Quaint place to stop for lunch enroute from Milan to Lucca

If in a hurry: Autogrill for lunch. You don't even have to exit the freeway.
Otherwise: Parma (big town, but quaint) or Tellaro and Montemarcello (both small villages near La Spezia).

Autogrill is quaint if you are a freeway fan; you might enjoy Parma more.

Autogrills are a true adventure while using the freeways/tollways in Italy.
There are large cafeterias in some, others have sandwich counters.
But the most interesting is to browse the store - there are usually big
sales on wines, liqueurs, cookies, candies......all "snacks" Italian.
I always think of them as an adventure.................and they have clean
bathrooms. Lots of tour buses stop at Autogrills for the drivers to take
a short break.

I'm still miffed at getting my computer ripped of by the station attendants at the Parma Autogrill. Keep an eye on those guys.

When we stopped at Autogrills last month - our usual stopping places - we noticed that they all were selling a 9 inch long 5 inch across (approx) soft pink plastic pig with Italian colours decoration which made the most authentic and very loud pig sounds when shaken. Only €9, too.

Not sure that most Autogrills make it as "quaint" though.

Nigel - I saw those too and almost bought one - just to irritate my friends.

When I am driving between Florence and Milan I often stop for lunch at Parma. There is a convenient underground parking near the city center (look for Toschi parking). My favourite place for lunch is Osteria Rigoletto, near Teatro Regio.

I have now requested a plastic pig from the next tour guide leaving to Italy.

Check menu, prices, location of Villa Maria Luigi in Colecchio to see if it interests you (closed Thursdays).