Cycling in Lucca

Lucca has many lanes that are too narrow for cars, so locals often travel by bicycle. The city is designed for leisure and is surrounded by Renaissance walls. It’s difficult to believe Lucca’s 500-year-old walls were constructed to keep enemies at bay. The encircling ramparts were planted with a double row of plane trees in 1817, which shade the broad avenue that runs along the top of the walls. This is now a well-known playground, promenade, jogging trail, and cycling route.You can occasionally take the sloped exit down into town and cycle around the key sites, locking the bike to a gate when walking arounda piazza. This, combined with the city’s reputation for culture and intellectual pursuits, has earned Lucca the nickname “Cambridge of Tuscany.” There’s something deliciously continental about cycling around a historic walled city, through its pretty paved streets and piazzas – ideally with a delicious deli lunch tucked away in the basket. You can rent a bike from a variety of companies, including Cici Rai near Porta San Gervasio, and the San Gervasio Gate.