Lucca Audio Tour is Best Way to See Historic Walled City

We won’t be shy. We love the Lucca Audio Tour. It’s a first-of-it-kind, truly local’s guide to capture the mystery, myths and magic of this unique walled city in Tuscany. And this city is one that needs a special way to see it.

Lucca is like a new pop single, climbing the charts of “must-see” tourist destinations. Every day we see the streams of tourists wandering in and out, while missing the essence of what makes Lucca such a magical, mystical, historic town. So we created the Lucca audio tour so you actually see all the city has to offer. The Lucca Audio Tour includes tips for restaurants, Puccini gossip, where to walk the same steps as Julius Caesar did, of course, we’ll argue about gelato. It’s impossible not to.

So what does the Lucca Audio Tour have planned for you? The Italian Life team—Andrew, Christina, Sheri and special guest Laura—will tell you everything you need to know.

Listen to the Lucca Audio Tour podcast episode

The Italian Life team talked about the mysteries and myths that inform any visit to Lucca. But we call it an “irreverent guide” because we’re not just taking you to the major tourist attractions and droning away about more than 2,000 years of history. We’re talking about the nightlife, restaurants we like, places we hang out and the people you’ll meet along the way of the tour, all in a lively podcast episode that whets your appetite for all things Lucca.

So, let’s talk about what the Lucca Audio Tour is: A relaxed way to see Lucca. And it’s fun. It’s how we take friends to “see the town” when they come to visit. And we call it the “Irreverent” guide to Lucca, because we love the gossip and myths and things we “think we know” more than the “facts.” 

So … well… then what the Lucca Audio Tour isn’t: A structured, fact-focus history of the city or the same seven-stop tour of the most significant buildings in Lucca. Don’t worry, you’ll see those too, but with so much else to celebrate along the way. Sorry, nobody remembers all those facts anyway about a city frequented by the likes of Julius Caesar, Napoleon and even Mick Jagger, Justin Bieber and J-Lo. There’s too much to worry about who killed who in 1258 or the year Dante lived here. Instead you’ll enjoy the vibe of this very magical city we call home. 

Highlights of the Lucca Audio Tour

Lucca has a diverse history, as a small place where significant eras became a part of the local lore. As the birthplace and lifelong home of Giacomo Puccini, Lucca is a haven of opera performed year-round. You’ll get a taste of it here.

Here in the center of Lucca, the Teatro di Giglio da Giacomo Puccini, you find the modern history of Lucca in one place, Garibaldi, the general famous for the unification of Italy, which came about thirty to forty years after Napoleon who conquered the city without a fight, and then Puccini, who came a generation after that.

You can’t talk about Lucca without talking about, and experiencing first-hand La Mura de Lucca. It’s impossible to describe properly. What we typically say is is La Mura is like Central Park in a big circle. It has restaurants, it has playgrounds. It has bikers and walkers and dogs and all that stuff, which is just delightful. But literally, you’re walking on top of a monument, a monument that us thirty feet up. We’ll circle these walls, go inside of them and best understand the growth of the city through the expansion of the walls.

Lucca was once home to as many as 250 towers. Few remain, so we’ll not only see the famous towers, but also learn where they all went! Lucca is also home to almost 100 churches, and almost all of them remain. Almost, because one was destroyed so a famous leader could have a better view from her palace.

There is so much more to see and do, so be sure to download the entire Lucca Audio tour, with a simple click here.

Lucca has become a year-round town

When we consult with travelers wanting to plan their visit to Lucca, we often try to steer them to local events, festivals, shows and other things happening throughout the calendar year, so they can deepen their experience beyond the normal tourist activities.

Here is a list of the major events and things to do throughout the year in Lucca.

Lucca Annual Event Calendar 

MOSTLY YEAR ROUND:

• Night at the Opera (1hr concerto… 200 days a year)
• Candlelight classical concerts (Songs from Queen, Beatles, Cold Play, etc. with classical orchestra
• Outdoor Markets (antiques, collectables, artisans) most weekends

CHRISTMAS- NEW YEAR HOLIDAY: 

• Christmas Village (all dec-early January)
• Ice skating rink
• The Lights of Lucca- A walking tour light display with hundreds of thousands of lights
• New Year’s Eve: 
  • Concert/countdown- free for everyone
  • Concert classical/formal- Teatro del Giglio

• First week of Jan: 
  • Free Museum Sunday
  • Beffana: Like Santa, the witch flies around (with a crane), booths, and stuff for kids

FEBRUARY

Lucca in Maschera: Events and parades are held each year in February to celebrate Carnivale. Nearby Viareggio has one of the largest Carnivale events in the world all four weekends in Feb.

MARCH

LUCCA GUSTOSA: A food-focused event celebrating local products and flavors, usually held in March. 

APRIL

Lucca Classical Music Festival: Concerts around the town with other events.

Lucca Fashion Week: All things style. 

MARCH OF THE VILLAS – 5, 10, 16K hike up into the hills of tuscany to see the famous villas – Perfect time for a “Treking Experience” – this one, the Aquduct to Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Cinque Terre – all of which we have podcasts about! 

MAY

Historic Festival: 3 days, period theme events (jousting, archery, processionals, re-enactments, etc.) 

Murabilia & VerdeMura: Two large gardening markets held in spring and early autumn, showcasing plants, flowers, and horticultural products on the city’s walls. 

Tour de Italia – Professional cycling passes through here during a weekend of cycling activities.

SUMMER

Puccini Festival – Torre de Lago. weekly opera outside theater

LUCCA SUMMER FESTIVAL: Concerts of significant bands past and present 2-3 nights a week for all of July. Past performers: Rolling Stones, Elton John, J-Lo, Celine Dionne, John Legend, Justin Bieber and so many more. 

Outside Cinema: Nightly movies after dark- some in Italian some in English, mix of new releases and classics.

Olive Oil and Wine Tasting in the City Center- July/August/September.

SEPTEMBER:

Notte Bianca: A celebration of art, music and culture that takes place throughout Europe. People dress in white and stay up late.  Lucca’s is a celebration typically highlighting the end of summer. Museums and famous sights are offered at half-price throughout the night.

Festa di Santa Croce: A significant religious festival celebrated annually around September 13th with various events and festivities. 

Lucca Film Festival: A film culture festival featuring screenings, exhibitions, and concerts, often held in September. 

NOVEMBER: 

Lucca Comics: 250,000 people attend the second largest comic-con in the world.