Illustrious Lucca by Daphne Beames

Cocooned within its weathered walls, the red roofs of Lucca - city of light – lie open to the Tuscan sky. A modern, provincial capital surrounds the 16th-century, stone ramparts but all eyes incline involuntarily towards the sepia bastions and giant portals that draw tourists and residents towards Lucca’s ancient core. (Interestingly – the name probably derives from an early Ligurian word ‘luk’ meaning ‘marshland’.)

A deliberate move has sought to create a thriving business sector and a living heart within the walls - and banks, law firms and designer stores are cloistered together between the medieval towers, churches and monuments that line the twisted alleyways. Many ornamental façades date from the 12th and 13th-centuries when Lucca was the centre of a rich silk trade

Drive around the stone perimeter and enter through Porta Santa Maria. (Cars must be left in the demarcated zones immediately inside the great gates.) Stop to collect your complimentary map of the walking precinct at the information office; pass through a thick-set, Middle-Age archway and begin your tour in Via Fillunga: Lucca’s premier shopping street. Centuries kaleidoscope together as you follow in the footsteps of Julius Caesar, Pompey, Napoleon and Puccini.

(Remember to take an umbrella as, throughout the year, frequent showers and flash thunderstorms are a feature of Tuscany’s lush, green plains.)

Even before you have adjusted to the historic ambience, chic shoppers; drab, old cobblestones and glittering store fronts - the arresting sight of the Basilica di San Frediano will hove into view on the right. This 12th-century church is the oldest in Lucca and its golden, mosaic-clad façade (illustrating the Ascension of Christ) is a shining Lucchese landmark.

Step into a white, marble interior - lit by beams of light, streaming in from the clerestory above, and escape into a museum of artistic treasures. On display are Renaissance paintings; ornate carvings; religious relics and the piece-de-resistance: the Romanesque Fonte Lustrale. This huge, white, carved font - near the entrance - depicts the story of Moses and is large enough to be mistaken for a fountain!

The next spectacular sight, along the winding, old Via Fillunga, is the Piazza Anfiteatro – once the famous, marble-clad Amphitheatre Romano. The 1st-century stones and columns may have been pillaged but the medieval dwellings that surround the huge piazza perfectly preserve the original outline. (Only one of the original stone archways survives from Roman times.) This stunning, ochre-toned oval, today known as the Piazza del Mercato, epitomises Lucca and is so well camouflaged that only a search of the side streets will reveal the hidden entrances.

Here, one stands spellbound - camera in hand - drinking in the atmosphere; the architecture; the distinctly Italianate shades and the melée of frenetic activity. Bicycles and umbrellas litter the open, paved stadium; colourful, sidewalk cafés cater to a constant throng of lively tourists; noisy, delivery vans compete for space and dogs and birds compete for crumbs. The uneven heights of the pale, yellow buildings; the painted shutters and the pretty window boxes afford great photographic opportunities. Most shops sell souvenirs but one boutique in particular is worth a visit: Mammaro’s - offering local ceramics and woven, printed textiles.

And now for the obligatory cappuccino or vino rosso! One spot and one spot only should be selected: Caffé di Simo located at 58 Via Fillunga. This former haunt of Giacomo Puccini has changed little since the maestro sat chain-smoking while composing the arias for Tosca and Madame Butterfly. The décor is fin-de-siècle and the shop-front looks as though it has slipped straight from the pages of The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. It is definitely not to be missed but, as it is more coffee shop and bar than restaurant, you may have to wait a little longer for lunch.

Stroll a little further, into the heart of the old city and to Piazza San Michele in Foro. Once the site of the old Roman forum - today the square is still a meeting place for Lucchesi who gather here on festival days and to celebrate public events. The delicately carved, 12th-century, Romanesque church lays claim to having the most beautiful façade in town.

There are the intricately twisted, marble columns – so prized by the English art critic, John Ruskin; there are inlaid, marble plaques representing wild beasts and horsemen and there is the crowning glory – a winged statue of St. Michael, standing on the pediment and flanked by two angels. Surrounded by the urban space created by a large piazza - the whole image is set off to perfection.

On the edge of the open square stands Villa Puccini – the house where the young Giacomo was born and spent his childhood. Now a museum - the Steinway piano on which he composed Turandot is on display and a genealogical tree in the front room charts the Puccini family for five generations. Their genius defined the music of Lucca for over one hundred and fifty years. Tributes to the city’s favourite son are everywhere: street markets sell sheet music; recordings and posters - even his old overcoat has been preserved.

Now it will surely be time for lunch, so make your way down the Via Vittorio Veneto towards the tree-lined and centrally located Piazza Napoleone. The all-powerful Napoleon so loved life under the Luccan skies that he gave the city to his best beloved sister, Elisa Bacchiocchi, who ruled here for nine years from 1805 to1814. With the collapse of the dynasty, the Italian gem was awarded to Marie Louise de Bourbon-Parma, the emperor’s second wife, and it is her statue that still dominates the grand square. She faces the imposing Palazzo Ducale with its elegant colonnades and, to the south, lies the linked Piazza del Giglio - boasting a fine theatre. Here you will find the Restaurante del Teatro - one of Lucca’s finest.

Thus suitably fortified, an afternoon of sightseeing awaits and the 12th-century Cathedral San Martino beckons. Stroll a short distance down Via del Duomo and the beautiful, Romanesque façade rises before you. The vast interior is Gothic and among the principal attractions are: the Ultima Cena (Last Supper) painted by Tintoretto; the Madonna and Saints by Ghirlandaio – gracing the Sacristy; and the Volto Santo – a wooden effigy of Christ on the cross. Displayed in a marble tempeitto halfway up the left aisle - this legendary, 13th-century relic was, for centuries, attributed to Nicodemus. Ask about the legend of Ilaria del Carretto and the secret of the lady’s nose!

Make a serendipitous find. Take a walk on the wild side and discover that there is more to Lucca’s fortified walls than meets the eye. Described by the Guinness Book of Records as ‘the largest, completely preserved set of walls in Europe’ these 12m high ramparts include ten bastions; one platform; six gates; and arcane tunnels. No siege has ever breached them; 124 cannons protected them; and the city survived the watery ambush of 1812 by the simple expedient of closing the gates: the walls acted as dykes.

Today a wide, pedestrian pathway and public park, on the top of the defences, provide one of the most memorable walks in Tuscany. Ancient chestnut, lime, oak and pine trees line a pleasant, shady route frequented by cyclists and late afternoon strollers. The 4.2km circuit takes just over an hour to complete. There is a bird’s eye view of every back yard and all Lucca lies at your feet.

At dusk a complete mood change transforms the old city. As shadows lengthen, the Lucchesi come out for the evening passeggiata or daily promenade, - candles flicker, the atmosphere is electric and restaurants overflow. We chose to eat in the oldest osteria in town: the ‘Osteria da Baralla’ in Via dell Anfiteatro - the external ring road of the amphitheatre. Try the specialities: ‘farro’ – a hearty Tuscan soup followed by ‘tortelli’ – delicious meat ravioli. Resist temptation and forgo dessert. The cognoscenti stop for a gelato – the age-old Italian way to round off the perfect evening.

On the Tuscan slopes, the ‘art of living’ reaches new heights. Seven kms from Lucca we found a delightful, privately owned villa - nestling in a centuries old community. Set in acres of fields and forests; surrounded by vineyards and flowers; sporting an oversized, award-winning pool and an exuberantly curtained pool deck – ‘Villa Sonja’ has it all. Beautifully appointed by its designer-owner - there is a separate media lounge; a chef’s kitchen and a regular maids and linen service. (Cooks and babysitters are available on request.) This seven-bedroomed gem is just 20 mins from Pisa airport; 40 mins from Florence and within easy reach of St. Gimignano and Siena.

Another excellent hotel, and long time member of the Relais & Chateaux chain, is the ‘Locanda l’Elisa’. This elegant deep-lilac and white villa, 4kms from Lucca, was once sumptuously decorated for a Napoleonic administrator and retains the antique furnishings, damask wall hangings and marble fireplaces. Meals in the ‘Gazebo Restaurant’ on a belle epoque verandah, overlooking the 19th-century garden, are memorable. (Rooms should be reserved well in advance.)