LUCCA: The Weirdest Little Italian Town You've Never Heard Of
okay so i'm sitting here in this tiny cafe in Lucca, and my fingers are practically frozen to the keyboard. it's 4.94 degrees out there according to my weather app, which basically means i'm wearing three sweaters and still shivering. but honestly? that's part of the charm. the fog's rolling through the narrow streets like it's got nowhere better to be, and the whole place feels like it's stuck in a dream you can't quite remember.
lucca's one of those places you stumble into by accident and then refuse to leave. it's not florence, it's not pisa-it's this weird little bubble of old tuscany that somehow missed the memo about mass tourism. the walls are still intact, the cobblestones are murder on your ankles, and every corner smells like something your nonna used to make.
*the food situation is honestly ridiculous here. i overheard this old guy at the bar saying, "if you haven't had the torta di ceci from that place on via fillungo, you're basically eating air." so naturally i went and tried it. it's like a chickpea pancake that somehow tastes like comfort and regret at the same time. also, the gelato spot near the amphitheater? allegedly the best in tuscany. someone told me that while drunk at 2pm, so take it with a grain of salt.
if you get bored, pisa and florence are just a short drive away, but honestly? don't. stay here. wander the walls at sunset when the light turns everything gold and slightly magical. rent a bike and pretend you're in a movie where nothing bad ever happens. the bike rental shop near the north gate is run by this guy who looks like he's been there since the 70s and will absolutely judge your outfit.
random tips i learned the hard way:*
- cash is king here. some places don't even take cards.
- the piazzas are where life happens-grab an aperitivo and just watch.
- if someone offers you homemade limoncello, say yes and then prepare to be horizontal for a while.
i just checked and it's 4.94 degrees there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. but seriously, bring layers. and maybe a flask.
"lucca isn't a place you visit. it's a place that visits you." - some dude i met who's been here three months longer than planned
for more tuscan adventures, check out this local guide or see what yelp users say about the gelato scene.
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