Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A WALLTOP PICNIC
When in Lucca, picnicking atop its city walls - on grass or at a wooden picnic table - is as lovely (and
typical) a Lucchesi lunch as any.
Buy fresh-from-the-oven pizza and focaccia with a choice of fillings and toppings from fabulous
per kg €9-16; 7am-1pm & 4-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 4-7.30pm Sun), then nip across the street for a
bottle of Lucchesi wine and Garfagnese
biscotti al farro
(spelt biscuits) at
Antica Bodega di Pros-
ioned shop window stuffed with sacks of beans, lentils and other local pulses.
Complete the perfect picnic with accompaniment to a slice of
buccellato,
a traditional sweetbread
loaf with sultanas and aniseed seeds, baked in Lucca since 1881. Devour the rest at home, with butter,
dipped in egg and pan-fried, or dunked in sweet Vin Santo. Buy it at pastry shop
Taddeucci
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.taddeucci.com
;
Piazza San Michele 34; per 300/600/900g loaf of buccellato
€4.50/9/13.50; 8.30am-7.45pm, closed Thu winter) for €4.50/9/13.50 per 300/600/900g loaf. Or
seduce tastebuds with truffles, white chocolate spread and other heavenly chocolate creations from
9.30am-1pm & 3.30-9.30pm), the best
cioccolateria
(chocolate maker) in town.
Eating
Lucca is known for its traditional cuisine and prized olive oil. Garfagnana is not far away
and local chestnuts,
porcini
mushrooms, honey,
farro
(spelt), sheep's-milk cheese and
for-
menton
(ground corn) are abundant - and a perfect match with a delicate white Colline
Lucchesi or a red Montecarlo di Lucca wine.
Da Felice
MAP
PIZZERIA
€
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.pizzeriadafelice.com
;
Via Buia 12; focaccias €1-3, pizza slices €1.30; 10am-8.30pm Mon-Sat)
This buzzing local behind Piazza San Michele since 1960 is easy to spot - come noon
look for the crowd packed around two tiny tables inside, spilling out the door or squatting
on one of two streetside benches.
Cecina,
a salted chickpea pizza served piping-hot from
the oven and
castagnacci
(chestnut cakes) are Felice's raison d'être
.
Eat in or take away, it comes wrapped in crisp white paper and my, is it good married
with a chilled bottle of Maretti beer. To savour the full flavour of this tiny pizzeria, don't
miss the snaps of owners Marino Grazzini (aka 'Felice') and wife Pasquina - in 1960 and
today - pegged on string and strung in the window.
