Traveling Back Centuries in Medieval Tuscan Town of Lucca

Day 16, 2024 Ultimate Mediterranean

Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024; Lucca, Italy.

Alongside the giants of Tuscany (Florence and Pisa) sits the more manageable city of Lucca. Today we wandered the city from inside its intact 2.5 miles of ancient wall. Being a Sunday morning, the streets and plazas were somewhat deserted under a dank sky that barely held its moisture.

This five-hour tour was just about perfect for me. As we drove north toward Lucca, our guide pointed out the white outcrops on the distant mountains – the source of Carrera marble. Once inside the walled center of Lucca, we slowly walked the narrow streets that follow the original Roman grid street pattern dating from the time of Christ. Every couple of blocks we found another piazza, another church or another palace.

Giamoco Puccini, the composer of operas La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, is the most famous of a number of composers from Lucca. In recent years the city has hosted musical festivals with stars ranging from Eric Clapton and Tracy Chapman to Santana.

The ornate San Michele in Foro is a Romanesque church and basilica built over the ancient Roman forum. The view from the back stands in stark contrast to its intricate façade with hunting scenes featuring exotic beasts.

As it is Sunday, we didn’t go inside the city’s cathedral, the Duomo di San Martino. Here resides the Holy Face of Lucca, considered one of the most famous relics of medieval Europe. The wooden crucifix is said to have been carved by Nicodemus, a contemporary of Jesus. Legend has it that while Nicodemus slept after carving all but the face, an angel completed the holy face. The cathedral dates back to 1063.

Our guide told us that many of the buildings surrounding the Piazza Anfiteatro, the site of the ancient Roman amphitheater, have been renovated into tiny apartments, mostly rented to tourists these days. Along the outside walls you can trace centuries of building styles and materials, with the original levels now well below ground level.

In the 14^th Century the powerful families in Lucca lived in tower houses. They made their money in banking and the silk trade. The Torre Guinigi remains from that era, with its seven trees on top. We passed on climbing the 230 steps.

With damp skies and occasional mist, I never got out my sketchpad. The ornate building façades and intricate architectural details would have been a challenge. During our free time, I ducked into a small café for coffee and a reprieve from the chilly air. I had decided not to bring my puffer coat on this cruise, deciding that a fleece jacket under my all-weather coat would suffice.

Yesterday I realized that my summer straw hat is hopelessly out of season, so I stopped in a millinery to buy a wool hat. It’s probably more stylish than warm, but I liked it. I’m not sure how I’ll get it home as it’s not designed to be crushed in a suitcase. Perhaps I’ll give it to my sister Eloise, who appreciates a nice hat, when we meet in Barcelona next spring. She’ll be heading north from there to Norway on Holland America’s Pole-to-Pole grand voyage.

Signs of Christmas are starting to emerge in Lucca, just as in Florence yesterday. Wooden booths marketed food and gift items in the temporary Christmas market.

A large nativity in Piazza Napoleone opened just before we left. A few children took advantage of the colorful merry-go-round. While American Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here, the subsequent Black Friday already is in full swing.

As we got back to the ship in early afternoon, it was nice to see the loading of new provisions of fruit and vegetables. I predict we’ll see a lot of potatoes on coming menus.

Deb and I cheered on our Kansas City Chiefs at the Mix bar tonight, as they delivered another last-minute win. They need to step up their game and start delivering blow-out victories. But, as those of us in Chiefs Kingdom like to say this year, a win is a win.