Need non-CT, non-Florence ideas from Lucca

Volterra is an interesting hilltop town. The underground parking garage entrance is on your right just before you get to the top.
They are known for alabaster and I bought many alabaster eggs that I bring out every Easter.. This was one of our kids’ favorite places that we visited in Tuscany. San Gimignano is nearby so you can spend a day visiting both of these towns.

Will you have a car? If so, check out the Devil's Bridge, the Ponte del Diavolo o della Maddalena, near Borgo a Mozzano, a half hour drive from Lucca.

Barga is a nice town and, if you like interesting churches, climb to the top of the town to visit the Collegiate Church of San Cristoforo.

Not a great town, but we also enjoyed the Museo Piaggio in Pontedera, about 40 minutes from Lucca. I had a hard time finding you photos of what this museum is like because the people visiting it seem to be mostly interested in, uh, vehicles. But it is a charming place full of fanciful machines and excellent exhibits that a non-scooter fan would enjoy. See these photos to get some idea: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/piaggio-museum.html

Hello Elizabeth,

Pisa is the obvious suggestion from Lucca which you didn't mention. More outside the box suggestion might be Carrara town and nearby mine where they mine the famous white marble. They do tours and many people find it interesting.

About an hour away towards La Spezia are the small Castelnuovo Magra and even smaller Fosdinovo like little Tuscan hilltowns but they are Ligurian. If you want CT experience without the crowds there is Tellaro on the southern side of La Spezia Bay - with the more resorty Lerici and Sarzana over the hill - shopping and restaurants - away from the ocean.

I haven't hiked near Lucca but there are nearby mountains, the via Francigena passes through Lucca so if you wanted to do a section of it from either direction to or from town there's that.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/italy/tuscany/via-francigena-tappa-88-lucca-altopascio?u=i
Or something a little more ambitious:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/italy/tuscany/monte-moriglione-di-penna?u=i

There are several parks and preserves in the area:
https://lifeinitaly.com/hiking-orrido-di-botri-and-bagni-di-lucca/
Including one that stretches inland to the undeveloped the beach with organic farm products and some Roman ruins depending on where you visit: https://www.parcosanrossore.org/visitare-il-parco/

Another suggestion - although it's a city not a small town - is Livorno. I have become increasingly interested in this rarely mentioned "city of immigrants" with canals in its old center a very famous seafood stew.

Hope this helps, have a great trip,
=Tod

I second Volterra. It turned out to be one of my favorite towns in Italy.

Barga, Castiglione di Garfagnana, Coreglia Anteminelli, Borgo a Mozzano, Pietrasanta, Apuan Alps (marble quarries), Montecatini Terme, Bagni di Lucca
Also the Lucca-Aulla scenic railway

I’m so appreciative to you all. I’ve done a lot of research yet the advice on this forum is always so helpful!