My co-author and frequent collaborator, Cameron Hewitt, is well-traveled, smart, and insightful. And, while he and I are in perfect sync in our travel styles and priorities, he gives voice to the next generation of "Rick Steves travelers." Join me in enjoying his reports right here. —Rick
In my last post, I was marveling at the miracle that Lucca isn’t mobbed with tourists. The traffic-free streets are urban canyons crammed with characteristic shops, eye-catching architectural details, and lots of bikes. I had a lot of fun here with my camera. Everywhere I looked, fascinating scenes filled my viewfinder. And to top things off, on my last night in town, I stumbled onto a stunning sunset. Here are 8 reasons why my latest visit to Lucca certainly won’t be my last.
Pedaling around the top of Lucca’s city wall-turned-city park, feeling the wind in my hair and the sun on my face, it occurs to me: This is why you travel.
Another thought occurs to me: Where are all the tourists? Aside from a few well-behaved international families pedaling and strolling along with me, virtually everyone I see up here — and throughout the town — are locals.
Lucca is a mid-sized city (of around 90,000 people) on the northwestern edge of Tuscany. It’s about a 30-minute drive or train ride from the tourist droves in Pisa. But somehow, Lucca has escaped everybody’s notice.
It’s not for lack of charm. Lucca is right up there on a list of most charming Tuscan cities. Frankly, great artwork aside, I’d rank it above Florence, and possibly even Siena.
And that’s probably Lucca’s secret: No world-class artwork. If there were a Michelangelo or a Leaning Tower here, Lucca would be an obligatory stop on the tourist circuit. But there isn’t…so it’s not.
Lucca does have some gorgeous churches, and a few decent museums. But the city’s real draw is its everyday-ness. It’s a place still owned and operated by local people — not the tourist-industrial complex. It’s simply a delight to wander.
The big landmarks are the rampart park that surrounds the city center (you can bike all the way around in under a half-hour), a couple of piazzas with towering churches, and an oblong square that echoes the footprint of a Colosseum-like arena that once stood here.
But the real joy of Lucca is simply wandering its streets. Despite its approximately regular grid plan, the city is a maze. I get lost here more than in any town in Italy. But maybe, subconsciously, that’s intentional — few places are more enjoyable to simply be lost.
Every side street you pass is a perfect Tuscan tableau.
And when you dine out on a square, it’s just you, a tasty dish of Tuscan pasta, and centuries of elegant good living.
The last thing I want is to drive more people to Lucca. But the most obnoxious breed of tourists — the ones who won’t bother with a place unless it has a famous landmark or piece of art they can tick off their list — won’t bother coming here anyway. Everyone says that when they travel, they want to see a “real, untouristy” side of Europe. If you really mean it…then go to Lucca.
Pisa is one of the most touristy towns in Tuscany, if not in all of Italy. But most people are here only long enough to snap a silly photo “propping up” the Leaning Tower. And that’s a shame. There’s more to Pisa than its famous tower. Much more.
First off, that tower is just one part of an entire ensemble of buildings — the Field of Miracles — that symbolizes the stages of life: A baptistery, where people were welcomed into the world. A church, where they were married. A bell tower, where they were honored in ceremonies. A hospital, where they were healed. And a cemetery, where they were buried. Yes, you can climb to the top of the Tower. But for half that price, you can enter all of the other buildings at the Field of Miracles — each one more impressive than the last.
Better yet, bust out of the Field of Miracles entirely. Go for a walk. This is a thriving city that’s remarkably untouristy away from the Tower. It’s a big, bustling, Tuscan university town, with shopping streets, produce markets, and plenty of nightlife.
Come to think of it, this is probably good advice for any touristy town. See the big sight, sure. But then…take a walk.
Arriving in a mid-size city in northwest Tuscany, I’m dropped into a strange world where everybody seems to be doing the same bizarre dance.
People from around the world walk into a big piazza, stop what they’re doing, and strike a crazy pose — arms akimbo, jazz hands.
They hold the pose for a few seconds…
…and then go back to normal.
Everybody’s doing it. They can’t seem to help themselves.
Pose.
Pose.
Pose.
Is this some mass hysteria?
Wait, pan out…
Aha. I forgot to mention. The city I’m in is Pisa.
I guess it just goes to show: You can’t say you’ve been to Pisa until you snap a picture “propping up” the Leaning Tower.
The thing is, there’s much more to Pisa than just its famous tipsy tower. In my next blog, I’ll offer a peek at the untouristy side of this very famous destination.
I’ve written a lot on this trip about the crowds in the Cinque Terre. But those “five lands” aren’t the only game on the Italian Riviera. In fact, in the mainstream tourism world, it’s almost quaint that Rick Steves readers are so fixated on the Cinque Terre. Until a few years ago, they were forgotten little backwaters in the shadow of Rapallo and Portofino. If you’d like to luxuriate on the Italian Riviera, but aren’t up for the crowds (and quirks) of the Cinque Terre, try these on for size:
Porto Venere — the easiest and most worthwhile side-trip from the Cinque Terre — wins my vote for “la Sesta Terra” (the sixth land). It’s an easy boat ride from the Cinque Terre, and has a similarly colorful harbor area. You can spend a couple of hours prowling its sun-drenched waterfront, hiking to fortified churches at the jagged edges of town, and enjoying the great views over the “Gulf of Poets” (where Lord Byron once famously went for a swim, despite local warnings that the waters here were far too dangerous).
Sestri Levante is a striking beach town on a crescent-shaped peninsula. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to settle into an Italian Riviera beach vacation.
Santa Margherita Ligure is the most substantial town in the area that’s worth visiting in its own right. Yes, it has (pebbly) beaches, but it also has a bustling old town with a big Baroque church and lots of urban character.
Portofino — close enough to Santa Margherita Ligure that you could walk (though the bus is faster and the boat is more romantic) — has a celebrity cachet. It’s the kind of place where the sailboat masts are taller than the houses. But I have to admit…I liked it. It’s definitely worth a side-trip from Santa Margherita Ligure. And the laundry drying from windows overlooking the harbor remind me that it’s not just Ferragamo, Gucci, and Clooney who keep an address here.
Of course, none of these towns is quite like the Cinque Terre. But if you’re in the area, or want to escape some of the crowds on a particularly busy day, they’re not a bad alternative. Each of these is within about an hour’s train trip of the Cique Terre (and in some cases, easy to reach by a scenic boat trip). C’mon, I dare you…dive into the rest of the Riviera.