3. Lucca
Most visitors choose Pisa when they’re in Northern Tuscany, desperately seeking that iconic shot of the Leaning Tower. However, don’t overlook this pretty Renaissance town at the foot of the Apuan Alps. It can be a great base from which to explore Pisa, Florence and other Tuscan towns, but has its own appeal too. As you might expect there are countless churches, cathedrals, piazzas and clock towers giving the cobblestoned city a historical pedigree. Lucca is one of the rare enclosed cities with its walls intact. No longer a military blockade, today’s top of the walls are a pedestrian promenade where people traverse the town by foot or by bike. The views of the city and surrounding countryside from up there are spectacular, and best enjoyed with a gelato in hand.