Lucca on the Via Francigena

You can reach Lucca — a popular starting point for a section of the Via Francigena — by plane, train, bus or car. Many pilgrims arrive here to begin walking a popular segment such as the Tuscan or Italian section. The guide below details the nearest airports, train and bus connections, driving directions, and where the walking route begins. The nearest major airport is Pisa International Airport (PSA). From there, take the 'PisaMover' shuttle to Pisa Centrale and board a direct regional train to Lucca, taking about 30 minutes total. Lucca station is well-connected to the national network. Frequent regional trains ar

Lucca has served as a vital pilgrimage hub since medieval times. Set within remarkably intact Renaissance walls, the city houses the Volto Santo in the Cathedral of San Martino, a revered wooden crucifix venerated by travelers across Europe for centuries. Its rich network of historic churches, hospitals, and services continues to offer weary pilgrims a welcoming refuge before they journey deeper into Tuscany.

The stretch from Lucca to Siena is widely considered the most scenic and popular walking section along the entire Italian Via Francigena. Covering roughly 133 kilometers over about a week of walking, it guides pilgrims across classic Tuscan landscapes, passing vineyards, rolling hills, and historic medieval towns such as San Miniato and San Gimignano.

Pilgrims should not miss the Cathedral of San Martino to venerate the Volto Santo and inspect its famous carved pillar labyrinth. Other essential stops include the Basilica of San Frediano with its golden mosaic facade, the Church of San Michele in Foro, the panoramic Guinigi Tower crowned with oak trees, and a stroll around Piazza dell'Anfiteatro or along the tree-lined Renaissance city walls.

Leaving Lucca via Porta Elisa, the next official stage heads southeast toward Altopascio. This relatively flat walk covers roughly 18.5 kilometers across the Lucchese plain, passing quiet villages and Romanesque churches. Altopascio itself is historically significant, famously developed around a medieval hospital center established by the Order of the Tau to protect and shelter pilgrims.

Yes, Lucca is exceptionally walker-friendly. The historic center is mostly flat, pedestrian-oriented, and measures barely a kilometer across within the defensive ramparts. The broad, elevated Renaissance walls now serve as a continuous, tree-shaded ring park that offers gentle walking and pleasant elevated views of the town’s medieval towers, church facades, and quiet side streets.