A Day in Lucca, Tuscany
On my 1st morning in Lucca, I awoke to the aroma of brewed coffee, steamed milk and freshly baked bread. Irresistibly, I threw on a robe and ambled down to the dining room for a light breakfast.
Shortly thereafter, my husband and I prepared to get acquainted with Lucca and the region. We went alone, as our villa companions had other ideas for their day.
Venturing into the town of Lucca, we easily found a parking space just outside the ancient wall that rings this Tuscan city and headed into town. We decided to explore Lucca like a local and rent bicycles. Inexpensive and easy, it was a wonderful way to experience this charming city, and have the ability to actually ride on top of the medieval walls, which is now a pedestrian park.
The morning was spent roaming quaint streets on bike and on foot, venturing into the many specialty food shops, stopping for an occasional cappuccino and people watching. Lucca is a city, yet it has a small village feel to it.
Returning to the car after lunch at a charming trattoria our VillaHost Fedra recommended, we decided to drive into the surrounding countryside.
Within 15-20 minutes, we were winding our way through picture perfect small towns and villages, each turn offering a beautiful vista. In the late afternoon, we returned to the villa for a quick swim and a nap before dinner.
That evening, we all sat in the living room enjoying a glass of local wine and discussing our individual and varying experiences that day, including our day of a walking and biking tour of Lucca and driving in the countryside. Another couple stayed at the villa, resting, reading and writing a journal, while another couple went to the open air market to purchase oils, herbs, vegetables, cheeses and meats, anxious to try out a few new recipes.
Luckily, the villa has a talented chef who prepared a delicious meal for us. Tomorrow we might tackle a cooking lesson at his side... unless the beautiful weather draws us somewhere else in Tuscany, perhaps the seashore at Forte dei Marmi!
It was clear that each thought their own unique day was perfection, and we all wondered what tomorrow's perfect day will bring?
