Lucca!

As it turns out, I was drawn to Lucca after a few people mentioned being pulled to it, but never having made it there. I went online to book my train ticket, found an awesome B&B, and set out for adventure.
The train to Lucca was quite short, and my first view of Lucca left me feeling warm, excited, wild and free. Maybe it was because I had no idea what I was stepping into, and was completely open-minded, but I loved little walled Lucca from first sight.

I walked a short distance from the train station to the B&B, and remember being a little offput by the entrance on the back side of a building, off the edge of waht appeared to be an alley. My reaction was unfounded, because once I set foot into Le Violette, I was home. This small, independently run B&B was so charming, clean, welcoming and cozy, I could easily work out a monthly rate and stay. I got settled in, and decided to do my usual "wander and get lost" throughout the city.
Lucca was far more welcoming, open, and community centered than Florence felt, and I was so grateful to experience this. I walked throughout the narrow streets, and saw children running across courtyards and families enjoying the beautiful weather. Walking a bit further through the city's center, I came across the San Michele in Foro.

It's a good thing I was the one holding the camera, or there would be a photo of me standing there with my mouth wide open. The San Michele in Foro is beautiful. It is so grande and bold in such a quaint town. I don't know how a person could walk by without taking a long, floor to ceiling gaze at it's entirety.
I kept walking, turning whenever it felt right, and stumbled upon the Basilica of San Frediano, which was also magnificently beautiful. The gold mosaic mural was beautiful in the afternoon sun. So much so, that I sat down to eat what would turn out to be an awful meal. Hey, you can't win them all! And to be fair, this was right before Ferragosto, so the business may have counted on only having tourist company, or was preparing to close for the holiday and didn't have the normal assortment of produce. Or, they were simply unconcerned with serving anything worth eating, who knows. I had a very, very stale panino that was described as a caprese, yet contained mayonaise, tomato, and iceberg lettuce. - Clearly an italian food fail. Fortunately for the establishment I purchased said panino from, I don't recall their name, or I'd share it.

 After eating, I continued walking through downtown Lucca, and figured I may as well walk all the way to the other side of the wall. I found a canal or waterway of some sort, weaving it's way through residence, and continued up to the top of the wall.

On top of Lucca's perimeter wall, I had a clear, shaded, elevated view of the City. The more I walked, the more I realized that THIS is how you do Lucca. Watching people climb the wall with a bottle of wine and some snacks, and then nap under the shade of the trees. Lucca, for me, epitomized the lush, indulgent and welcoming tuscany I've so often seen romanticized.