buca di Sant'Antonio, one of the city's oldest restaurants
- Tordelli lucchesi and farro soup in any osteria
16th-century palazzo on the main street of the old town.Why stay hereA 16th-century palazzo on Via Fillungo, the main street of old Lucca: the walls, the Anfiteatro and San Martino are all a short walk away.See the home
Historic residence in its own park, between Lucca and Florence.Why stay hereA historic residence in its own park above Pistoia, with pool and sauna: a quiet base between Lucca and Florence.See the home
The Garfagnana and the Serchio valley
North of Lucca the valley narrows between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines: chestnut woods, stone villages and a slower Tuscany that few travellers reach.
What to see & where to go
- The Ponte della Maddalena, the 'Devil's Bridge', at Borgo a Mozzano
- Barga, its hilltop cathedral and old town
- Castelnuovo di Garfagnana and the Rocca Ariostesca
- The Grotta del Vento caves, under the Apuan Alps
- Lake Vagli and its suspended footbridge
- Walks in the chestnut woods, for porcini in autumn
What to eat
- Farro della Garfagnana
- Biroldo, the local blood sausage
- Chestnut flour: necci and castagnaccio
- Trout from the Serchio
Where to eat
- Farro della Garfagnana soup, the valley's signature dish
- Castagnaccio and necci, made with chestnut flour
- Biroldo, the local salume, with a glass of Colline Lucchesi
Restored hamlet with an infinity pool over the valley.Why stay hereA restored hamlet above the Serchio valley, with an infinity pool facing the hills and a spa.See the home
Medieval fortress with views of the mountains.Why stay hereSleep inside a medieval fortress in the upper Garfagnana, with the Apuan Alps in front of you.See the home
Viareggio and the Versilia coast
Between the Apuan Alps and the sea, the Versilia is the classic Tuscan seaside: a Liberty-style seafront, beach clubs and, just inland, the towns of marble.
What to see & where to go
- The Liberty villas and cafés of the Passeggiata in Viareggio
- Pietrasanta, its piazza and its sculpture workshops
- Puccini's villa at Torre del Lago, on Lake Massaciuccoli
- The Carrara marble quarries, with a guide
- Forte dei Marmi, its market and its beach clubs
- An evening at the Puccini Festival, in July and August
What to eat
- Cacciucco alla viareggina
- Spaghetti with arselle, the local clams
- Fritto misto of the Tyrrhenian
- Lardo di Colonnata, from the marble quarries above
Where to eat
- Fish restaurants along the Darsena, Viareggio's harbour
- Cacciucco, the Tuscan fish stew
- Lardo di Colonnata, aged in marble basins
Historic hotel on the Passeggiata, with a rooftop terrace.Why stay hereA historic hotel on Viareggio's Liberty seafront, with a rooftop terrace over the sea and the Apuan Alps.See the home
Ask our assistant
This itinerary is a starting point. Tell the assistant your dates and constraints and it re-plans the stops on our homes, then checks the rooms.
- We only have 7 days: which stop do we cut?
- Same route but with two children under 10: which homes work?
- Can you check the three homes for arrival on May 4?
