THE EXPERIENCE

Visit of the Piazza di San Michele, an ancient Roman forum and the church of San Michele, whose spectacular facade in Pisa’s Romanesque style was created by the unrivaled craftsmanship of the Como sculptors in the eleventh century.

Let’s visit the place where Maestro Giacomo Puccini was born, composer of works such as La Bohéme, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. G. Puccini was born in Via di Poggio, three steps from San Michele and it is in Piazza Cittadella that we will see the beautiful statue dedicated to him in 1994.

First stop to taste the products of the territory of Lucca from Prospero, a historic workshop dating back to 1790; always reference point for gastronomy in Lucca. Here in the company of the owners we will taste various cold cuts, croutons, bruschetta and two types of pecorino cheese. Wine pairing: 2 glasses of wine from the Lucchesi hills (one red and one white).

We continue our visit with the Piazza Napoleone, where sister Elisa Baciocchi lived during the time when she was named Princess of Lucca. We will then see from the outside the churches of San Giovanni and San Martino, cathedral of Lucca since the seventh century, whose facade takes up the lodges and the colonnade of San Michele in the succession of sculptures in polychrome marble. We continue to reach the central street, Via Fillungo, where Lucchese love to walk in their free time and meet and where today there are many antique and modern shops that make Lucca a sought after place for purchases of goldsmiths and typical Tuscan products.

We stop in Via San Andrea to admire the Guinigi Tower, built by the family of the same name, in the fourteenth century. The hanging garden on top makes it a sensational episode in the city panorama and distinguishes it from the other medieval towers of Lucca and all the other Tuscan cities.

We arrive at San Frediano, dedicated to the Irish monk Finnegan, who became bishop of Lucca and to him was dedicated one of the most beautiful churches, thanks to the neo-Byzantine mosaic that we can appreciate in the upper part of its Romanesque facade.

Second stop at the Caffe S. Zita in Piazza San Frediano. We are in one of the most atmospheric cafes in Lucca where homemade cakes and cookies are combined with a refined selection of Italian sweets. We will taste the Buccellato di Taddeucci a delicious sweet Lucchese and 6 types of biscuits produced by them. We will also accompany these tastings with a glass of Vin Santo and ‘tea’, or cappuccino or coffee.

We continue and arrive in the square Amphitheater, obtained from the ancient Roman arena, today a characteristic and unique square with oval shape, above whose arches were built houses that make it unique in the world. Here our tour will end at approximately 19.00.

 

minimum number of participants: 6

The fee includes: Local guide service from 16 to 19 hours, the 2 stops-tasting indicated in the program