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Drive from Arezzo to Lucca - where to stop?

Hello, we are four adults who enjoy history, culture and good food and wine. In mid-October, we will be staying in Arezzo for four nights and then driving on to Lucca for three more nights. We did a similar drive a few years back in reverse. We drove from Lucca to Pienza with a stop in Volterra, where we had a private guided tour. It was a memorable day, despite the rain. We are hoping to have a similar experience in October. I was thinking of stopping in San Gimignano, but I read that it isn't as nice as Volterra. We could do more than one stop since our schedule is our own.

For anyone familiar with this area, I would love to receive your thoughts on making our drive special. This will be our friends' first visit to Italy, so we are hoping to make wonderful memories with them, so that they will be drawn back to Tuscany, as we have been.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your experience.

Posted by
1804 posts

Pistoia is a very Tuscan city that doesn't get the attention it should. Walkable city with some notable attractions.
Don't miss the seminal work, the Pulpit of Sant'Andrea, made by the sculptor Giovanni Pisano.

https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/art-in-pistoia/
As a bonus you can take the autostrada almost all the way so the back-seat passengers will be able to keep their lunch down.

Posted by
372 posts

Hello Robin

If you are driving to Lucca, be prepared and check for the ZTL’s within the walls and even outside the walls. We were just there 4 weeks ago (stayed in Firenze and used the train to get there) and we all noticed more ZTL’s than we have seen previously.

Posted by
2499 posts

Have you been to Siena? It sounds like you’re looking for smaller towns for your stop(s), but still…

Posted by
34 posts

Thank you for your suggestions and warning about the ZTL. Pistoia is on our list of possible visits. No, we haven't been to Siena. I have read that it can take a full day to visit, so we are planning to visit Siena during our stay in Arezzo. Is what I've read true? I didn't want to rush through Siena as a stop on a relocating day.

Thanks again.

Posted by
34 posts

Hello Tinac,
Thank you for your reply. Loved the blog with beautiful photos! We will definitely be sure to stop at San Gimignano on our drive to Lucca. Can't wait!

Posted by
2420 posts

hey hey RobinM
you're still "cruising around" for info hee hee
doeatbetterexperience.com/ lucca
click italy, scroll down to lucca: lucca traditional food tour, pisa traditional food tour.

check out milan if staying a night, milan patisserie tour, appertivo street food tour or gourmet food tour. try risotto milanese (saffron milan) more risotto (rice) than pasta. many rice paddies northern italy
galleria vittorio emanuelle II: the gallery floors are decorated with zodiac signs, find out why "taurus the bull" figurine is so popular
veloleo.com
click milan and do a tour in a rickshaw around activities/attractions in city center. at least a few things to see & do
cucina-italiana.com
italian cooking classes with paolo monti. click half day classes and many classes offered every day, under 3 day click accomdation that they offer if you don't have a place yet
ouritalianjourney.com/ viareggio beach
take a short train ride from lucca for lunch down on the promenade
summerinitaly.com/ collodi
short train ride or drive. home to pinocchio, pinocchio park, garzoni gardens & butterfly house. scroll down a bit to discover attractions in collodi, click tourists attractions, click garzoni gardens
frattoriaaldotto.it
click english flag, click wine tastings, with platters of cheese, meats, bread. winery right outside lucca. email or fill out form to make a reservation.
sit in the square outside cafe with glass of wine to people watch, roam around shops. don't worry about your friends, they will want to plan next trip before you leave italy or on the plane back home LOL enjoy
aloha

Posted by
34 posts

Thank you, princess pupule and all others who replied and shared great ideas!