Beyond the walls: the province of Lucca, from the coast to the mountains.

The walls of Lucca are not just a monument: they are the border that for centuries separated the walled city from the territory it controlled. Understanding this border helps to understand a common confusion among those arriving from outside: when a local says "I'm from Lucca," they may be referring to the small historical center surrounded by the walls. 4.2 km of wall, or to any of them 33 municipalities that form the province of Lucca, a territory that stretches from the plains to the Garfagnana mountains. It's an ambiguity with historical roots: for centuries the Republic of Lucca controlled a much larger area than the walled perimeter suggests, and this past still shapes how people identify with the region.

Within the Comune di Lucca itself, right around the walls, are the neighborhoods where the city is lived in on a daily basis: Saint Markresidential and wooded, Sant'Anna, with markets and schools that do not depend on tourist flow, and San Concordio and Orange, more modern. Further into the rural territory, one finds the frazioni, smaller villages linked to the municipality but with their own church, square, and festival, such as Bridge in Morianoon the banks of the Serchio, Nozzano, with its medieval castle, and Mount San Quirico.

Leaving the Comune di Lucca, the province opens up into 32 others, each with very distinct personalities: Viareggioon the coast, Camaiore, between the sea and the hills, Altopascio, on the plain to the east, and Pietrasanta, known for its art galleries and marble. Scattered throughout this territory are also some of the most beautiful borghi in Tuscany, historic villages with narrow streets and stone houses that have survived centuries virtually intact: Stable, perched on a hill of Garfagnana, Monte Carlo, surrounded by vineyards and famous for its white wine, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the former administrative capital of the region, and Borgo a Mozzano, crossed by the famous Ponte della Maddalena, also called Devil's BridgeIt's worth setting aside time for at least one village, even if it's off the beaten track: that's where the less-filtered side of Italy usually appears.