TRIP REPORT - Lucca 27 April - 18 May 2016
Summary As a seventy-something woman traveling alone with a bum knee, I had a great time in Lucca taking Italian lessons and enjoying myself. I flew on British Air to Pisa and took cabs to/from Lucca (60-70E). Below are "just the facts, ma'am"
Lucca
Lucca is a charming small town, a wonderful place for “being” rather than “doing”. It has Roman origins, but its heyday was the middle ages, and most of its must-see sights are medieval churches. The major sights are summarized here: http://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca and here: https://www.discovertuscany.com/lucca/ . A must-have guide for anyone spending more than a few days is “The Wanderer’s Guide to Lucca” by Brian Lindquist (available on amazon), which includes an invaluable map (no need to purchase it separately as I did!).
Lucca is compact with limited traffic, but the streets/sidewalks are mostly paved with stone blocks, which are not the best if you have problems walking. However, the town has many spots to sit and rest: benches in piazzas and on the streets attached to buildings, many bars, and (of course) all the churches. I found it a bit challenging at first, but I walked at a leisurely pace, rested often, and got stronger as time passed. By the time I left Lucca, I was walking 1 ½ - 2 miles a day.
Bicycles are a major mode of transport in Lucca, and you can rent all kinds including a carriage-like thing that has two bicycles driving the front and room for two passengers in the back. I saw families using them on the streets and on the wall.
I was fortunate to be there during the three-day “Lucca Classical Musical Festival” (http://www.luccaclassica.it/ ) . Short musical concerts, many free, are hosted in historic venues all over town. The two I attended were outstanding. For some reason, this festival has little web presence, but I will certainly try to plan future visits during the festival. Every night all year long there are 1-hour opera concerts, which many folks like (heavily promoted on the web; 18E tickets if purchased ahead of time). However, I didn’t go to those.
I spent a day with my Italian relatives. After a wonderful lunch in Lucca, we took a trip by car to Pisa. While the tower complex is truly spectacular, this is NOT a good place for anyone with mobility problems. I’m glad I did not try it on my own.
Hotel Ilaria
The Hotel Ilaria (http://www.hotelilaria.com/en/ ) was a comfortable place to spend three weeks. In the past when I was traveling solo, I either stayed with a family or in small inexpensive hotels or B&Bs, so this four-star hotel was quite an upgrade. I particularly like staying with a family for the emersion in the Italian language and for the experience of “real” Italian style living, and otherwise I like the coziness of places too small to attract tour groups. However, nowadays the knee needs an elevator, and I wanted a location convenient both to the school and the center. In the end, I also welcomed all the up-scale amenities and services at the Ilaria.
I stayed in the main hotel (the Ilaria also has an “annex”) in a “double room for single use”, which was 130 E per night. The only issue involved a bathtub and shower combination. The tub, which was as slippery as wet ice, had unusually high sides, no anti-slip coating or mat, and no accessible handholds for getting in and out. The staff immediately changed my room to one with a shower and no bathtub when I complained. However, that shower had no enclosure or curtain (I believe it was intended for people in wheelchairs). The bathroom was large, and there were ample new towels and bathmats every day, so it was not a big problem.
The room itself was quite comfortable, with a double bed, a small desk, wifi, a large luggage bench with room for one suitcase on top and one underneath, an armoire, and a mini-bar. It had a door to the terrace, which I usually propped open (the terrace was usually empty; the tour groups did not seem to use it). I had asked for a quiet room and it was.
The breakfast buffet, which was served in a sunny enclosed terrace, had a large variety of choices. As a bonus, there was a “cafeteria” service from 2-7pm serving drinks and snacks. I usually ate a large late lunch and then just had a snack in the evening.
The Ilaria has many common areas good for meeting other travelers (breakfast room, cafeteria area, lounge, terrace), and the staff is extremely helpful and friendly. They all spoke English but did not discourage my attempts to speak Italian with them. I would recommend it highly to anyone, and I intend to return myself next year.
Italian Language School
Classes at the ILS (http://www.luccaitalianschool.com/ ) were excellent, and the school offered a nice variety of extra activities, some free and some for a reasonable extra fee. The school is located in a beautiful building surrounded by a large garden. The classes are held on the first floor (second floor American) with no elevator. I was able to make the climb (with effort), and I stayed there for the morning, spending the “pausa” on the pleasant terrace and forgoing a second coffee from the machine on the ground floor.
Students were a mix of nationalities and ages. The first week’s class had 7 students and the second had 9, which I thought was too many, although the teacher was so skilled that it was not a big issue. The staff were very concerned about placing students at the correct level. They made the placement based on a short oral test the first day, but made it clear that if I found the class too challenging or not challenging enough I could move to another level. I noticed that a few students did change classes after the first day.
The instruction was excellent, rivaling my favorite school in Siena. There was a strong focus on spoken language, but daily exercises included reading, writing and listening. There were a few grammar lessons that were skillfully integrated into the exercises. The teacher split the class into assigned pairs or small groups for exercises (sometimes pairing the better students with the less accomplished ones, other times pairing like with like).
Overall it was a wonderful experience and I intend to return next year.
Restaurants
I ate lunch in the many little restaurants near the Hotel Ilaria multiple times. The food was oddly inconsistent. For example, I ordered the same dish (capretto) twice from Gli Orti. The first time it was one of the best things I have ever eaten (crispy exterior, succulent interior), the second it was mediocre (hard tough exterior, dry stringy interior). At other restaurants, individual dishes ranged from excellent to inedible. I have given up on rabbit, which was tough and dry everywhere. So the following notes are given with the caveat that your experience may differ.
(xxx/yyy) indicates trip advisor rating of xxx out of yyy restaurants (at a point in time).
Allosteria: (2/434) Via S. Andrea, 8: My relatives treated me to lunch here. Excellent food, creative plating. Open Mondays. Expensive.
Gli Orti di Via Elisa (29/422), Via Elisa 17: good to excellent food. Somewhat up-scale atmosphere and prices (also has outdoor area on the street). Capretto can be wonderful (or not). Reservations recommended. Price highly dependent on what you order. Appetizer, secondo, wine, and water was about 30-35 E.
VispaTeresa (24/423) via S Croce 88: Tiny place with very good food, moderate prices, and exceptionally friendly staff. The Lasagna (Bolognese style) was particularly good. 25-30 E for two courses, wine and water.
Da Nonna Clara (59/422), Via S Croce 71; Good food and moderate prices. Very good eggplant parmesan appetizer (more like a primo), fun kitchy décor inside, big outdoor eating area on the piazza; strange “discounts” appeared on my bills, 25-30 E for two courses, wine and water.
Antica Drogheria (90/422) Via Elisa 5, busy place known for its excellent pizza (8-9 E), but with other options as well. The “workers lunch” (Mon-Sat only) is a real bargain: 12 E for a choice of primo, secondo, cortorno, glass of wine, and ½ liter of water. The roast pork on the lunch special was especially good. If you go at 1:30 pm the crowd will have thinned out.
Osteria Lo Stellario Piazza S. Francesco 44-46 (242/434): Nice small place with some tables outside. I only ate here once: pasta and a mixed salad were very good and inexpensive.
Ammodonostro, (39/423) via della Fratta 20-22; so-so food but outstanding courtyard garden area; moderate prices
Millenium Bar and Cafeteria via S. Croce: Downscale place for a coffee, wine or snack. Wonderful salad, ok sandwiches. Friendly staff. Open all day until 8 pm.
Summary As a seventy-something woman traveling alone with a bum knee, I had a great time in Lucca taking Italian lessons and enjoying myself. I flew on British Air to Pisa and took cabs to/from Lucca (60-70E). Below are "just the facts, ma'am"
Lucca
Lucca is a charming small town, a wonderful place for “being” rather than “doing”. It has Roman origins, but its heyday was the middle ages, and most of its must-see sights are medieval churches. The major sights are summarized here: http://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca and here: https://www.discovertuscany.com/lucca/ . A must-have guide for anyone spending more than a few days is “The Wanderer’s Guide to Lucca” by Brian Lindquist (available on amazon), which includes an invaluable map (no need to purchase it separately as I did!).
Lucca is compact with limited traffic, but the streets/sidewalks are mostly paved with stone blocks, which are not the best if you have problems walking. However, the town has many spots to sit and rest: benches in piazzas and on the streets attached to buildings, many bars, and (of course) all the churches. I found it a bit challenging at first, but I walked at a leisurely pace, rested often, and got stronger as time passed. By the time I left Lucca, I was walking 1 ½ - 2 miles a day.
Bicycles are a major mode of transport in Lucca, and you can rent all kinds including a carriage-like thing that has two bicycles driving the front and room for two passengers in the back. I saw families using them on the streets and on the wall.
I was fortunate to be there during the three-day “Lucca Classical Musical Festival” (http://www.luccaclassica.it/ ) . Short musical concerts, many free, are hosted in historic venues all over town. The two I attended were outstanding. For some reason, this festival has little web presence, but I will certainly try to plan future visits during the festival. Every night all year long there are 1-hour opera concerts, which many folks like (heavily promoted on the web; 18E tickets if purchased ahead of time). However, I didn’t go to those.
I spent a day with my Italian relatives. After a wonderful lunch in Lucca, we took a trip by car to Pisa. While the tower complex is truly spectacular, this is NOT a good place for anyone with mobility problems. I’m glad I did not try it on my own.
Hotel Ilaria
The Hotel Ilaria (http://www.hotelilaria.com/en/ ) was a comfortable place to spend three weeks. In the past when I was traveling solo, I either stayed with a family or in small inexpensive hotels or B&Bs, so this four-star hotel was quite an upgrade. I particularly like staying with a family for the emersion in the Italian language and for the experience of “real” Italian style living, and otherwise I like the coziness of places too small to attract tour groups. However, nowadays the knee needs an elevator, and I wanted a location convenient both to the school and the center. In the end, I also welcomed all the up-scale amenities and services at the Ilaria.
I stayed in the main hotel (the Ilaria also has an “annex”) in a “double room for single use”, which was 130 E per night. The only issue involved a bathtub and shower combination. The tub, which was as slippery as wet ice, had unusually high sides, no anti-slip coating or mat, and no accessible handholds for getting in and out. The staff immediately changed my room to one with a shower and no bathtub when I complained. However, that shower had no enclosure or curtain (I believe it was intended for people in wheelchairs). The bathroom was large, and there were ample new towels and bathmats every day, so it was not a big problem.
The room itself was quite comfortable, with a double bed, a small desk, wifi, a large luggage bench with room for one suitcase on top and one underneath, an armoire, and a mini-bar. It had a door to the terrace, which I usually propped open (the terrace was usually empty; the tour groups did not seem to use it). I had asked for a quiet room and it was.
The breakfast buffet, which was served in a sunny enclosed terrace, had a large variety of choices. As a bonus, there was a “cafeteria” service from 2-7pm serving drinks and snacks. I usually ate a large late lunch and then just had a snack in the evening.
The Ilaria has many common areas good for meeting other travelers (breakfast room, cafeteria area, lounge, terrace), and the staff is extremely helpful and friendly. They all spoke English but did not discourage my attempts to speak Italian with them. I would recommend it highly to anyone, and I intend to return myself next year.
Italian Language School
Classes at the ILS (http://www.luccaitalianschool.com/ ) were excellent, and the school offered a nice variety of extra activities, some free and some for a reasonable extra fee. The school is located in a beautiful building surrounded by a large garden. The classes are held on the first floor (second floor American) with no elevator. I was able to make the climb (with effort), and I stayed there for the morning, spending the “pausa” on the pleasant terrace and forgoing a second coffee from the machine on the ground floor.
Students were a mix of nationalities and ages. The first week’s class had 7 students and the second had 9, which I thought was too many, although the teacher was so skilled that it was not a big issue. The staff were very concerned about placing students at the correct level. They made the placement based on a short oral test the first day, but made it clear that if I found the class too challenging or not challenging enough I could move to another level. I noticed that a few students did change classes after the first day.
The instruction was excellent, rivaling my favorite school in Siena. There was a strong focus on spoken language, but daily exercises included reading, writing and listening. There were a few grammar lessons that were skillfully integrated into the exercises. The teacher split the class into assigned pairs or small groups for exercises (sometimes pairing the better students with the less accomplished ones, other times pairing like with like).
Overall it was a wonderful experience and I intend to return next year.
Restaurants
I ate lunch in the many little restaurants near the Hotel Ilaria multiple times. The food was oddly inconsistent. For example, I ordered the same dish (capretto) twice from Gli Orti. The first time it was one of the best things I have ever eaten (crispy exterior, succulent interior), the second it was mediocre (hard tough exterior, dry stringy interior). At other restaurants, individual dishes ranged from excellent to inedible. I have given up on rabbit, which was tough and dry everywhere. So the following notes are given with the caveat that your experience may differ.
(xxx/yyy) indicates trip advisor rating of xxx out of yyy restaurants (at a point in time).
Allosteria: (2/434) Via S. Andrea, 8: My relatives treated me to lunch here. Excellent food, creative plating. Open Mondays. Expensive.
Gli Orti di Via Elisa (29/422), Via Elisa 17: good to excellent food. Somewhat up-scale atmosphere and prices (also has outdoor area on the street). Capretto can be wonderful (or not). Reservations recommended. Price highly dependent on what you order. Appetizer, secondo, wine, and water was about 30-35 E.
VispaTeresa (24/423) via S Croce 88: Tiny place with very good food, moderate prices, and exceptionally friendly staff. The Lasagna (Bolognese style) was particularly good. 25-30 E for two courses, wine and water.
Da Nonna Clara (59/422), Via S Croce 71; Good food and moderate prices. Very good eggplant parmesan appetizer (more like a primo), fun kitchy décor inside, big outdoor eating area on the piazza; strange “discounts” appeared on my bills, 25-30 E for two courses, wine and water.
Antica Drogheria (90/422) Via Elisa 5, busy place known for its excellent pizza (8-9 E), but with other options as well. The “workers lunch” (Mon-Sat only) is a real bargain: 12 E for a choice of primo, secondo, cortorno, glass of wine, and ½ liter of water. The roast pork on the lunch special was especially good. If you go at 1:30 pm the crowd will have thinned out.
Osteria Lo Stellario Piazza S. Francesco 44-46 (242/434): Nice small place with some tables outside. I only ate here once: pasta and a mixed salad were very good and inexpensive.
Ammodonostro, (39/423) via della Fratta 20-22; so-so food but outstanding courtyard garden area; moderate prices
Millenium Bar and Cafeteria via S. Croce: Downscale place for a coffee, wine or snack. Wonderful salad, ok sandwiches. Friendly staff. Open all day until 8 pm.
