Back to Lucca we go – it’s actually been a few years since we’ve been here, so we’re looking forward to walking (or biking) the walls and just exploring the little walled city again. We follow Mr. Hertz’s directions (in reverse) and go overland (not autostrada) through S. Guiliano Terme which is at the base of the “hill” and we go up, up, up over the “hill” and back down into Lucca.
Alice is a dream (surprise!) and gets us where we want to go without incident. Unfortunately, as we are looking for parking around the Porta Via Emanuele, we miss the turn, then can’t get back there because everything is one way – and it’s a pain to try to turn around. Sigh. Oh well, we have all the time in the world. So we circle the city, driving the walls, instead of walking them. LOL.
We finally arrive back at Porta V. Emanuele and successfully score a parking space right outside the gate. 1E per hour. A bargain! We pay for 3 hours, and take off walking. We have a vague idea of renting bikes and riding the walls, but we can’t find the rental place. We end up going to the tourist info point, using the restrooms, scoring a map and directions to the nearest bike rental place. Unfortunately, they aren’t open yet – it’s 10:30am on Sunday morning – not much is open! So, we decide to just walk. Probably a good decision, because, while it’s not anywhere near as windy as yesterday or Friday – it’s still windy up here – and bike riding – well – it would not be quite as pleasant as we would have liked.
It’s 2 miles all the way around the walls, and while we’ve done that before, its not in the cards today. Just a leisurely stroll halfway around – looking out over the ramparts into the suburbs and then into the lovely little city with it’s churches, towers and spires.
Coming down off the walls, we head into the heart of Lucca. Passing the Piazza del Collegio, and onto Via Fillungo to walk past, and into the Piazza Antfiteatro. We’ve always loved this circle of buildings – all facing inward and creating a sun-filled enclosed piazza.
It’s too early for most of the cafes to be open yet, so we continue to wander through the town, stopping here and there for pictures of the close little streets, the Torre della Ore, Chiesa di San Michele and Chiesa di San Paolino.
It’s getting on time for lunch, so we head back toward the car – we’ve scoped out 2 restaurants that look good – one that has Polipo for Ed (so we’re pretty well set!). The first place – the local market – seems too heavy for lunch – big secondi piatti, lots of meat – so we go to the first place we saw – Lucca in Tavola. We’re a little leery, because there are tons of English reviews – all wonderful – posted all over the place. We tend to like more undiscovered places. But we walk in, and the atmosphere is so nice, very over the top cozy Italian. Not to mention, we are greeted by the owner who is so nice and sweet, and welcoming, that we can’t resist. We’re the only customers there, but we know we’d have the same service if the place was packed – he’s just that way, you can tell. Turns out we made the best decision – the food is fabulous – Ed’s marinated octopus salad is large and delicious, my special chef’s creation salad (mixed greens, artichokes marinated in lemon, walnuts, mandarin oranges – but not the normally sweet ones, more bitter, a great contrast – and pecorino cheese) – totally delicious.
Complimentary Limoncello as “dessert” and we are totally sold on Lucca in Tavola. We will be back in Livorno in the fall, and honestly – this may be another of our traditional stops for lunch! Excellent.
Before we head out, we give in to temptation and backtrack to the cioccolateria we spied on the corner and do way too much damage – but oh such good damage. Then, we pass the Market restaurant, and they have samples of pancetta – yum! Of course, we feel obligated to go into their store – and we end up coming out with chiangali salami and pistachio salami. Double yum!
Back in the car – we decide it’s too early to go back to the ship – so we decide to try to find the Coop grocery store and then hit the Wine and Olive Oil road. Sounds like a great afternoon.
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