The private left luggage facility at Lucca mentioned by perilizia is a cycle hire shop which is located on Via Benedetto Cairoli, a narrow road that runs alongside the hotel Rex. Last summer was the first time I personally noticed the signs advertising luggage storage there so don't know if it's a permanent service they offer. There is luggage storage, for a fee, at the tourist office on Piazzale G Verdi about a ten minute walk once inside the walls. To get there from the train station cross the ringroad and enter the city through Porta San Pietro, turn left and then right heading up Via Vittorio Veneto for a short way and then turn left onto Corso Garibaldi. Follow this road running parallel to the walls, going through a very small tunnel on the way, which will take you past the bus station and into Piazzale G Verdi. The tourist office is on the far side of the piazza.

mesh

I stopped into the bike hire shop today and the service seems to be ongoing. It is €3/24 hrs/bag and the hours are 9am-6pm, 7 days a week. The address is Piazzale Ricasoli, 203 and as you come out of the station, looking left, you will see a pasticceria, a set of big wooden doors, and the Rent Bike/ Left Luggage sign. There are also several signs pointing the way around the station. The shop calls itself Tourist Center Lucca but it not an official tourist office.

TAB

Thanks TAB, if it's still Cicli Primo operating it then they are now in a more obvious position than tucked away down beside Hotel Rex. I'm sure you're enjoying your time in Lucca, I see you've had snow there!

mesh

Thanks so much for your helpful replies. Great details. I think, as suggested, we will go to Lucca for a day trip, on the way from Florence to Vernazza. We will hopefully get to Lucca around 10:30 and leave by 4pm. Is the best plan to hire bikes to explore the city walls? Do you know how long it takes to cycle or walk around the walls? I keep hearing great things about Florence, Lucca and Vernazza... I'm so excited about our holiday! Thank you.

IMO Lucca deserves a lot more time than you're allocating. Hopefully you won't be disappointed that all you planned for is 5-1/2 hrs in such a charming place

As I recall, the walls are about 4km. It takes about 20 mins to leisurely cycle them, considerably longer to walk the whole way round.

Yes, the distance around the walls is 4.2km. If you want to hire bikes once you are inside the city there are cycle shops just as you enter through Porta San Pietro on Via Francesco Carrara and Corso Garibaldi.

mesh

I wish we had more time for Lucca, but we have 2 full days in Florence, and 3 in the Cinque Terre, so we only had a one 'transit day' spare for Lucca. All of our accommodation is now booked.

I guess we'll have time to cycle around the walks, have lunch, and walk around the city for a couple of hours. Any top-tips for 'must-see' things, or is it small enough just to wander around for a few hours?

Some suggestions for your time in Lucca:

Climb the Torre Guinigi (the tower with trees growing on the top) for great views of Lucca and the surrounding countryside.

Vist Puccini's birthplace: www.fondazionegiacomopuccini.it/page.php…

The basilica of San Frediano, the amphitheatre off the main shopping street Via Fillungo, plus the Duomo of San Martino and the church of San Michele in Foro.

Or you could just spend your time wandering the streets, taking in the atmosphere of this delightful small city!

mesh