Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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DOLCE PISA
V. Santa Maria 83
CAFE
050 56 31 81
At this pleasant cafe a bit farther down the otherwise busy street off the monuments, entire swaths of the menu are €5, including the lunch menu (lasagna, gnocchi, etc.), a large selection of salads, and a long list of smoothies.
From the monuments, it’s about a 5min. walk down V. Santa Maria; it’s on the right. Pastries €0.90. Most entrees €5. Cappuccino €1.20. Open M-Tu 7:30am-11pm, Th-Su 7:30am-11pm.
OSTERIA I SANTI
V. Santa Maria 71/73
RISTORANTE
050 28 081 www.osteria-isanti.com
With a real canopy, tall green plants, and twinkling Christmas lights, Osteria i Santi offers nicer outdoor seating than most of the options in this area.
From the monuments, walk down V. Santa Maria; it’s on the right. Cover €1.50. Dishes €6.50-9. Open daily noon-3pm and 7-10:30pm.
IL BARONETTO
V. Domenica Cavalca 62
RISTORANTE
340 25 91 646 www.ilbaronetto.com
Il Baronetto’s quiet side street is far less foul-smelling than other Pisan side streets, so it’s a good place for a nice lunch. The pizza menu is extremely diverse—pies come in a phenomenal 45 varieties, many of them under €6.
Off V. Curatone. From river, turn right. Cover €1.50. Pizza €4-8. Primi €7-10. Open M-Sa 8:30am-3:30pm and 5:30-9:30pm.
NIGHTLIFE
You really don’t need our help with this one. Pisa is jam-packed with bars and pubs, many of them quite cheap. Basically, if you are paying more than €2.50 for a bottle of beer, then you’d better really like the place. Florentine piazza-based nightlife is less popular here, if only because the piazze aren’t as pretty and the pubs are more plentiful. The main gathering spot, Piazza delle Vettogaglie, is a near-hidden square lined with small pubs, picnic tables, and cheap late-night food options.
BAZEEL
Lungarno Pacinotti 1
BAR
340 28 81 113 www.bazeel.it
A big corner bar on a major piazza, Bazeel dominates the scene around the Ponte di Mezzo, the most central of the centro bridges. When it’s hot, there are frozen cocktails (€6.50).
Just over the north side of the bridge. Beer €3-4.50. Open daily 2pm-2am.
AMALTEA
Lungarno Mediceo 49
BAR
050 58 11 29
Munch from a generous aperitivo buffet while watching the sun set over the river from this other piazza dominator with a gelateria conveniently located next door.
In P. Cairoli, on the river. Beer €3.50-4.50. Cocktails €4.50-6. Open daily 5pm-2am.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: The office at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II provides maps, an events calendar, and other assistance. (P. Vittorio Emanuele II 13 050 42 291 www.pisaunicaterra.it Open daily 9:30am-7:30pm.)
Emergency!
• POLICE: Polizia Locale for non-emergencies (050 58 35 11). Polizia Municipale (V. Cesare Battisti 71/72 050 91 08 11).
• LATE-NIGHT PHARMACIES: Lugarno Mediceo 51. (050 54 40 02 North shore of river, in the east. Open 24hr.)
• HOSPITALS/MEDICAL SERVICES: Santa Chiara provides emergency assistance. (V. Bonanno 050 99 21 11 Near P. del Duomo.)
Getting There
By Plane
Galileo Galilei Airport (050 84 93 00 www.pisa-airport.com) is so close to the city you could walk, but assuming you don’t want to do that, the train shuttle (€1.10) is only 5min. The shuttle arrives at platform 14 Pisa Centrale.
By Train
Pisa Centrale will be your main port of entry from other Italian destinations. (P. della Stazione 050 41 385 South of P. Vittorio Emanuele II.) Trains run to Florence ( €5.70. 60-80min., on the 32s and 54s 4:15am-1:12am.), Rome ( €17.85. 4hr., approx. every hr., 5:45am-7:56pm.), and Lucca. ( €5.10. 27min., approx. 2 per hr., 6:20am-9:50pm.)
By Bus
Lazzi (058 35 84 876 www.lazzi.it) and CPT (050 50 55 11 www.cpt.pisa) run buses that leave from and arrive in P. Sant’Antonio. (Ticket office open daily 7am-8:15pm.) To Florence ( €6.10. 2hr., 1 per hr.) and Lucca ( €2. 40min., 1 per hr.)
lucca
0583
Ask a native of Lucca to compare Florence to his beloved hometown, and he is likely to mutter dismissively about canine excrement. The fiercely proud Lucchesi have every reason to be protective of their little fortified Brigadoon, as it is everything Florence is not: musical, uncrowded, green, and slow-paced. You can throw away your map here and just get lost—the walls will keep you safe as you wander amid labyrinthine alleys, distinctive piazze, and bicycling Lucchesi balancing cappucinos. The amazingly intact 16th-century walls that hug the city not only provide a gorgeous 4km stroll, but also keep out most cars, generic trattorias, and two-days-per-country Round-the-Worlders. As the birthplace of Puccini, Lucca is also an extremely musical city, with at least one concert every day of the year—your first stop might be at one of the ubiquitous poster kiosks to find out which university choir is touring through town that day.
Let’s Go recommends staying at least a night or two in Lucca and using it as a base to visit Pisa rather than the other way around. You don’t want to miss the walls at sunset.
ORIENTATION
Lucca is not a place for checklist tourism. Whether you are here for an afternoon or a week, the best thing to do is get lost. Put a map in your pocket in case of emergency, resist the temptation to follow the stops of the carefully signposted Tourist Route, and have at it. You’ll find that despite the secret passages, hidden piazze, and winding alleys, these medieval streets are so distinctive that in a day you’ll know your way around.
To spell it out for you, Piazza Napoleone is in the south, a little west of the cathedral, and is a main entrance point through the city walls. Via Fillungo, lined with posh shops and department stores, runs roughly north-south. Piazza San Michele is in the center of the Roman section and left of center of the modern city. The other major gateway to the town is Piazzale Verdi in the west. If the streets seem like they are begining to spiral in on themselves, you are probably nearing the elliptical Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in the north. East of the canal on Via Del Fosso you’ll find the city’s “new” section—a 16th-century extension that does feel rather different from the original city’s grid. It’s also a bit more lived-in and every bit as lovely. The walls, of course, are all around you.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There’s just one hostel in town, but it’s big enough to accommodate everyone. You can also get a room at a great B and B for what you would’ve spent on a hostel in Florence.
LA GEMMA DI ELENA
V. Della Zecca 33
B AND B
0583 49 66 65 www.virtualica.it/gemma
Most B and Bs feel like they were decorated by a chintzy aunt. This one feels like it was decorated by that awesome guy from college who lived in Tibet and now edits an antiquing blog. It’s spacious yet cluttered in an utterly lived-in way, with colorful sarongs on the wall and a wind chime hanging from the chandelier.
Off of V. Del Fosso. Singles €35; doubles €55, with bath €65. In low season €5-10 less.
OSTELLO DELLA GIOVENTU (HI)
V. della Cavallerizza 12
HOSTEL
0583 46 99 57 www.ostellionline.org
Goodness knows why someone thought Lucca needed an enormous HI hostel, but that means all the more space for you! This former library has impossibly high ceilings and cavernous common spaces. If only there were more people to fill them.
Just past V. San Frediano. Dorms €18-22.
BAND B LA TORRE
V. del Carmine 11
B AND B
0583 95 70 44 www.roomslatorre.com
Small but tidy rooms feature brass beds and wicker furniture, but the real deal here is the apartment for two to four people that’s rented as part of the hotel. True story: the proprietor met h
is girlfriend when she stayed at La Torre...on Let’s Go’s recommendation. (Send your Let’s Go-enabled love stories to us at feedback@letsgo.com.)
Across from the Mercato. Singles €35, with bath €50; doubles €50/80; quads €120.
GUESTHOUSE SAN FREDIANO
V. Degli Angeli 19
B AND B
0583 46 96 30 www.sanfrediano.com
There’s nothing generic in this very personal B and B decorated with letters from former guests, photos of the owner’s family, and a mannequin wearing the military uniform of the guesthouse chef’s grandfather. The nine rooms have an Alpine lodge feel, with pointed wood-beam ceilings and the occasional skylight.
Off V. Cesare Battisti. Singles €40-50, with bath €60-70; doubles €50-70/70-95.
RELAIS SAN LORENZO
V. Cesare Battista 15
B AND B
0583 19 90 191 www.sanlorenzorelais.it
The rooms in this floral-scented B and B are named after Puccini operas, but you won’t find Mimi’s garret here. If you want to go all out, the suite is stunning.
Off V. San Giorgio. Singles €55-80; doubles €75-95; suite €130-140.
SIGHTS
This is not a city for tick-box tourism: the main sight is the town itself. Just go have a wander. We’re here if you want to read about the things you see.
THE WALLS
All around the city
WALLS
Some cities have a park. This park has a city. Lucca’s walls were built as fortification in the second half of the 16th century, an expansion of previous Roman and medieval walls. Despite all their ramparts, sally ports, and cavaliers, however, they never had to face an enemy worse than an 1812 flood. Metaphorically, the walls continue to be a defense—they protect this Tuscan Atlantis from the outside world, keeping this ancient, tiny city’s rhythm from being disrupted by the frantic tick-tock of tourism and modernity. “Once it was a place for military protection,” says the city’s official guide of the walls, “and now it protects memories.”
Walk away from the town center and you’re certain to hit them.
PIAZZA ANFITEATRO
In the north of the city
PIAZZA
If Lucca’s streets begin to seem like they’re curving in on themselves, you are probably nearing P. Anfiteatro. Once the site of a Roman amphitheater—hence the name—this is now simply an elliptical piazza. Which, when you think about it for a moment, is probably not something you’ve seen before. There’s nothing here except for a handful of nice trattorias and a Puccini gift shop, but the “square’s” artful shape alone makes it entirely worth seeking out.
Follow V. Fillungo to its northernmost point, to P. degli Scalpellini, there’s an entrance there.
TORRE DELL’ORE
V. Fillungo 24
TOWERS
The city of Lucca began renting Torre Dell’Ore to clock-runners in 1390, and it has told Lucca’s time ever since. The steep climb to the top takes you through the innards of a working timepiece, with all its mechanisms and bits on display. At the top, you’ll have an incredible view of this teeny walled city and the surrounding Tuscan hills.
Roughly in the center of the city. €3, students and over 65 €2. Open daily June-Sept 9:30am-7:30pm; Oct-May 9:30am-6:30pm.
PUCCINI OPERA
V. Santa Giustina 16
MUSEUM
0583 95 58 24 www.pucciniopera.it
Whether you’re a Puccini diehard or haven’t even seen RENT, this small and free exhibit should be mandatory viewing during a visit to Lucca. It’s only a couple rooms, but the texts go a long way towards explaining why Puccini is important to opera and his hometown.
Off P. San Salvatore. Free. Open M 10am-7pm, W-Su 10am-7pm.
ORTO BOTANICO
V. del Giardino Botanica 14
GARDEN
0583 44 21 61 www.comune.lucca.it
The Tuscans love their botanical gardens, even in cities that are already so green and beautiful that it’s almost besides the point. This one is superbly maintained, with a winding path up a little hill and a pond full of extremely vocal frogs. Friday evenings in the summer are the best times to visit thanks to the free performances in the courtyard.
In the southeast corner of the city. €3, under 14 and over 65 €2, disabled persons and 1 guest free. Open daily July-Sept 14 10am- 7pm; Sept 15-Oct 10am-5pm; Mar 20-Apr 10am-5pm; May-Jun 10am-6pm. Nov-Feb only available by reservation.
FOOD
Many of Lucca’s loveliest dining spots are tucked into alleyways and hidden courtyards, but at night they are easy to find. Just follow the candles or paper lanterns lining the sidewalk: they likely lead to a quiet and charming dinner spot.
SAN COLOMBANO
Baluardo di San Colombano
RISTORANTE, CAFETERIA
0583 46 46 41 www.caffetteriasancolombano.it
San Colombano is carved into the city walls, pretty cool, no? The Lucchese specialties are excellent—try the macaroni with gorgonzola and pear sauce. Bottles of wine will run you anywhere from €12 to €200.
In the walls in the southeast. Cover €2. Primi €7-9. Open Tu-F 8am-1am, Sa 8am-2am.
LUCCA IN TAVOLA
V. San Paolino 130/132
CAFE
347 81 55 631 www.luccaintavola.it
Diners are encouraged to draw on the plain brown placemats at this sidewalk cafe, and the walls are adorned with past visitors’ drawings of Lucca and love letters to the bruschetta (€4.50). Although the four-language menu and the location right off Piazzale Verdi would imply that Lucca in Tavola caters to tourists, the food is nonetheless excellent and cheap.
Just off Piazzale Verdi. Bruschettas €4.50. Pizza €5-6.50. Open daily 10am-11pm.
ANTICO SIGILLO
V. degli Angeli 13
RISTORANTE
0583 91 042 www.anticosigillo.it
Candles in white paper bags invite passersby on busy V. Fillungo to peer down a passageway and into a romantic courtyard. The restaurant proper is across the street, but the seating is nestled under the arches of the candle-lit courtyard.
Courtyard entrance off V. Fillungo. Cover €1.50. Primi €7-12. Chef’s specials €8-15. Open daily 2-11pm.
FUORI DI PIAZZA
P. Napoleone 16
PIZZERIA
0583 49 13 22
With beer available by the liter, this place would be listed under nightlife if only it were open later. No matter. For a €1 cover, you can sit right on P. Napoleone with your own personal tap and a giant pizza.
On P. Napoleone. Pizza €4.50-6.50. L of beer or wine €8. Open daily 10:30am-9:30pm.
GINO’S BAR
P. XX Septembre 4
RISTORANTE
335 70 15 311
The inside of Gino’s Bar is nothing much, but sitting on the raised deck while having a simple primi or a cocktail and watching everyone else hurrying around on the piazza is a thing of beauty.
Just off P. Napoleone. Primi €6-8. Cocktails €5. 0.5L wine €6. Open Tu-Su 11am-11pm.
NIGHTLIFE
Smatterings of nice bars and enoteche dot the old city, but areas of particular concentration include the intersection of V. Vittorio Veneto and C. Garibaldi, Piazza San Michele, and Piazza San Frediano.
ENTE ENTO
V. della Polveriera 8
ENOTECA
0583 14 52 21
There are a half dozen bars, pubs, and enoteche around the intersection of V. Veneto and C. Garibaldo, but the super-mod Ente Ento is our favorite. This enoteca fancies itself an old movie. The chic interior is entirely black and white, with glossy photos of Bogie and James Dean on the wall—a splash of red on Marilyn’s lips provides the space’s only dash of color.
Across from Baluardo Santa Maria. Bottled beer €4. Cocktails €5. Open M-Tu 7am-1am, Th-F 7am-1am, Sa 7am-2am, Su 7am-1am.
PULT
V. Fillungo
ENOTECA, RISTORANTE
0583 49 56 32 www.pult.it
You will pass PULT many times—its location in the center of V. Fillungo makes it hard to miss. This is definitely a place to hang out conspicuously. If you know anyone in Lucca, you’ll probably see him or her while you’re sitting here with a glass of wine, and you’ll certainly be seen by whoever walks by.
In the middle of V. Fillungo, more or less. Liqueurs €4. Bottled beer €5. Wine bottles €25. Primi €10-18. Open Tu-Su noon-3:30pm and 7:30-1am.
GELATERIA VENETA