Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Best Places to Eat
» Villa Bongi ( Click here )
» Osteria Vecchia Mulino ( Click here )
» Pepenero ( Click here )
» Filippo ( Click here )
Best Places to Stay
» Piccolo Hotel Puccini ( Click here )
» Locanda Gavarini ( Click here )
» Barbialla Nuova ( Click here )
» Il Benefizio ( Click here )
THREE PERFECT DAYS
Day 1: Biking Lucca
Hire a bike, provision yourself with Forno Giusti's fresh-from-the-oven focaccias, pizzas and other
picnic fare, and free-wheel along the city's medieval streets. Lunch atop the monumental city walls, or
pedal east to picnic in a Renaissance villa's grounds. At day's end, listen to a Puccini recital in a medi-
eval church.
Day 2: Backstreet Pisa
Fall in love with backstreet Pisa, squirreling away the tower and Pisa's picture-perfect Piazza dei Mir-
acoli for the latter part of the day - the best shots of the tower are from the pretty cloister garden of the
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. Iconic sight done with, head out of town for a late-afternoon mooch in
the crowd-free, Slow Food town of San Miniato. Savour an aperitivo (pre-dinner drink accompanied
by cocktail snacks) with valley view in one of its lovely quaint cafes and dine after dusk at Pepenero
(book in advance) or out-of-town Podere del Grillo. Overnight at Tuscan truffle farm, Barbialla
Nuova.
Day 3: Mountain to Sea
Shop for a picnic of local forest produce in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, then motor up and over the
Apuane Alps - allow plenty of time for pulling over to soak up vistas of monumental marble blocks
being cut out of the mountainside. Picnic on the Passo del Vestito and visit its botanical garden, then
drop down to the sea. In Massa, head north to Carrara (to see a marble quarry) or south to refined Pi-
etrasanta (for contemporary art and creative dining).
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