Ah, holiday memories. We stayed just outside Lucca in a lovely converted farmhouse with a beautiful pool surrounded by olive and oleader trees and stunning views of the mountains.
Lucca itself has the beautiful circular Piazza Anfiteatro at its centre, where 4 or 5 storey terracota and yellow painted buildings curve around enclosing you in another world. Cafe tables around the edge let you sit and watch the world go by.
The whole city is surrounded by a huge, very wide 16 th century city wall. We hired bicycles and cycled around the tree-lined pathway that runs along the top. From here you can catch glimpses of the narrow little streets within where much of it is pedestrianised, apart from the obligatory mad moped riders!
Lucca also has a tower with a large tree growing from the top and another even taller tower next to the Duomo San Martino (cathedral). This is a nice place to visit to get away from the heat and bustle and sit and think. The darkness of Italian churches and cathedrals and the smell of insense and candles makes for a very calming experience. Remember to take something to cover shoulders and don't wear shorts...the guide books are actually right on that one.
There are lots of little shops along the narrow alley ways. We found a lovely toy shop selling wooden toys, puppets, etc., loads of amazing delicatessant food shops and the usual tacky tourist souveneir shops.
If you tire of Lucca itself, it is very well placed to reach many other places in Tuscany. We went to Pisa and made it to the top of the tower. We also went a bit further afield to the Island of Elba, taking our hire car over on the Ferry. What a beautiful spot. So mountainous for such a small island. We took the little, yellow, two-person cable-cars up to the top of Monte Capanne (1000m high).
Another lovely spot near to Lucca is Montecatini Alto, reached by an old vernicular railway built in 1885. Sitting looking out across the plain, with the warm wind blowing through your hair as you wait for the trip back down, you can just imagine the smartly dressed ladies and gentlemen of the 19th century promenading around the tree lined avenue with their parasols, overdressed for the heat!
If you want to escape the heat for an hour or so try a tour underground at Grotto del Vento. Here we saw stalagtites and mites accompanied by an extremely good guide who credited us with a bit of intelligence unlike the British versions we have experienced in the Peak District.
And then there are the beaches. The less said about them the better, unless of course you enjoy regimented rows of sunbeds. Coming from Norfolk we prefer the more natural beach experience with sand dunes and birds and vast expanses of ... nobody!
Ah holiday memories!
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