The City of a Hundred Churches
Yoga in Lucca
Photo on Unsplash
One of Italy's best-preserved medieval cities, encircled by Renaissance walls that have become a tree-lined promenade.
Lucca is a jewel of medieval Tuscany, famous for its remarkably intact Renaissance walls: 4 kilometres of 16th-century fortifications now transformed into a unique elevated park where locals cycle, jog, and stroll beneath ancient trees.
Within the walls, discover a maze of narrow streets opening onto spectacular squares. The oval Piazza dell'Anfiteatro follows the exact footprint of the Roman amphitheatre it replaced. Climb the Guinigi Tower with its rooftop garden of holm oaks for breathtaking city views.
Lucca was home to composer Giacomo Puccini, and music still fills the air, especially during the summer Lucca Summer Festival and the autumn Lucca Comics & Games, Europe's largest comics convention.
The city's peaceful atmosphere and walkable scale make it perfect for combining culture with yoga. Practice in your hotel garden before exploring Romanesque churches and artisan workshops, then reward yourself with buccellato, Lucca's traditional sweet bread.
Practising yoga here
Lucca is one of my favourite places in the region. Practising yoga in Lucca might mean a morning flow within sight of the Renaissance walls, a session in a garden or on a villa terrace in the surrounding hills, or a restorative practice after a day cycling the ramparts. It's an effortlessly calm setting for yoga.
I travel to Lucca and its countryside for private one-to-one classes tailored to your level, and, for a celebration, the yoga and wine experience works beautifully here, gentle practice followed by a sommelier-led tasting of Colline Lucchesi wines at a local winery. Tell me where you're staying in or around Lucca, Italy.
Food & Wine
Lucca's culinary traditions include tordelli (meat-filled pasta), garmugia (spring vegetable soup), and the sweet buccellato bread. The hills of Lucca produce fine wines. Ask about Colline Lucchesi DOC.
Explore wine experiences on VinoingDon't Miss
- Walk or cycle the Renaissance walls
- Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
- Guinigi Tower rooftop garden
- Puccini's birthplace museum
Yoga in Lucca
Staying in the area? I bring yoga directly to your villa, hotel, or accommodation. Or practice with me at my studio in nearby San Giuliano Terme.
Book NowLocal guide: I live in this area and can recommend the best restaurants, wineries, and local experiences. I'm also a sommelier, so ask me about the region's wines! I also offer interpreting services for visitors exploring the area.
