Description: Every visitor to Lucca must circumnavigate the old town by walking on top of the walls.
Lucca was a crossroads for trade and an important purveyor of silk, which it sold to both Europe and Asia during the middle ages. In the 15th-century, the nearby city state of Pisa ruled. Later, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon and his sister Elisa in the early 1800s, but Lucca eventually regained its independence. The wealth of the city made it attractive to invaders. To keep marauders outside, the walls were built mostly in the 16th and 17th centuries.
A walk along the top of the walls is easily accomplished. The top, wide and green, is like a park and the entire length of the walk is about 4 kilometers, barely more than 2 miles. A few cafes are located on the top but there is no need to confine yourself to the top of the walls. There are many points where you can head down into the old town for a stop at a cafe, bar, or gelateria.
We walked on top of the walls a number of times. Sometimes we circled the entire wall, other times we dropped down into the town to look at sights or do a bit of shopping. On holidays, the walls were very busy but other times, they were a peaceful haven.
Many tourists like to rent bicycles and cycle their way around the top of the walls. When we walked the walls on Easter Monday, the two wheeled traffic was significant and sadly, as well as hazardously, many of those on bikes did not seem to know how to ride them.
The walls let you enjoy the mountain vistas outside the city as well. You will notice a canal runs under the walls and through the eastern end of the city. You can peek into the backyards of some lovely palazzos. A walk will also take you past the botanical gardens.
Walking the walls provides exercise, an overview of the city, lovely scenery and a glimpse into life in Lucca. Each time we walked the walls, we went past a group of card players engaged in a game of bridge. We like to imagine what it would be like to live all year round in Lucca.
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