Travel: Lucca, Italy

The walls of Renaissance Lucca.
The City Center

Today we decided to explore a city we have not traveled to after all these years, Lucca, only 25 minutes by train from Pisa!

What a pleasant surprise!  It’s compact and exists mostly inside the 2-1/2 miles of Renaissance walls from centuries gone by.  It is flat and easy to walk almost everywhere.  There is plenty of shopping, sightseeing, and food choices galore.

We spent the morning getting acquainted with churches, towers and plazas.  By late morning our stomachs are thinking about food.  After getting a bit lost, we finally stumbled upon a restaurant John had read about, Trattoria da Leo.  It is a favorite of the locals and the blue collar workers in town.  We were treated kindly and lunch was excellent, hearty soups and salads more than enough for lunch.  Like the locals, we were offered and accepted a liquor of choice to finish our meal.

Here are some of our favorite photos.

That’s our hotel, gray building on the right, Hotel Royal Victoria, in Pisa.Our hotel was built in the 11th Century, family owned and considered the oldest hotel in Italy.  It’s unique, quirky, with a great roof terrace.  We booked a large room overlooking the river.  Do not expect luxury but the staff is more than welcoming and hospitable.
The 12th Century Cathedral and bell tower of St. Martin’s.
The ceilings of the Cathedral repeat and repeat.
The images above and beyond the alter.
The beautiful church of St. Michele.
Torre Guinigi.
The last ride home!

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