Post tour trips from Lucca

Lots of options. We are taking this tour in May. Our tentative plans are train to Bologna for two nights then Parma for two nights. We then train to Rome, overnights, fly out the next day. All up in the air; the four of us gather at Starbucks this Sunday to hammer it out. Why Bologna and Parma? Easy to get to, great food and wine!

And there's Florence...

If you plan to stay in Lucca after the tour, then Cinque Terre and Pisa would be logical trips. Because the tour already stops in many of the other logical day tour destinations from Lucca, you might be better returning to Florence (where the tour starts) which has great train connections to a lot of destinations such as Bologna, Modena, Parma, Ravenna, Arezzo and Pistoia. You could even visit Pisa before heading to Florence or on the way. Unless your flight is in the afternoon or evening, you'll probably want to be in Florence the night before anyway.

I just signed up for the Best of Tuscany in October 2020. I am going to fly to Venice, spend a day and night there, I have been there before but my friends have not. then train to Florence to join the tour. From Lucca we plan to go to Milan for two nights and then fly home from there. This isn't written in stone but my friends seem to be happy with this plan.

I am taking my first Rick Steves tour in December and can't believe that I have signed up for a second one before even going on my first one!

hey hey amy
don't know what you're looking for, look at apartmentslucca.com for places available inside the walls. you can take a train to pisa if wanted then to cinque terre for the day.
come&seeitaly.com maybe take the tour to barga and garfagnana.
luccatours.com a tour of lucca with wanda that introduces you to the town and area
extravirginlucca.com or cucina-italiana.com with chef paolo monti, half day cooking classes with accomodations.
fattoriaaldooto.it press english. a winery a bus ride or taxi from lucca
pinocchio is from the town of collodi near lucca. there is an amusement park, garzoni gardens and the butterfly house, historical villas around lucca
rent bikes and ride within the walls, walk the piazzas, stop at a cafe, have lunch dinner or glass of vino, people watch, enjoy being in magical lucca,
if you want to climg to top of pisa tower make sure to make reservations opapisa.it, walk the small village of pisa.
you don't need to go far to see people, places and thing in lucca and near. spend a few days enjoy what's there for you, have a great holiday
aloha

We stayed in Cinque Terre for 4 days and loved every minute of it. Very accessible by train from Lucca. We stayed in the most Northern city called Monterosso al Mare. Smaller village but great ambiance. We walked to Veranzza from Monterosso one afternoon (the most strenuous leg between the all of the towns) and by train visited three villages (10 minute ride on the local train) the other days. Most picturesque place I have been to in long time. All five villages are very different after sunset when the tourist leave. Much like Venice. We have been all over Italy. We are in our 60's and found it to be a fabulous place for hiking, relaxing, wine tasting and dining. The locals are very welcoming. Returning in March-April 2020 with my siblings to spend three weeks in the area... we liked it that much.
Warning, very little parking in the towns, train arrival recommended unless you stay in Monterroso at a hotel with parking. We did a lot of Airbnb.