The Crown of Lucca: A guide to the world’s most beautiful city walls

If you ask any visitor—or any proud Lucchese resident—to name the heart of Lucca, the answer is almost always the same: Le Mura.

The city walls of Lucca are a global rarity. Unlike the jagged, crumbling ruins found elsewhere in Europe, these walls have evolved from a fierce defensive machine into the city’s most beloved public park. They aren't just stone boundaries; they are a wide, tree-lined boulevard suspended above the terracotta rooftops, a four-kilometer ribbon of green that encircles the “Città d'Arte” in a perfect embrace.

The walls offer a perspective of Lucca that is simultaneously elevated and intimate. Spanning roughly four kilometers, the path is roughly 30 meters wide and flanked by ancient plane trees, horse chestnuts, and stately oaks.

In autumn, the promenade becomes a tunnel of gold and burnt orange; in summer, the dense canopy provides a cool, breezy refuge from the fierce Tuscan sun. Whether you traverse them on foot or by bicycle, the experience is a masterclass in how a city can breathe.

The Rhythms of the Ramparts

Walking the wall is a slow-motion immersion into Lucca’s “living room.” At a pedestrian pace, you notice the fine-grain details: the weathered red brick of the baluardi (bastions), local nonnos playing cards on stone benches, and the secret, manicured gardens of private palazzos peeking out from behind wrought-iron gates.

Cycling, however, is the quintessential Lucchese experience. Because the path is flat and closed to motorized traffic, there is a sense of pure liberation. You’ll share the path with families on risciò (four-wheeled surreys), serious cyclists in Lycra, and toddlers wobbling on balance bikes.

As you ride, the sensory experience shifts. You’ll hear the rhythmic crunch of gravel and the distant, melodic tolling of Lucca’s “100 churches.” Depending on which segment you’re on, the scent changes from the damp, mossy earth of the northern ramparts to the aroma of fresh espresso and baking focaccia drifting up from the piazzas below.

Hidden History Beneath Your Feet

While most visitors look out at the mountains or in at the towers, the true secret of the walls lies inside them. Built in the 16th and 17th centuries to deter the expansionist Medici family of Florence, these walls were never actually breached. This is because they were a marvel of engineering—massive amounts of earth were packed behind the brick to absorb the impact of modern artillery.

Today, you can explore the massive underground tunnels used by soldiers and horses to move unseen beneath the ramparts. Many of these entrances, such as the one at the San Colombano bastion, are now open to the public. Walking through these cool, vaulted brick chambers feels like stepping back into the Renaissance.

Another hidden gem along the circuit is the Orto Botanico di Lucca. From your elevated position on the wall, you get a bird’s-eye view of this 200-year-old botanical garden, including its lily-strewn pond and exotic trees that have been protected by the walls for centuries.

Planning Your Circuit

You don’t need to bring your own gear. The areas near the main gates are packed with rental shops. Expect to pay about €5 per hour for a standard cruiser. If you’re a serious cyclist looking to head into the surrounding hillsides, I highly recommend visiting Amici Bici to speak with Laurie Warren. As a transplanted American with an extensive cycling background, she can provide high-end equipment and detailed itineraries for the winding country roads outside the city.

A single loop takes about 20 minutes at a brisk pedal, but most people rent for at least an hour to allow for photo stops at the Palazzo Pfanner gardens or views of the Guinigi Tower with its rooftop oak trees.

For the ultimate experience, head up one hour before sunset. The “golden hour” hits the red brick and white marble of the San Martino Cathedral perfectly. As the evening breeze picks up, the ride feels effortless, and you’ll truly understand why the people of Lucca have refused to let these walls be anything other than a place of beauty.

The Top 5 Stops on the Lucca Walls
To make the most of your 4-kilometer circuit, keep an eye out for these five unique landmarks. They perfectly capture the blend of military history and modern leisure that makes the walls so special. 

Baluardo San Martino
Located on the northern stretch near Porta Santa Maria, this bastion is a favorite for history buffs. It’s one of the best places to explore the cavernous underground tunnels and former barracks where soldiers lived. Today, you’ll often find art installations or “paper-statue” exhibits here, reflecting Lucca’s status as a world leader in paper production.

The overlook at Palazzo Pfanner
As you traverse the northwestern section of the wall, you’ll come to a spot directly overlooking the gardens of Palazzo Pfanner. It’s a “secret” view you can’t get from the ground. Look down at the ornate Baroque statues, the perfectly manicured hedges, and the rows of lemon trees. It’s a stunning photo op that looks like a scene straight out of a period drama.

Baluardo San Colombano
Located near the southern gate of Porta San Pietro, this bastion has been beautifully restored. You can walk through its massive brick vaults, which were originally designed to hide heavy bronze cannons. Today, it’s a much more peaceful spot, often used for cultural events or simply as a cool, shaded place to rest on a hot day.

Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca
On the southeastern corner of the loop, the wall passes directly above Lucca’s Botanical Garden. From your elevated position, you can see the 200-year-old lily pond and the massive trees of the arboretum. If you have time, exit the wall at the nearby ramp to walk through the gardens and see the rare medicinal plants and tropical greenhouses up close.

Baluardo Santa Croce (the sunset viewpoint)
For the perfect end to your ride, stop at the Baluardo Santa Croce on the western side. This wide, grassy area offers some of the best panoramic views of the city’s towers and the distant Apuan Alps. It’s arguably the best place on the entire wall to catch the “Golden Hour” as the sun dips behind the mountains.

For the more visually minded, I've also made a Podcast about the Lucca walls, which you can see here: Lucca's unique wall makes a great park!

Legs and a battery pushed to their limits: A ride though Swiss Pescia

Just one of a hundred
little side torrents.

One of my favorite rituals in Toscana is heading north of Pescia into the Valleriana—or as it’s known today, Svizzera Pesciatina. The name came from the Swiss historian Sismondi, who lived here centuries ago and found the rugged chestnut forests and rushing streams so reminiscent of his homeland that he dubbed it the “Switzerland of Pescia.” Personally, I think adding “Swiss” to any word makes it sound a bit more elegant.

While I usually take a car through these narrow mountain roads, I recently realized that experiencing the Svizzera Pesciatina on two wheels is incomparable.

Almost to the top!

I set out with my son-in-law, Dan, to tackle the main roads. On a bike, the ascent is a completely different sensory experience. Every few hundred meters, the roar of a hidden stream would tumble down the hillside, cooling the air before joining the river Pescia below. Without car windows to block the world, we were fully immersed in the climb.

Now, climbing from 200 feet in Pescia to 2,500 feet in the village of Pontito sounds daunting, but our strategies differed. Dan is an experienced cyclist who seems to enjoy a bit of physical torture; he was on a sleek Italian road bike rented from Amici Bici in Lucca. I, however, am not big on self-flagellation. I was on my Italwin e-bike. As long as I kept my feet moving, the motor did the heavy lifting.

By the time we reached the top, Dan was dripping with sweat, chasing what he describes as an “invigorating sense of accomplishment.” I, meanwhile, hadn’t broken a sweat and was free to simply observe the beauty of nature—and anticipate the lunch Dan was treating me to at La Pieve in Castelvecchio.

After lunch, we climbed a bit further to the borgo of Lanciole, where we parted ways. Dan, seeking more invigoration, headed higher toward Femminamorta. He was the lucky one—he spotted half a dozen cinghiali (wild boar) crossing the road, a sight I’ve only seen once in all my years here.

As I began my return, I noticed my power had dropped to two bars. Wanting to save juice for the final climb up to Montecarlo, I clicked off the handlebar power. It’s all downhill from Lanciole to Pescia, so I figured I was safe.

I figured wrong.

One of the many cities we saw on our ride.

There must have been a ghost drain on the battery, because by the time I reached Pescia, I was down to one bar—and then, silence. An e-bike is "hecka" heavy, and there was no way I was pushing that beast up the 25-minute incline to Montecarlo on foot. I managed to pedal to the Bianchi macellaria in San Salvatore, chained the bike behind the shop, and called for a rescue. Daughter Sandra and wife Lucy scooped me up on their way back from shopping, leaving my bike to spend the night at the butcher's.

As I type this, my legs are starting to cramp, and I’m reaching for a second electrolyte tablet. I may have bragged about the motor doing the work, but Google Maps reminded me that my 73-year-old body still covered 33 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation. I think my legs have earned the right to complain a little.

The battery is charging now, and tomorrow I’m going back for my bike—and perhaps looking into buying a second battery for the next “Swiss” adventure.

Now you can see inside my home and also Montecarlo, my city in Tuscany

Over the years, I’ve focused more on telling about my experiences in Italy than I have in showing. In a typical blog post, I usually include anywhere from one to four photos. The rest is either narration or description, with an emphasis on narration. As my life in Italy has become more routine, with few surprises, I’ve cut down on the number of posts. I wait until something new or interesting happens, because I don’t want to become (too) boring.

Well, I’ve found a new focus, one could even say a new hobby. Maybe some old dogs can still learn a new trick. I’ve been having a lot of fun in the last two months making video podcasts. And I can see some obvious advantages to this medium, because now I can take my readers and viewers right into my home, or directly to a festa or sagra, or into a historical site.

For two good examples of this, you can watch videos I just completed that show the inside of my home here in Tuscany, and you can also take a tour of my special hometown, Montecarlo. Viewing these places through the lens of a video camera is more informative than I could be with words alone.

I’ve made 13 podcasts since the first of February, and I hope to continue to post at least one new video a week for the coming year. That’s kind of a lofty goal, but it’s better to shoot for the stars. Even if you only end up on the moon, you’ll have accomplished something worthwhile. And frankly, it’s just not in my nature to sit back and do nothing all day. Maybe a good part of the day, fine, but not all of it.

So please, watch some of my videos and comment on them. Subscribe to my channel if you like what you see. That gives me the encouragement to continue. And if it’s not what you’re looking for, that’s fine. I’m having fun anyway.

Come inside my home: https://youtu.be/3drVCifbEps

Or inside the beautiful borgo of Montecarlo: https://youtu.be/qB8RJLCfMBg