Lucca Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide by a Local
Description
If you're looking for a fun and curious way to visit Lucca, you've come to the right place! With this digital guide created with the support of a local, you will be able to visit all the most important monuments at your own pace. You'll get to know the stories and curiosities of Lucca! But also you will discover everything about local foods, Italian Aperitivo in authentic local restaurants, and much more! What are you waiting for?
Tour Options
Itinerary
South entrance gate of the wall of Lucca: the most imposing entrance to the Renaissance walls. This door was built on the road leading to Pisa in 1566.
Piazza Napoleone, also normally known as “Piazza Grande”, is historically the center of the city’s political power. Today, Piazza Napoleone is lively animated by cultural events and concerts, including the Lucca Summer Festival.
The facade of the church is known for its asymmetry: in fact, one of the arches, built in the 12th century, is smaller due to the pre-existing bell tower. The church houses masterpieces such as the funerary monument of Ilaria del Carretto, the Sacred Conversation by Ghirlandaio, the Last Supper by Tintoretto and the altarpiece by Fra’ Bartolomeo. We will see this church from the outside but, If you want, feel free to enter!
Lucca is known as “the city of 100 churches”, but during the Middle Ages its “skyline” was dominated not only by bell towers, but also by numerous towers built by noble families. These towers represented social status: the higher the tower, the more important the family.
The Church of San Michele, located in the ancient Roman square of Lucca, known as Piazza San Michele in Foro, dates back to the 8th century and is dedicated to the archangel Michael. On the top of the church, a large marble statue of the Archangel Michael dominates, 4 meters high, with wings made of metal foil, depicted defeating the dragon. According to legend, on brighter days, a glow can be seen coming from the statue, attributed to an emerald set in ancient times, which has never been found.
e Tower stands on the corner of Via Sant’Andrea and Via delle Chiavi d’Oro, easily distinguishable from any point of the city thanks to the trees that grow on its top. he tower is 45 meters high, to reach the top you will have to climb 230 steps. Even if the climb can be a bit challenging, don’t let yourself be discouraged, because the view you can enjoy from above is worth every effort! Ticket cost: 8€
This square is characterized by an elliptical shape and you can access it through four vaulted doors. Although the remains are no longer visible, beneath the square are the foundations of the ancient Roman amphitheater dating back to the 2nd century AD, where gladiator fights once took place.
The Basilica of San Frediano is one of the oldest places of worship in Lucca. According to tradition, it was founded by San Frediano himself, an Irish prince who, having become a hermit on Mount Pisano, was one of the first bishops of the city between 560 and 588. The first mention of the basilica dates back to 685, when it is cited as ” basilica Longobardorum”. Ticket cost: 3€
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- You will need a smartphone with internet connection to use the digital guide (details to activate the digital guide will be in your voucher, read it carefully!)
- You'll be able to hear the audio through your speakers or, if you have them, through your headphones
Reviews(43)
Everything was explained very well, clearly: even though it was concise, it contained all the important information about the place.
It was great. It allows you to explore the city with brief explanations that are informative, making it efficient, and you leave with knowledge of the place. The system is extremely practical, and you can do it at your own pace.
Great self guided tour. We did lose our signal at one point so couldn't proceed until we managed to walk about and find one. The guide gives you detailed information about the sights. We were able to take our time, stopping for a break when we felt like it and finished it the next day. We had a question before we started and it was responded to immediately. Highly recommend.
It took us a bit to get the hang of the “e” guide, but once we got it, it was perfect! We had lofty self tour goals for that day. It was so nice to have someone do the “leg” work for us. We quick did the tour and got back to the train. We only spent a couple of hours, but could easily have spent more time. Great town. Glad we stopped in for a couple of hours on our way to Pisa. Would absolutely book again.
I usually taking walking tours of a city when I first arrive, and this tour had a really nice itinerary. Each site had interesting facts and stories - I especially liked that the information was available in both text and audio so you could read if places were too noisy to be able to hear the audio.
The sites chosen were interesting. There was a bit of double backing with route, I think that could have been planned a bit better. I expected it to be a bit longer, but was very happy to be directed to a couple of places that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Not all of the content was available on audio and the app kept skipping back to the beginning, but overall worth the cost.
It was hard to download and took several Tries. Directions were not at all Clear to get to next destination. The descriptions were very good. Needs improvement
Very well explained route allowing to go at his own pace.
Very helpful, knowledgeable and very practical. Obviously it will never replace a visit with a tour guide but it is already a nice alternative.
Excellent option to visit the most important of Lucca at your leisure, with correct written or audio explanations.
