Lonely Planet Experiences: Lucca Aperitivo Adventure
Lucca, Italy
From USD 78.28
Office phone number: +39 340 464 1267
Lonely Planet Experiences: Lucca Aperitivo Adventure
Lucca, Italy
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
The flavours, the aromas, the colours, the smiles… they’re all part of life in Lucca! Learn more about the city as you sip your way through narrow streets and medieval squares. Artisanal beer, local wines, and even a top-secret liqueur will have you thirsty for more Lucca!
Experience the best travel stories for yourself. Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this city adventure hand-picked by the world's leading travel publisher. Lonely Planet Experiences powered by Urban Adventures bring stories to life in the best-loved cities around the globe.
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Highlights
- Get a literal taste for life in Lucca by participating in the aperitivo tradition
- Sample Tuscan bread, Pecorino cheese, cured ham, and more!
- Indulge in Montecarlo red and white wines, artisan beer, and the secret-recipe local liqueur
- Uncover hidden corners of this medieval city
- Relax under a setting sun at a bar in the magnificent Amphitheatre Square
- Each Lonely Planet Experience comes with six-months free access to Lonely Planet’s Guides App which includes over 8,000 destinations guides and unbeatable discounts to Lonely Planet Guidebooks
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- By joining this adventure and participating in the aperitivo tradition, you will experience real local life because this pre-dinner ritual in Lucca is very popular and an important aspect of life in Italy.
- During your tour there will be three different stops which each represent different ways to do an "aperitivo" in town. By visiting these venues, we are supporting local vendors and promoting local produce.
- From artisan beer and red wine from the Montecarlo wine area, to Tuscan bread, locally-cured meats and pecorino cheese produced in the nearby Garfagnana area, everything you sample on this tour is a true representation of local cuisine
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Schedule details
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Meeting point:
At the entrance to Lucca train station, under the taxi sign
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 5.30 PM
- Ending point:
Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, food samples (selection of local cured meats and cheese, buffet of local snacks), 2 glasses of wine or beer, small glass of local liquor.
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities for the guide.
This Lucca tour is all about experiencing the city the real way, by becoming a local for a day! Italy is famed for the importance it places on food and drink, so of course, we’ll learn about (and taste!) lots of it as we go. And along the way, we’ll uncover majestic city walls, narrow roads, tall towers, and arts and crafts shops. You’ll also realise why Lucca is known as the city of 100 churches.
Your Lucca tour will start at the city’s train station, and from there we’ll walk past the majestic city walls and enjoy a view of Lucca before diving into local life. We’ll head to the city centre, where the beautiful Romanesque marble Cathedral stands.
Our first food stop will be in a local bakery where we will try cecina, a traditional focaccia bread with unexpected ingredients, alongside a glass of Italian beer.
We’ll then head to a favourite local spot: San Michele in Foro Square. This is where locals come to meet up with one another, typically for a friendly chat in a nice coffee bar.
Lucca’s locals love going for aperitivo after work — meeting with friends and spending a few hours indulging in a glass of good wine and some savoury snacks. And because this tour is all about showing you local life, of course our first stop will be an old vineria, a small wine bar typical of the Tuscan tradition, where we’ll order a glass of wine with a snack.
After a few minutes of walking through the attractive streets, wewill reach Amphitheatre Square, the only oval square in Italy that takes the place of the typical Roman amphitheatre. We’ll finally relax with a glass of wine or artisan beer produced in the Garfagnana mountains — and, of course, you can’t sample Italian wine or beer without a side of cured meats and pecorino cheese. And if you want to truly go local, then we invite you to try the typical liqueur of Lucca, Biadina, made from a secret recipe and served with pine nuts.
Your tour ends here but feel free to hang around, order another drink and soak up the lively atmosphere of the square. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for more tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay in lovely Lucca.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, food samples (selection of local cured meats and cheese, buffet of local snacks), 2 glasses of wine or beer, small glass of local liquor.
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities for the guide.
Dress standard: Please wear casual dress and comfortable shoes for walking.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +39 340 464 1267
Email address: info@luccaurbanadventures.com
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