Discover Lucca: A Tuscan City of Miracles & Legends

Ciao, my dear travel friends! I know many of you have visited lovely Lucca, the city just an hour from Florence. But whether it's your first trip or you've been before without exploring its secrets, this is for you: Lucca feels less like a museum and more like a storybook... Here, saints command rivers with rakes, angels bake bread, and a haunted clock tower guards a pact with the devil. This magic lives in its cozy cafes, secret corners, and especially its ancient churches, where history and wonder blur. So, here are my favourite places to see in Lucca... and if you want more—restaurants, cafes, etc.—let me know and I'll add those in the comments! Please share your favourites too!

Church of San Frediano: I adore this church! The golden mosaic on its facade is just the beginning. Inside, find the fresco of Saint Fridianus, the 6th-century bishop who, as legend goes, faced a flooding river not with prayers alone, but with a simple rake and commanded it to change course. In the same church rests Saint Zita. Her story is beautiful and moving: as a maid, she was caught stealing bread for the poor, only for the loaves to turn into roses in her apron. In another tale, when she was away helping someone, angels were seen finishing her baking. To this day, locals invoke her to find lost keys. Beautiful story, isn't it?

Duomo di San Martino (Lucca Cathedral): This cathedral safeguards the "Holy Face of Lucca", an ancient wooden crucifix. Medieval tradition claims it was carved during Christ's lifetime, arriving mysteriously by ship centuries later. Whether true or not, it was so famed that medieval kings swore oaths by it! Also seek out the tomb of Ilaria del Carretto, the young "Sleeping Beauty" of Lucca. I found this sculpture mesmerising; she feels so real, as if she just fell asleep... Her story is a sad one—she died in childbirth at 26. At her feet, a little marble dog symbolises loyalty, watching over her eternal rest.

Church of San Michele in Foro: Look up. The archangel Michael—the leader of heaven's armies—atop the facade slays a dragon with serene purpose. This represents the triumph of good over evil. But look closer, and you'll also find the stone faces of Italy's founding fathers watching over the city. A beautiful, beautiful church.

Source: Pixabay.

Guinigi Tower: The powerful family that once ruled Lucca built this tower, topping it with oak trees as a symbol of rebirth. Have you climbed it? I admit I was too lazy, so I never went up (I imagine there's no elevator!), but I'd love to hear from those who did. Was the green-canopied view worth the climb?

Torre delle Ore (The Clock Tower): Listen for the ghosts of a local legend. It's said a young woman, desperate for eternal youth, sold her soul to the devil here. When he came to collect, a frantic chase to the top ensued, but the devil, as always, claimed his prize. Spooky!

The Heart of the City: Layers of Life...

Start at the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, a perfect oval that follows the footprint of a Roman amphitheater—now a stage for modern Italian life. I love this square in the summer when all the restaurants set their tables outside and you can enjoy a meal, people-watching, and street music.

From there, head to Via Fillungo, a medieval lane that was once a strict Roman road. If you like opera, don't miss the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini, a man of soaring arias and, surprisingly, a passion for early off-road cars.

For the perfect end to your day, walk or bike the 4km tree-lined Renaissance walls. Look down on the orderly gardens of Palazzo Pfanner and understand why this city, with its layers of legend and daily joy, feels like a peaceful, open-air secret.

Lucca doesn't just show you history; it lets you feel its legends. It’s an intimate, walkable escape where every corner has a story, and the pace is set by your own curiosity. LOVE this town!

What about you? Have you visited Lucca? What's your favourite church, museum, square, restaurant or cafe? Please share in comments below 🩷