Lucca: all to be discovered – shopping, typical stores and anecdotes

Within the years shops have been substituted by commercial stores which are present, by now, all over Italy. But still some typical shops with characteristic furnishings exist in the area of the Roman quadrilateral where cardoon and decuman meet – we find in Via Santa Lucia the steam bakery Giusti, opened since 1823, where you may taste a crunchy “focaccia”; the shop “Prospero”, which sells grains, spices, vines and oils of excellent quality. Next to it you will see “Chiasso Barletti”, a historical lane with small handicraft shops which are a visit worth (“chiasso” means narrow and short alley, not so popular, often badly cobbled and dirty, marked sometimes by “voltoni” or overpasses; it could be public or private, i.e. in the inner of a single family courtyard and was consisting of small lanes with lateral graves in which rubbish browsed).

Strolling along the lanes, a famous guide said always: turn your nose up in order to admire the antique symbolic signs of history, last over, till today, on top of shop facades.

Walking towards “Piazza San Michele”, to the left you will find “Caffè Taddeucci”, known for its “Buccellato”, said “buccellatum” in ancient Rome (in orther words: crown of bread): Lucca’s buccellato of today maintains a form of a ring-shaped cake – it is a sweet bread rich of raisins and a strong smell of aniseed. It has ancient origins and every pastry shop and any respected Lucchesian family keep of different recipe from other families considered to be a precious secret.

Next to Taddeucci glimpses the ancient pharmacy Massagli famous for the invention of quinine cordial – liquor obtained by a fusion of official aromatic herbs and cinchona; ideal as a digestive or aperitif. To the right there is “Tista” – today a clothing shop but with furnishings dating back more than a century. At the time there was a shop “drogheria liquori and filati” (grocery, liquors and spun material) an errand boy (nick name Tista) was responsible for the pouring. The farmers from the nearby animal market would come here to buy various goods such as ropes, cotton etc. but also to finalize purchase and sale’s contracts of “biada” (here the origin of “Biadina”) fodder for horses and cows. At the conclusion of the contract a toast was made with a full glass of liquor – left overs of different liquors – created by the shop owner and served at the counter by Mr. Tista, who inherited the secret recipe.

Proceeding in Via Fillungo, you will find the ancient „Caffè di Simo” (today closed and abandoned) – used to be the most elegant Coffee bar of Lucca – Giacomo Puccini with his cigar loved to sit here – today unfortunately you can admire only the shop window and sign. In front there is “Carli” well-known jewellery shop, famous for its antique pieces of jewellery and its original shop windows dating back 1860, that known to be mentioned in the New York Times.

The most important monument, speaking for its dimension, is of course the Renaissance town wall, built in a circle, surrounding the historical centre. Made for a defensive purpose, converted in a stroll in 1800, goal to be a spacious public park, above all because of its length of more than 4 kilometers. The new rule of the town wall was also retraced to the external parts of the wall, converted into big lawns. The itinerary on top of the wall is used for strolls, activities, stage for natural sights and events.

Lucca – catholic city par excellence, with more than 100 churches; the most important to visit are: the cathedral of San Martino, the church of San Frediano and San Michele. Among the monumental squares we recommend Piazza Anfiteatro, the towers (delle Ore and Guinigi), the botanical garden and the Guinigi Museum.