Property for Sale in Lucca

Sometimes overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, Pisa and Florence, Lucca is a wonderous location to buy a property. It is a city and commune in Tuscany. While the countryside boasts of beautiful rolling hills, the city itself is flat, it sits on a plain at the foot of the Apaun Alps. Impressively, Lucca is one of only four Italian cities to have preserved fully intact its ancient Renaissance walls. The walls date all the way back to the 15th century. Not only are these walls beautiful to behold, but as they are 4.2km long, the tops have been made into a park with trees, paths and benches to enjoy. Imagine swapping your daily walk for one on top of an ancient Renaissance wall! Another lovely place for a walk is the Botanical Garden, it houses the biggest collection of medicinal plants in Italy. While the splendid baroque town garden of Palazzo Pfanner starred alongside Nicole Kidman in The Portrait of a Lady (1996).

As well as its walls, Lucca is famous for being the “city of a hundred churches”, because of (you guessed it) the many religious buildings. The most well-known is the San Martino Cathedral. It is the oldest basilica in Tuscany, as it dates all the way back to the 6th century, though it was rebuilt in the 11th. One of the largest churches in the city is the Church of San Frediano. Its façade is stunningly decorated with mosaics. Other favourites include the Church of San Michele al Faro and the Church of Saint Mary of the Rose.

During the Medieval period in Lucca, owning a tall tower was a demonstration of how prestigious your family were. As such, Lucca is home to incredible tall towers. The tallest of which is the Torre dell’Orologio located in Via Fillungo. Built in the 13th century, this clock tower boasts of a 50-metre height. Or, if you feel like climbing it for some of the most superb views in all of Lucca, that’s 207 steps. While the Gothic Romanesque Torre Guinigi might catch your curiosity due to the sight of holme oaks on top.

In addition to towers and churches, Lucca is the birthplace of world-class composer Giacomo Puccini, and you can visit his childhood home. Then, for some true extravagance, the Palazzo Mani Museum is a lavish palace dating to the 1500s. History enthusiasts will also enjoy a trip (or even looking at property) in the hilltop town of Barga, included in the list of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.

If you love festival season in the UK but would rather jump around in the Italian sunshine than the slightly unpredictable British sunny drizzle, then you will love owning a home in Lucca, as it hosts the Lucca Summer Festival every July.  

From May to October, you can anticipate temperatures that sit in the low twenties. July and August are the hottest months with highs of 30°C. The cold season lasts from about November through to March, with January seeing highs of just 11°C.

One of the greatest things about Lucca is that is so well-connected. It is just 30 minutes from Pisa international airport (or 40 minutes by train). Plus, there is plenty of opportunity to hop on a train and explore Florence, Siena and the pretty hilltop villages. Just half an hour away Lucca city, lies the charming seaside town of Viareggio.

If you are interested in purchasing a village house in need of renovation, these can be found for as little as €50,000. A village house that requires little work can be purchased for upwards of €150,000. Moreover, farmhouses for sale in Lucca come with features like wooden beams, cosy fireplaces, olive groves and vineyards. Meanwhile, elegant apartments situated within the city walls come with a high price tag. A little way out of the city walls and you can find wonderfully spacious family villas.