Special/Unusual things to do Near Lucca (late Sept)

There is an interesting bridge near Lucca: https://www.visittuscany.com/en/attractions/ponte-della-maddalena-or-the-devils-bridge/
Also, some spas.
Barga is a nice town.
Pistoia sounds fab.
I had San Miniato on my list for my trip that unfortunately got canceled.
I'd skip CT in favor the Montemarcello-Lerici area.

Atlas obscura website is my go to for different things to see.

Another vote for Carrara. Take a train to main Carrara station and arrange for pickup by one of the tours that run up to the marble mines and workshops.

hey hey chris
lucca was on our itinerary until the pandemic, had a few places/things bookmarked you may want to check out:
nessundormacinqueterre.com
click on pesto experience
arbaspaa.com
swimming with the mermaids, click tours, then the sea
cinqueterre-travel.com
check under the headings for what's available, under activities scroll to festivals, hope one is there while you're there
fattoriaaddotto.it click english
take a bus or taxi,
cucina-italiano.com
half day cooking classes with chef paolo monti
eatwith.com
lucca, click filters (white circle with two lines & small circles, click what interests you (eatwithsummer code for discount)
comeandseeitaly.com
click contact and register with them. we were planning to do barga and garfagnana tour and see "devil's bridge"
tripsavvy.com pinocchio remembered
atlasobscura.com/ pinocchio park in collodi
thetuscanmom.com search pinocchio park
vist the park, the butterfly house, and garzoni gardens
festivals-of-tuscany.com
discovertuscany.com/ pistoia
around the province known for thermal baths, flowers & plants, best cappuccino, curious street names, chocolate makers. take a ride to visit this small town near lucca
while in florence, educated-traveller.com
wine windows of florence
just so many things to do and see, not enough time. maybe next year us friends will plan something but lucca is on the list. enjoy
aloha

Hello Chris,

Yes, Pisa is the obvious suggestion from Lucca and Carrara town and nearby mine where they mine the famous white marble. They do tours and many people find it interesting.

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/

Bike tours around the walls and about the flat countryside are popular - guided like this or just rent bikes:
https://en.turislucca.com/guided-tours-for-individuals/the-walls-of-lucca-and-the-river-park/
We took their walking tour of Lucca and really enjoyed it.

If you head to La Spezia like you mentioned there is always something like kayaking the Ligurian coast or taking a restored historical cargo boat for a tour of CT by the sea:
http://www.lazigoela.it/en/tradition-and-emotional-experience-abord-of-an-historial-sailing-boat/

And if you are in La Spezia and want to experience the coast without the crush of CT check out the south side of the bay:
San Terenzo with a beachfront walk all the way to Lerici (Italian resorty), and Tellaro a little CT like town with no tourists.

I was in Lucca last September of last year and the mushrooms were coming in crates and were on every menu.
Any chance you'll be in Lucca the 13th? There is a festival of lights that we just missed last year.
https://lovefromtuscany.com/where-to-go/cities-in-tuscany/lucca/volto-santo-festival/

Have a great time,
=Tod

Devil's Bridge, Barga and its church, Carrara and its lardo, yes, all excellent ideas --- we were in this part of Tuscany in late September last year.

Plenty of great things that are not lame to see in Pisa, even if you don't leave the Field of Miracles --- see the Last Judgement fresco in the Camposanto, for instance. And it is hilarious to watch people do their poses for their photos with the tower.

Visit the Museo Piaggio near Pisa --- I swear it is interesting even to people with no interest in cars or motor scooters! I tried hard to find a link to photos or videos showing what's in this museum, but apparently everyone who visits it is a fan of vehicles and mostly takes photos of rows and rows of scooters (which we skipped) and not of the crazily painted art vespas or the many ape trucks (those three-wheeled work vehicles) designed or altered to be firetrucks, flower carts, taxis, bookshops, etc. Fascinating historical exhibits, too. The race cars that look like spaceships are neat. A really well done and unusual and very Italian museum.

Be sure to read this blog by a resident of Lucca: https://www.twopartsitaly.com/

Well, some of these photos will give you a bit of an idea of the Museo Piaggio: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Museo+Piaggio/@43.6605827,10.6326048,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipOt_w0ZafVZfl1PNxzU89_buwj4OeWXeXTkb1fy!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOt_w0ZafVZfl1PNxzU89_buwj4OeWXeXTkb1fy%3Dw203-h114-k-no!7i2560!8i1440!4m9!3m8!1s0x132a75edc72cc507:0xc6f1b2e7de66f5fb!8m2!3d43.6605827!4d10.6326048!10e5!14m1!1BCgIgAQ!16s%2Fg%2F1tk69tb8?entry=ttu

Sorry about the ridiculously long link!

These are fantastic suggestions. Thanks, folks.

- and yes, we use AtlasObscura whenever we plan a trip ;-)