Cycling in Lucca, Italy: 10 Must-See Climbs

Lucca is a small, bike-friendly town in northwestern Tuscany with Renaissance-era city walls that remain entirely intact. Just north of Pisa, it’s nearly equidistant from the Tyrrhenian seaside and the peaks of the Apuan Alps.

Introduced to pro cycling by World Tour riders and Tour de France legends, Lucca has a rich and storied history. Its international pro-athlete headcount has dropped but the local community of fanatical amateur and recreational riders never cease to flood the streets each weekend.

It’s an elegant, livable town, plus the terrain and typical Mediterranean climate encourage an active lifestyle. The summers, from mid-June to the end of August, are hot (up to 38 degrees Celsius), and the winters are mild but can be wet. Spring and autumn are lovely in Lucca but keep in mind that the best way to avoid the rain is by visiting in the heat of the summer.

The Lay of Lucca’s Lands

The full 360-degree radius beyond the 4.4 km city wall is a two-wheeled wonder. From Aqueduct-lined bike paths and flat plains to rolling hills and alpine climbs, cycling in Lucca guarantees something special, including for you.

There are as many roads as there are remarkable Italian wines. I’ve rolled up my sleeves and ridden nearly every one (I’ll do anything for a worthy cause). Ascents are decidedly the most picturesque, so allow me to lay out what cycling in Lucca has to offer.  

First things first: Climbs around Lucca are like outfits. Choose one based on your mood, your schedule, and the occasion. There’s no hierarchy in paradise, so take the numbers with levity. Here are ten (of many) to get your wheels turning.

10. Fiano

4.9 kilometers, average 5.5%

A local treasure, Fiano is the good ol’ faithful of Lucca cycling. Being 12 km away and easily reached doesn’t diminish its fascination (beauty is never far). Like a charm bracelet, Fiano is only complete with accessories like Passo Lucchese, Passo Sella or Fondagno.

9. Aquilea

2.9 kilometers, average 6.5%

A friend owns a restored farmhouse near Aquilea and he brags about having the best, “non-industrial” views in the vicinity of Lucca. He’s not wrong but I’d argue that he’s not right either. He’s a skilled writer and the most charming host a group of guests could ask for, but he’s limited in his local lore because he’s not a cyclist. Ride any of the three roads carved into the Aquilea and Mammoli hillside and you’ll find out that he’s indeed not wrong.

8. Monte Serra

8.4 kilometers, average 7%

Mount Serra is Pisa’s pride and joy. It’s their only mountain and with an ancient history of animosity, they’ll never let you begin to imagine it belongs to the Lucchesi. It can be “mounted” three ways to the same summit: Buti, Calci, and Sant’Andrea di Compito. All three merit exploration, but note that Sant’Andrea (nearest to Lucca) is the longest and most challenging ascent. The view from the Calci side of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Pisa’s sprawl, and even the Leaning Tower on a clear day can transcend your suffering — if only you’ll allow yourself to see it.

7. Matraia

3.2 kilometers, average 6.6%

Matraia, named after the town, is one of several ultra-scenic climbs that start from the Plain of Lucca and wind partway up the Pizzorne foothills. Each ascent meets a road that circles the hillside from Matraia to Collodi (where Pinocchio was written). From Collodi, you could continue onto Pescia, Montecarlo or ride up the mountainside to either the peaks of Pizzorne or Trebbio. A route with this climb, Lovely Lucca Hills, is up for grabs (free) inside my Tuscany Route Collection.

6. San Baronto

3.9 kilometers, average 7.2%

Consider San Baronto a stairway to heaven where bicycles coast on clouds and cars and motorcycles are prohibited. It’s where one can ride all day without threat of crisi di fame (crises of hunger). If not heaven, then surely enlightenment. San Baronto raises you to the ridge where Leonardo da Vinci conceived the Mona Lisa. More accurately, it’s where Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452. Remember to take a selfie in appreciation of cultural, societal and creative advancements during the Renaissance (preferably with a stick).

5. Cappella

4.7 kilometers, average 6.5%

Six kilometers from Lucca, Cappella is Via Michele Rosi on Friday and Saturday nights, aka where Lucca’s entire twenty-something population hangs. If you haven’t left it all out on the road, then Cappella is your final chance for redemption before your afternoon engagements. Between 11 am and 1 pm on weekends, you’ll be among family folk squeezing in one last climb before lunch. A solid final effort on Cappella will merit an entire afternoon lazing semi-conscious at the Versilian seaside.

4. Passo Sella from Fabbriche di Vallico

7.7 kilometers, average 6%

Passo Sella is one of the main entry points into the Apuan Alps from Lucca. The descent, or, in this case, ascent, from the eastern Garfagnana side through Fabbriche di Vallico is marvellously picturesque. It starts with three short, well-lit tunnels and runs parallel to a valley floor with a river running through it. 

At the tiny hamlet of Gragliana, the road splits with a longer, tougher climb via Pascoso or the so-called “shortcut” through Foccia. If you’re suffering from stress, grief or a broken heart, come to the Apuan Alps. Mountains mend what life unravels.

3. Capezzano

5 kilometers, average 6.6%

Growing up in North America, watching TGIF programming while eating Doritos gave me the discernment to know that Pietrasanta is a highly cultured place. The nearby marble quarries attract sculptors from around the globe and the main square is the place to showcase their artistic prowess. Grab a coffee and a pastry in the square before zig-zagging your way up the hillside to a lookout with views of Pietrasanta and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the horizon.

2. Pitoro

3.9 kilometers, average 5.2%

Monte Pitoro was the first climb I rode in Italy, and it also happened to steal my heart. It’s a striking local climb that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea. Like Fiano, you’ll stack Pitoro with other climbs, a lot like you’d construct a LEGO castle. The weekday lunch ride (that meets at St. Anne’s Church at 13:00) leads a daily death march up Pitoro. There’s some traffic to navigate but that never seems to slow anyone down. The “A” group meets 15 minutes later and if the ex-pros show up, don’t expect anyone to wait.

1. Vergemoli

2.9 kilometers, average 6.8%

You’ll find this slice of heaven via Passo Sella or Garfagnana. The road brings you around the Pania della Croce, Panie being a series of peaks in the Apuan Alps and Croce trumps them all. It’s a jewel of a place. If you can dedicate a day to Vergemoli, don’t pass it up. Remember to take a slight detour for lunch in Barga and fill up on pasta (you’ll burn through kilojoules at the rate Juan Pelota did EPO).

Sold on Cycling in Lucca?

Get a head start with a self-guided 47-kilometer route through Lucca’s most scenic landscapes. Or hire the fine company of a qualified and skilled Top Guide. Leisurely or epic, my job is to make cycling in Lucca your fondest memory of Italy (guided or self-guided).

But Wait, There’s More (than Lucca, Italy)!

Lucca is the cycling home base in Tuscany that makes human hearts sing. Garfagnana, the Cinque Terre, Florence, Chianti and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are at most a two-hour drive. And if you stay inside or near Lucca’s uber livable historic center, you’re better off without a rental car.

The train station is 350 meters from the wall (tickets available on the Trenitalia website and app). As for airports, Pisa’s Galileo Galilei is just 33 km away and Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci is 70 km away. Should you plan to sink hours into the bike (I don’t judge), you’ll be pleased to know that Lucca also offers a host of things to do for non-cyclists. 😉