1/2 Day and Day Trips from Lucca
There are so many gems tucked away in the Tuscan countryside. You need to have a car to fully experience everything this region has to offer.
Here are a few of my favorite day trips from Lucca (you can combine a few of these spots in one day as most are very close to the city).
Day Trips from Lucca #1: Ponte della Maddalena or ‘Devil’s Bridge’ 1/2 day trip
If you are looking for things to do in Lucca or super close by, this is only a 30 minute drive from the city!
The Ponte della Maddalena bridge is a beautiful, narrow, 11th century stone bridge near Borgo a Mozzano that captivates all who pass. The legend of the bridge, and how it got its nickname ‘devil’s bridge’ is that a Saint was constructing the bridge but having such a difficult time completing the task that he asked the Devil for help.
The Devil, asked for the soul of the first living being who crossed the bridge upon completion. Once the bridge was completed the Saint threw a piece of bread onto the bridge so that a stray dog would pursue it, thereby avoiding the loss of human soul and cheating the devil.
Beyond legend however, there is little documented evidence of the bridge’s history other than a mention that attributes its design to Matilde di Canossa in the 11th century and its restoration in the 13th century to Castruccio Castracani. Even the name, Ponte della Maddalena, was not given until the 16th century when the Hermitage of Maddalena was built nearby.
Take the opportunity to see this bridge while driving around the Tuscany countryside near Lucca. There is parking nearby so you can stop and get out to take photos and walk on the bridge.
Day Trips from Lucca #2: Hiking in the Tuscan Hills Above Vorno
Head to the piccolo village of Vorno and up to the Astronomic Observatory (Osservatorio Astronomico di Capannori) and find a series of paths and hikes with views overlooking the Tuscan hills to enjoy.
If you’d like to fit in a visit to the observatory contact them to book an appointment. Otherwise head straight to the trails to enjoy the gorgeous views and hiking in the Tuscan hills before returning to the tiny village of Vorno for some pizza or pasta at Bimbottos. Don’t miss the opportunity to also stroll around Vorno and view some of the gorgeous Villas!
On the way to or from Vorno you will also enjoy some views of the Nottolini Aqueduct.
Day Trips from Lucca #3: The Nottolini Aqueduct (1/2 day)
Though most people assume the aqueduct in Lucca must be from Roman times, it was actually commissioned to be built in the 19th century by Maria Luisa of Spain, who, at the time was the Duchess of Lucca. The architect who designed the aqueduct was Lorenzo Nottolini.
The aqueduct was built to carry water from springs to a stone temple cistern (Guamo) and then on from there (gravity fed) to another cistern just outside the walls of Lucca before flowing underground and into the city to furnish the city’s fountains.
You can take a hike from the center of Lucca to visit the stone temple cistern in the frazione of Guamo or just take a walk and enjoy views of the arches from Lucca and beyond (driving from Lucca to San Quirico there are various points you can stop).
Day Trips from Lucca #4: Tuscan Cheese Tasting or Farm Tour
One of my favorite things to do in any country is to seek out local artisan food producers. A way that I often do this is to look up local farms, local artisan cheese-makers, etc. At home in the U.S I can do this easily enough on my own using maps and just calling and making appointments but when traveling I recommend you invest in taking a tour set up by a local.
You’ll not only get the privilege of being introduced to places you’d never have found on your own (most of these small artisan producers don’t have websites or do much marketing) but also benefit from experiencing a place with someone who’s passionate about their home region.
What kind of cheese can you expect to see in Tuscany?
Tuscany is know for its sheeps’ milk cheeses. Pecorino is the name for sheep’s milk cheese from Tuscany-not just just one specific cheese. So, you can expect to see many types of Pecorino from different places such as Pecorino Baccellone, Pecorino di Pienza, Pecorino Toscano DOP, Pecorino di Montagna, Pecorino della Garfagnana…
In addition to sheeps’ milk cheese there are also farms that make cows’ milk cheese (like I Due Falchetti, a small producer way off the beaten path). In short- find some Tuscan cheese while you are in Tuscany or even better take a tour of a local farm that produces Tuscan cheese!
Day Trips from Lucca #5: Siena
It’s only an hour and half’s drive from Lucca to Siena ( I would not recommend taking the train in this case as it would take twice as long), one of the most visited cities in Tuscany. This city can be overly crowded and touristy for my taste (ok obviously so can Florence…!) but if you travel off-season as I do, it is sooo much better.
Sure there will always be a crowd in front of the Duomo and the Cathedral or in the Piazza del Campo, but if you veer away from these top must-see sites, there are nooks and crannies to be discovered.
Day Trips from Lucca by Train
There are so many places you can get to easily by train from Lucca but when I was staying there I opted for day trips by train from Lucca to Florence, Siena, and Cinque Terre. This is why I love long-term travel! It gives you the opportunity to really relax and feel like a local with your clothes in a closet and a house or apartment you can cook meals in… without the hassle of dragging suitcases here and there every day.
Lucca to Florence by train
Trains leave from Lucca to Florence (Santa Maria Novella station) regularly throughout the day. Tickets cost less than 10 Euros each way and the journey is only about an hour and a half. Buy your ticket at the station, no need to purchase ahead.
Lucca to Cinque Terre by train
This is really a better overnight trip, but you can easily get here and back to Lucca within 24 hours and still manage to hike to every village, take in breathtaking views, enjoy a long lunch and dinner and catch the train back the next morning!
To get from Lucca to Cinque Terre, you simply take the train from Lucca to La Spezia and then from La Spezia to either the first Cinque Terre village (Monterosso) or the last Cinque Terre village (Riomaggiore). From Lucca to La Spezia the journey is under two hours. Then the train from La Spezia to Monterosso takes about a half an hour.
It is up to you whether to take the train from La Spezia to Monterosso and then hike up from village to village until you reach Riomaggiore or do things the other way around (down). I opted to take the train from La Spezia to Monterosso and then hike up from village to village. Then, I took the train from Riomaggiore back to Monterosso the next morning and was back in Lucca by lunch.
*Tip-Riomaggiore is a good place to book accommodation for the night since this is where you will end up after having hiked all day from village to village and it is glorious to get to take a shower and freshen up at the end of a hike. You’ll also enjoy some of the most glorious Cinque Terre views at sunset from here.
*Additional Tip: always check out the trail updates before planning a trip to the Cinque Terre villages. There are often trail closures during certain times of year due to weather, and they also do maintenance on trails which can effect which villages are accessible by foot, etc.