Lucca – Day 3
Tuesday 9th June 2026
Out and about exploring Lucca via the City Walls. First stop was the Botanical Gardens. They are inside the old city and are very compact. I was surprised to find a Bunya pine. There were lots of magnolias, pines, camellias and sequoias. In the tropical section I discovered some cycads, zamias and stag horns all growing well.
Bunya pine
Inside a bastion
Whilst in the Botanical Gardens I could look inside one of the bastions. In the past they were used as armories, secure locations for soldiers and horse stables. Today they are used for one off events during festivals.
The round communication wells from the top of the bastion
Communication from the top of the bastion to the soldiers below inside the bastion was via a round opening or well. Perhaps they would be called bastion communication wells prior to the advent of Telecom Italia (TIM).
Continuing along the wall for the next 4 kms it was a very pleasant stroll under the shade of the tall plane trees.
One of the many towers of Lucca.
Palazzo Pfanner
another tower
A wall within a wall
An inside view of the walls and the tall, shady plane trees
A view of a city street within the old walls
Perhaps the world’s smallest roundabout!
The old city with the Guinigi Tower in the background
The pretty window boxes
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