Lucca’s position in the Pisan plain, with rail connections east to Florence and west to Pisa and the Ligurian coast, makes it an exceptional base for day trips. The city is small enough that you can leave after a morning walk on the walls and be in Pisa by lunch, Florence for the afternoon, or the Cinque Terre for a full day on the coast.
Pisa (25 km southwest, approximately 30 minutes by train)
The Piazza dei Miracoli - Leaning Tower, Cathedral, and Baptistery - is genuinely extraordinary, whatever the tourist volumes suggest. The Tower leans at 3.97 degrees after stabilisation works in 2001. Climbing it costs approximately €20 as of 2026 - book online at opapisa.it in advance, especially May–September, as time slots sell out.
The Baptistery (entry approximately €7) has extraordinary acoustics demonstrated by custodians every 30 minutes - the space amplifies a single note held at sufficient volume into a chord. The Camposanto (monumental cemetery, same ticket) has the Triumph of Death fresco fragments (14th century) in a dedicated room.
Beyond the Piazza, Pisa is a university city - considerably less tourist-saturated away from the Miracoli. The Lungarno (the riverfront) has a genuine local atmosphere. For lunch: Osteria dei Cavalieri (Via San Frediano 16, pasta approximately €10–12) or La Clessidra (Via Santa Cecilia 34, full meal approximately €25–30 as of 2026).
Getting there: Trenitalia regional train from Lucca to Pisa Centrale - approximately 30 minutes, approximately €4 as of 2026. Trains every 30 minutes. From Pisa station, bus LAM Rossa to the Piazza dei Miracoli (approximately €1.50, 10 minutes) or walk (approximately 20 minutes).
Florence (80 km east, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes by train)
Florence is an easy day trip - the rail connection is direct and frequent. Priorities depend on what you haven’t seen: the Uffizi Gallery (entry approximately €30, must book in advance at uffizi.it) holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of Italian Renaissance painting; the Accademia (Piazzale delle Belle Arti 1 - entry approximately €16, book ahead) has Michelangelo’s David. Piazzale Michelangelo (free, 20-minute walk or bus 13 from the centre) has the panoramic city view.
For those who’ve already done the major museums: the Bardini Museum (Costa San Giorgio 2 - entry approximately €10, rarely crowded) has a rooftop garden with views; the Oltrarno neighbourhood south of the Arno has the best food, craft workshops, and fewer tourists.
Getting there: Trenitalia regional train from Lucca to Firenze SMN - approximately 1 hour 20 minutes (change at Pisa), approximately €9 as of 2026. High-speed trains from Pisa are faster - approximately 1 hour total, approximately €12 booked in advance.
Cinque Terre (approximately 100 km northwest, approximately 2–2.5 hours)
The five coastal villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore) require a full day from Lucca. Take the regional train to La Spezia (approximately 1.5–2 hours from Lucca via Pisa), then the Cinque Terre Express between villages (approximately €5 per journey).
The most scenic hiking section is Monterosso to Vernazza (approximately 2 hours, well-maintained path, requires the Cinque Terre Card). The Cinque Terre Card (approximately €16/day as of 2026) covers unlimited village trains plus the hiking paths. Avoid July–August if possible - the most beautiful villages (Vernazza, Manarola) are severely overcrowded. May–June and September–October are far better.
Getting there: Regional train from Lucca to La Spezia Centrale - approximately 1.5–2 hours (change at Pisa), approximately €10 as of 2026.
Pistoia (30 km northeast, approximately 30 minutes by train)
One of the most underrated historic cities in Tuscany - compact, walkable, and almost entirely free of tourist crowds. The Piazza del Duomo is lined with Romanesque-Gothic civic buildings: the Duomo di San Zeno (free), the Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte (entry approximately €3), the Palazzo del Comune, and the Torre del Campanone. The Ospedale del Ceppo facade (1514–1525) has a terracotta frieze by Giovanni della Robbia representing the Seven Works of Mercy - one of the finest polychrome terracotta cycles of the Renaissance, at eye level on a building you walk past.
Getting there: Trenitalia regional train from Lucca to Pistoia - approximately 30 minutes, approximately €4 as of 2026. Very frequent services.
Garfagnana (45 km northwest, approximately 1 hour by train)
The Garfagnana is a valley cut by the Serchio river into the Apuane Alps - one of the most dramatic landscapes in Tuscany and almost completely off the tourist route. Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is the main town (Medicea fortress, free to walk around). The Orrido di Botri gorge (national nature reserve, entry approximately €4 as of 2026, guided visit required - book at parcoappennino.it) is a 4km limestone gorge with emerald pools accessible on foot. The Grotta del Vento (Cave of the Wind, approximately 30km from Castelnuovo - guided tours from approximately €8 as of 2026) is one of the most impressive cave systems in Tuscany.
Getting there: Trenitalia regional train from Lucca to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana - approximately 1 hour, approximately €5 as of 2026.
Practical notes
- The Leaning Tower time slots sell out weeks in advance from April to September - book online at opapisa.it as early as possible
- Cinque Terre card can be bought online at cinqueterre.eu.com or at La Spezia station on arrival
- Pistoia is often combined with a Lucca visit on the same day (or vice versa) as a two-city trip through northern Tuscany
- Driving to the Garfagnana gives more flexibility for the gorge and cave (both require a car to reach the trailheads); public transport covers Castelnuovo town only. Hire a car from Lucca to explore the Garfagnana, the Cinque Terre hinterland, and the Apuan Alps at your own pace
- Prices listed are approximate as of 2026
Back to the full Lucca travel guide for the city walls, amphitheatre square, and practical planning. For things to see in Lucca, see things to do in Lucca. For Lucca food - buccellato, Garfagnana farro, and the local olive oil - see the Lucca food guide. For accommodation, see best hotels in Lucca. Florence is 1.5 hours by train - our Florence travel guide covers the city, and Pisa is 30 minutes west.