We were planning to go overnight to the town of Lucca, but after realising how close it is to florence, ended up going for a day trip. We caught the train which took us alongside market gardens and nurseries all the way to Lucca. The train was one of those two story plus mezzanine type trains, and we had four seats to ourselves all the way. It cost €14 each way for two of us, so pretty cheap really.

The town is a very impressive fortress town, encircled by a fabulous wall with a walking and bicycle path set on top of the wall, amongst gardens . The city walls, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, are Italy's best preserved and most impressive city fortifications. Lucca is the birthplace of Puccini, and there is a Puccini museum, as well as a Puccini walking trip of the areas he frequented.

We walked up and down all the little streets, and headed for the Plazza Anfiteatro, which is an amphitheatre set around a Plazza full of restaurants etc. We climbed the Guinigi Tower where we got the most amazing views over the red roofs of Lucca, and viewed numerous churches including Lucca cathedral, and took photos of statues of Puccini, Boccherini... The Tower is 144 feet high and was built in the 14th Century, and it has 360 degree views across all of Lucca. It is quite worth the exercise to get to the top!

We had lunch in a small restaurant in a tiny square, sharing a pizza with an uncommon amount of toppings for an Italian pizza, plus red wine. Good way to spend lunchtime!