An ancient Roman town and birthplace of the composer Giacomo Puccini, Lucca is one of the few towns in Italy that still has its defensive fortifications intact.
Inside the walls lies a living museum of 14th-19th century, terracotta roofed stoned houses, villas, secret gardens and courtyards, woven together by narrow traffic-free cobbled streets and impressive piazzas. The most interesting of these squares is Piazza San Michele with its white limestone mediaeval church.