The province of Lucca covers an area of 1.773 sq.km. It borders the Tyrrhenian sea to the west, the province of Massa-Carrara to the northwest, the province of Pisa to the south, the province of Pistoia to the northeast, the province of Florence to the east and the region of Emilia Romagna to the north.
It is a beautiful province with some wonderful old historic towns and several well known seaside resorts.
The beautiful, historic town of Lucca is an unspoiled medieval centre which is totally enclosed by walls. The town has expanded and been modernised many times but the walls have remained intact and in excellent condition throughout
Well known for its thermal springs, Bagni di Lucca is a very pretty and interesting little town to visit.
In the valley below the town is the famous bridge the Ponte della Maddalena which is generally known as Ponte del Diavolo (Bridge of the Devil). There are many myths and stories as to how it came to be called this. The most consistent one is that while a man was constructing the bridge late at night the devil arrived and offered to help if he could have the first passenger. When the bridge was finally finished a dog wandered across, disappeared and was never seen again.
The scenery here is very reminiscent of Scotland and it is known as 'The most Scottish town in Italy'.
The main sites, other than the spectacular scenery, are:
A good example of Romanesque architecture. The 12th century pulpit has four red marble columns, each one resting on the statue of a lion.
Dates back to the 14th century.
This village has been inhabited since the 8th century and was once an important market town.
The main points of interest are:
A castle dating back to the 12th century and is now home to an archaeological museum.
Built in the 16th century with a Renaissance style façade and a Baroque interior.
Built in the late 16th century.
Both a park and a botanical garden.
The town of Viareggio is the second largest within the province of Lucca and is a popular, up-market seaside resort. It is a major part of the Tuscan Riviera, known as Versilia, which has a sandy beach stretching for more than 20km
Forte dei Marmi is a high end coastal resort which is packed in the summer months with wealthy holiday makers.
It takes its name from the fortress that stands in the middle of the main square and which was built to defend the coastline from attack.
One of the best beaches in Italy can be found here at Pietrasanta Marina where the sand is golden and the facilities are first class.
Points of interest to visit in the town are:
Constructed in the late 13th century.
Built in the 15th centuy in the Romanesque style.
From the 16th century.
Again from the 16th century.
Built in the 16th century and is now the local Archaeological Museum.
More Details
| High | Low | Sun | Rain | |
| Jan | 15 | 8 | 4 | 63 |
| Feb | 15 | 8 | 4 | 52 |
| Mar | 17 | 9 | 5 | 43 |
| Apr | 19 | 11 | 6 | 31 |
| May | 24 | 15 | 7 | 17 |
| Jun | 28 | 18 | 9 | 9 |
| Jul | 31 | 22 | 10 | 6 |
| Aug | 31 | 22 | 9 | 9 |
| Sep | 28 | 19 | 7 | 29 |
| Oct | 24 | 16 | 6 | 53 |
| Nov | 20 | 12 | 4 | 63 |
| Dec | 17 | 10 | 4 | 59 |
| Table Key: High - Average monthly high temperatures Low - Average monthly low temperatures Sun - Average hours of sunshine per day Rain - Average monthly rainfall in mm |
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