Travel Italy, Lucca and Tuscan Riviera

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Many Italian towns are unbearable in summer. Look at sweltering Florence, suffocating under the weight of tourists, or that towered floozie San Gimignano, which seems to greet all with a permanent sneer. But not Lucca. This walled city, to the east of Pisa, has managed to keep its dignity intact. It not only has all the attractions we take for granted on a Tuscan holiday travel - good food, lashings of culture, great scenery - it is a shortish drive from some of Italy's most fashionable resorts.

The sun: The Tuscan coast is less than 30 km from Lucca, but the traffic can be bad in high summer - best to travel very early or very late in the day. That's the bad new. The good news is that once you're there, you've two choices: to go posh or go public. Forte dei Marmi, a leisurely people-watching kind of town. The bagni are not cheap, but for UKL25-UKL50 a day, you get beach chairs, loungers, a changing cabin and an umbrella. If that seems too regimented, there's a public beach at Viale Europa, between Viareggio and Torre del Lago. 7/10

The countryside: To the north, the Garfagnana offers excellent hill-walking, with meadows and forests, forgotten valleys and challenging peaks. There are isolated villages such as medieval Barga, with its 12th-century cathedral; small spa towns such as Bagni di Lucca, with its thermal baths; and lovely Romanesque churches. Wherever you are, local restaurants serve up meaty mushroomy roasts. The tourist office in Catelnuovo di Garfagnana (00 39 0583 65169) can suggest walking itineraries guides and riding and cycling options. 9/10

The culture: Lucca is the birthplace of Puccini (you can see his house on Via di Poggio). It has a lovely cathedral and, in San Michele, a beautifully ornate church. The 16th-century city walls have survived intact, and a passeggiata along them is essential (allow about two hours). Puccini dominates the culture landscape here, so why not time your visit and travel with the festival that bears his name, held every July and August. This year's line-up includes Tosca, La Boheme and Madama Butterfly. It is held in the open-air lakeside theatre at nearby Torre del Lago. More on Puccini Festival.

The activity: As well as walking and seaside watersports at Viareggio, you'll find golf, tennis and riding nearby. The nearest golf course is in Forte dei Marmi; for riding, try Club Ippico Lucchese (00 39 0583 467054). You can trade serves at Tennis al Poggio (00 39 0583 316444), but their English is limited - ask the Turismo at Piazza Guidiccioni (00 39 0583 919931) to book on your behalf. 7/10

(This article is taken from The Sunday Times Travel Magazine)

Alan Aldana