Two days in Lucca, want to see Tuscany…

Hello dekamal, and welcome to the forum!

I have used this local tour company for walking tours. and was impressed, but not their wider area tours: https://en.turislucca.com/guided-tours-for-individuals/

These seem like the most likely ones for you:
https://en.turislucca.com/guided-tours-for-individuals/the-wine-and-olive-oil-road-of-the-hills-of-lucca-2/
https://en.turislucca.com/guided-tours-for-individuals/wine-and-lucca-2/

That being said Lucca is in Tuscany and adjacent to pretty, rural areas but if you are thinking of the classic Tuscany of films you're probably going to looking south of Florence towards Siena. I would look for a Chianti tour that leaves from Florence and then take the train early from Lucca to get to Florence to join that tour. You could always just lay out what you want and see if a local tour company will arrange something for you, but there is a built in market of people in Florence looking for the same experience so I think that makes sense as a place to start.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Hello, your suggestions have been most helpful. I am following up on your suggestions regarding the wine tour from Lucca. I understand that for tourists visiting Florence will find tours to Tuscany countryside with Florence as the starting point. Because of certain limitations my trip is shaping up as follows in the following order:

Milan - 2 nights
Lucca - 2 nights (Tuscany country side)
Porto Venere (Cinque Terre area) - 4 nights
Florence - 4 nights
Sorrento - 2 nights
Amalfi - 3 nights
Rome - 5 nights

If I may ask one more question, although it is not exactly on the topic of Lucca - are four nights reasonable for Florence metropolitan area?
If you have other thoughts on the above itinerary, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

I would plan to see Tuscan countryside from Florence
Lucca is lovely but a bit too far west and north
You’ll have many many options for guided tours to Tuscany hill towns from Florence-not so many from Lucca

Your 2 night stay in Lucca will only give you 1 full day there-not really enough time to day trip anywhere!
It’s going to take anywhere from 3-4 hours to get to Lucca-then check in etc and your first day there is more than half gone.

With 4 nights in Florence you should have time for a day trip, possibly 2

Are you concerned that 4 nights in Florence is too many or too few? Assuming you have an interest in art, history, and/or architecture Florence will eat up about as many days as you can throw at it. I think 4 days is a good amount of time for Florence, but I would move Tuscan countryside exploration as a side trip from Florence - where you're closer - than from Lucca. Siena is the classic Florence day trip for a reason, but a Chianti tour of the surrounding countryside and some time in Siena would be a fine day.

You could easily add Pisa to Lucca and see the sights there if you're concerned but I think Lucca is fine for 2 nights by itself.
Keep in mind that 2 nights somewhere is only one full day uninterrupted by travel so keep that in mind when planning.

Think your schedule is reasonable. If you're afraid that 4 days is too short in Florence and I'm encouraging you to add a day trip then I would take a day from Porto Venere and add it to Florence. If you do spend 4 days in PV make sure you get across the bay to Lerici, Tellaro and San Terenzo which is where I would stay if I venture back that way.

You're covering a lot of ground from North to South on this trip but I don't see anything too crazy in the way you have it set up.
=Tod

As others have suggested, you might take the nights in Lucca and put them toward Florence. Or, take those spend those two days in Lucca and spend them in Siena. Another thought might be to add your Amalfi nights to Sorrento. Book tours from Sorrento to Amalfi and take the train to Pompeii and other sights in Naples. Amalfi is a small but pretty, touristy, crowded town and it is difficult to get out and about to any other towns. Of course, maybe this is just chill down and relaxation time for you!

Milan - 2 nights
Lucca - 2 nights (Tuscany country side)
Porto Venere (Cinque Terre area) - 4 nights
Florence - 4 nights
Sorrento - 2 nights
Amalfi - 3 nights
Rome - 5 nights

I like all the places you have chosen but would suggest a different allocation of nights.
Milan 2
Lucca 2- no day trips from here
Porto Venere- 3 nights (give night to Sorrento)
Florence 4 nights with 1 or 2 day trips, depending n how much you want to see/do IN Florence

Sorrento- 3 nights- it's going to take you most of the day to get here with at least 2 changes.
On arrival to Sorento just enjoy the town
Next 2 days you have your choice of 2 day trips Pompeii, Naples or Capri

Amalfi 3 nights- see Ravello, Positano from here

That utilizes the transportation hubs in both Sorrento and Amalfi and means less travel back and forth from either of your locations in this area. And eliminates one of your 2 night stays.

Rome 5- you can never have enough time in Rome- and your first day is half gone by the time you get there.
(From Amalfi take ferry to Salerno- great views along there!- walk about 10 min up to train station and catch a direct fast train to Rome)

Thanks to all for your recommendations. I have made some changes to our Italy travels as follows based on your suggestions:

Start Date: Sep 10
Interlaken/Glacier Express to St. Moritz and Bernina Express to Tirano, Italy (unchanged)
Lake Como - 2 nights (unchanged - I know this is new information to you because I had omitted the "pre-Milan" itinerary to focus and seek your immediate input on the Tuscany leg of our trip)
Milan - 2 nights (unchanged)
Lucca - 0 nights
Porto Venere (Cinque Terre area) - 4 nights (unchanged). Besides the villages of Cinque Terre, I will take your advice and visit Lyrici, Tellaro and San Teranzo across the bay.
Florence - 5 nights (added one night). Per your suggestion, we will take tours to Sienna, San Gimigniano and a Chianti tour from Florence
Sorrento - 3 nights (added one night). Per your suggestion we will take a trip to Pompeii one day, and tour Positano and Ravello and Amalfi by car and the driver has offered to drop us off at Amalfi so we can begin our Amalfi stay for 3nights
Amalfi - 3 nights
Rome - 5 nights
Return to US date Oct 8.

Please do share your thoughts on must-see-attractions in each of the places listed above. You and the Rick Steves community have been most helpful.

Thank you!

PS - I explored visting Camogli per your suggestion and found the views there are astonishing but cannot make it there this time.

I think your schedule looks good. You need to lock down what you mean by "Lake Como" but it looks like a solid plan.

I'm a fan of Lucca and a little sad to see it go but it is the least distinctive locale versus all the other places you have listed there so I can't argue with that.

You've still got a lot of details to lock in but a good schedule is a huge first step.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

I'd base in Florence for a week and do a day trip to Lucca and maybe book a tour of wineries and Tuscan countryside from Florence -- there are tons of day tours to choose from. And do a day trip to Siena from Florence. You waste a lot of time and money hopping around and then check in and out of hotels and just on the logistics. Base and do easy day trips without having to haul your luggage around from there.