Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From Easter to October, horse-drawn carriages sit in front of the Museo dell'Opera del
Duomo on Piazza dei Miracoli, waiting to take tourists for a ride. Count on €40 for a
20-minute tour of town.
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Lucca
POP 86,884
This beautiful old city elicits love at first sight with its rich history, handsome churches
and excellent restaurants. Hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls, it is an essential
stopover on any Tuscan tour and a perfect base for exploring the Apuane Alps and the
Garfagnana.
Founded by the Etruscans, Lucca became a Roman colony in 180 BC and a free
comune
(self-governing city) during the 12th century, when it enjoyed a period of prosper-
ity based on the silk trade. In 1314 it briefly fell under the control of Pisa but under the
leadership of local adventurer Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli, the city regained
its freedom and remained an independent republic for almost 500 years.
Napoleon ended all this in 1805, when he created the principality of Lucca and placed
his sister Elisa in control. Twelve years later the city became a Bourbon duchy, before be-
ing incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy. It miraculously escaped being bombed during
WWII, so the fabric of the historic centre has remained unchanged for centuries.
