My friend and I will be in Tuscany Mid May. Lucca will be our home base. Which towns should we day trip to? We will not have a car and will be traveling my train.; We are also not opposed to private tours/drivers. All suggestions are appreciated
Thanks!
Lucca is a lovely city where we spent four days. Compared to other locations in Tuscany, Lucca is not the best for day trips. Be careful as you plan because Lucca has an industrial sector near it with paper plants among those industries. There are lovely areas too but you need to be aware of
that industrial area so you can avoid it.
As you are looking for good bases for days trips, I suggest Siena and Cortona.
Close to Lucca, you have Pistoia, Barga (better by bus), Viareggio, Pisa of course.
I agree that Lucca is not the best base for exploring Tuscany, it’s too far west and north.
I doubt there are many if any guided bus tours to take you to Tuscany hilltowns from Lucca.
Florence would be a day trip along with those mentioned above.Cinque Terra as well I suppose.
Where would a great home base be for Tuscany? FLorence?
Well Lucca IS in Tuscany, it is just not in the rolling hills Tuscany that many identify with the region (typified by Val d'Orcia and Chianti I suppose). So, I would peruse a guide book to define what exactly you wish to see. Tuscany is fairly diverse actually--sandy beaches, rocky coasts, island, deep forests, mountains, and of course hill towns, olives trees, and vineyards.
Where else will you be going, where do you fly in/out, etc.?
Without a car, Siena is the typical suggestion.
See Roberto’s response at end of this thread
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/where-to-stay-without-car-around-florence
