← Pisa Marathon·1 night

Lucca: A Night Inside the Walls

A walled city with a flat, tree-lined walk along the top of its ramparts. A simple overnight by train.

Duration1 night
TransitRegional train from Pisa Centrale to Lucca, about 21 to 38 minutes
DepartsPisa

After the Pisa Marathon: Lucca

The Route: Pisa Centrale → Lucca → Pisa Centrale (or Pisa airport) Logistics: About 30 trains a day, with a fastest journey of 21 minutes. The old town is flat and a short walk from the station. Marathon Month: December Duration: 1 night

Pisa Centrale ──(train, 21-38 mins)──> Lucca station
                                            │
                                  (5 min walk to the walls)

Lucca is 20 km north-east of Pisa, and its Renaissance walls are intact, about 4 km long, with a flat promenade along the top shaded by trees. For a runner the day after a marathon, it is the simplest recovery walk in Tuscany. The walls were finished in the seventeenth century and never saw a siege, so they survived as a park. Check the train timetable at trenitalia.com.

December in Lucca: cool, often damp and misty, and quiet before Christmas. Some shops are decorated, and some restaurants are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so check before you plan the evening.

Night One: Lucca

The station is just outside the walls, and the old town is a short walk. Walk up on to the walls from the nearest ramp and follow the promenade; it is flat, with benches. The circuit is about 4 km, and you can leave it at any gate.

Inside, the centre is a maze of lanes. The Piazza dell'Anfiteatro is an oval square built on the footprint of a Roman amphitheatre, lined with houses and cafés. The Torre Guinigi is a medieval tower with oak trees growing on the top, and it has a steep climb of about 230 steps, so you may not want it on tired legs. Check the winter opening and the price. The cathedral of San Martino and the church of San Michele in Foro are a short walk apart.

Where to stay. Look for a small hotel inside the walls, near the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro or the cathedral. Check the rate, the breakfast time and the distance to the station before booking.

Where to eat. Lucca's dishes include tordelli lucchesi, a stuffed pasta with a meat sauce, and farro soup, and the local olive oil is well known. Book a table for the evening.

Getting back

Take the train back to Pisa Centrale. For Pisa airport (PSA), take the PisaMover or a bus from Pisa Centrale; check the service. Allow a margin for a late train.