Lucca
in Tuscany

To pedestrians, Bar Pietrasantese might look like any other sun-soaked piazza spot, but with warm Italian hospitality, an extensive list of cocktails, and a secret bar to boot, it's the perfect spot for a late-afternoon Aperol Spritz. Keep this one to yourself, grazie.

The best pizza in Lucca. High-quality local ingredients, hand-thrown dough and a young, fun crowd. With a Michelin-backed chef, even the most traditional dishes have a special touch – the Pizza Amatriciana and creative white pizzas come highly recommended. Avoid missing out by booking ahead of time; it is often packed with tourists and locals alike, and live DJ sets on the weekends make it the place to be in the tranquil Lucchesian landscape. 

Caffè Santa Zita is a charming café with a terrace overlooking the San Frediano Basilica. It's the perfect place to start your day with a good cappuccino and a homemade cornetto.

Magalleno is effortlessly laid-back – exposed brick walls, eclectic antique furniture, a marble checkerboard floor and warm backlighting that frames an enormous bar; it's the kind of place you come for a meandering nightcap with close friends. Mixologist Lucca Belli does not come to play, crafting and muddling unique and unpredictable, yet perfectly balanced concoctions like one with chicory, mezcal and Granny Smith or his take on a whiskey old-fashioned, complete with a lapsang souchong ice ball. 

Ristorante Lorenzo is the grand dame of Forte dei Marmi dining – white-tableclothed elegance and polished service set the tone for an evening of quiet glamour. The plating is exquisite, the flavours are impeccable – crudo so fresh it tastes of the Tyrrhenian, pastas dressed simply but perfectly, and a cellar stacked with Tuscan vintages that locals guard like secrets. The crowd is as polished as the plates: elegant, sun-kissed regulars and a scattering of international names who slip in without fanfare. There are no theatrics, just flawless cooking, a room that glows in candlelight, and a sense that everyone present is exactly where they want to be.

Just a short walk from the stunning San Frediano basilica, Santa Goccia Vineria is a welcome addition to the local wine scene. This charming wine shop and bar boasts an impressive selection of wines, highlighting biodynamic offerings from the picturesque Lucchesia plains alongside intriguing selections from various regions in Italy and beyond.

In the folds of the Tuscan hills, Tenuta di Tramonte keeps things quietly authentic. Still family-owned after generations, it’s all frescoed ceilings, timeworn furniture, and views that roll from vineyard to olive grove. Days slip by over long, lazy lunches and lamp-lit dinners where the estate’s own produce is the star of the menu – a farm-to-table à la carte by day, and a tasting menu that channels the best of the season by night.

A cosy wine bar at the top of Via della Zecca in the heart of Lucca, Vinaiolo offers wine by the glass – including an interesting rosé Primitivo – and a great atmosphere late into the evening. It can get pretty full, so be sure to arrive in good time after dinner. Or grab an aperativo as you wander through the historic piazzas to your dinner reservation.