Why Lucca?

Lucca is located in Northern Tuscany, about 20 minutes north of Pisa and 45 minutes west of Florence. The medieval city of Lucca is the capital of a vaster agricultural region of the same name. During the Rennaissance, the merchants of Lucca became rich from the silk trade and spent their wealth lavishly on beautiful country villas. To this day, these villas can be found throughout the region. Many are beautifully restored with vast grounds of orchards, vineyards, and olive groves. These villas are often for rent by the week or the day and make a spectacular backdrop to hold a wedding. They are usually quite large and so can lodge a small wedding party with ease.

Better still, when you come to Lucca, you get all of the benefits of being in Tuscany, without all of the crowds. Northern Tuscany is much less inundated with tourists than its Florentine/Chianti counterpart, so you get a much more authentic Tuscan experience. The Lucca region is truly picturesque with vineyards, rolling hills, lemon and olive groves, and marble capped mountains. Once more its only 15 minutes from the Mediterranean. Easily reached by train, bus or car Lucca makes a great home base to explore the rest of Tuscany.

The city of Lucca is a real medieval gem that merits a long stay. The walls which surround the entire city were last built during the Renaissance and are completely intact. Better still, the tops of the walls have been converted into a giant park where you can stroll under the shade of large leafy trees, rent a bicycle and take a whirl around the city or picnic on the grass with a panoramic view of the whole city. The interior of the city does not contain any modern architecture so when you walk through it you feel transported to another time. What contributes to this atmosphere is the fact that Lucca is a pedestrian city. Only the cars of the residents are allowed to circulate withing the walls. There are also large sections of the city where even the resident's cars may not enter. The result is a city that seems frozen in time. Women in long skirts perched on old bicycles with baskets attached to the front and baby seats to the back cycling down narrow cobblestoned streets is a typical Lucca sight. Picture Venice without the smelly canals and the throngs of tourists and you should have a good idea of what to expect from Lucca.

Great museums, fabulous architecture, cozy wine bars, open air cafes, authentic trattorias and churches galore make up the Lucca atmosphere. Best of all, the people are extremely friendly. As the tourism is lighter, the people are less jaded and much more enthusiastic about making friends and helping you if you are in a tight spot.

If you are an opera lover, you're in for a real treat. Lucca is the home of Puccini and thus has a beautiful opera house which hosts operas from September to May. The opera season is extended for the summer when outdoor operas can be viewed at an ancient cloister in the city or at Torre del Lago, near the city of Lucca.

Posh villas, lush scenery, traditional tuscan cuisine, a charming medieval city, and an authentic tuscan experience are all reasons why we recommend Lucca as the perfect place to hold a wedding or celebration.

And if you are not convinced yet, or if you just want to visit Lucca without getting married here, have a look at our favourite places in Lucca, and at our blog I Love Lucca.