Lucca, Italy

When we arrived in Lucca we took a taxi from the train station through narrow streets to the Al Tuscany Bed and Breakfast...



We went through this massive door into the stone foyer of this ancient building which dates back to 1200.....this was the entrance to our bed and breakfast...



Up four floors of stone steps we found our rooms....this was the view overlooking the burnt sienna, terra cotta, ochre and coral pink buildings and rooftops of Lucca...







Lucca is utterly charming....a jewel in the midst of the beautiful Tuscany region...



The very best part of our stay in Lucca was meeting our blogging friend Valentina and Paola, her partner in the online shop of Les Cotrions. These two lovely ladies were so gracious and welcomed us into their homes...



Vale fixed a fabulous, traditional and delicious dinner for us and we spent a wonderful evening getting to know one another in her mother's beautiful home. Both Vale and Paola are bright and charming with a quick sense of humor and sophisticated tastes. The evening flew by as we joked and laughed...it seemed like we were old friends and had known them forever....







The walls that surround the city of Lucca date back to the Renaissance...



They are wide and tree lined and provide a beautiful view of the city and the mountains beyond...





We spent a few hours walking and biking on the walls of Lucca along with many friendly local residents...a lovely place to take a walk, bike, jog, or just to sit and read or visit with neighbors ...









Everyone rides bicycles in Lucca, athletes as well as elegant women in dresses... old and young people alike...
You can see folks riding their bikes while holding umbrellas or with dogs on a leash running beside them...





Vale and Paola took Lynn and I to some of their favorite shops ...
... more about the shopping in Lucca to come in the next post...







Behind this door lies Valentina's lovely garden....



Vale enjoys spending time working in her walled garden and the result is a charming and peaceful space under the protection of the old church next door...















We were so fortunate to be in Lucca this weekend as it was their special annual celebration which included a candlelight procession of the Holy Cross through the streets of the city. There were people dressed in Medieval costume and fireworks and music through the night. Tomorrow I will post some pictures of this enchanting religious and cultural event.



Stay tuned for photographs of some of the shops we visited and also of Paola's new loft area which houses her rooftop garden as well as the wonderful decorative items and antiques that the ladies sell in their online shop...Les Cotrions...



I hope you enjoyed this first glimpse of Lucca....it is truly a special place! We feel so lucky to have had a personal tour by Vale and Paola and can't thank them enough for their generous hospitality!