How best to get around the city and where to buy tickets for public transport?
On foot
The best way to get around Lucca is definitely on your own two feet.
The centre is small, compact and flat, so you won't get particularly tired and you'll see everything. The tangle of narrow streets may look a bit confusing, but the street network is actually planned so that whichever direction you take, you'll reach some of the major sights.
The inner part of the centre is roughly 1,200 metres from north to south, and roughly 1,600 metres from east to west.
Public bus
If you happen to want to venture outside of the historic centre, or perhaps you're in a hurry to catch a train, you can take advantage of the public transport buses and minibuses that also pass right through the central part of the historic centre.
Especially useful will be the three backbone bus lines LAM Verde, LAM Blu and LAM Rossa, which run every 10-15 minutes.
Timetables can be found on the at-bus.it website, click on the "Lucca Urbano" tab.
The ticket is always valid for 70 minutes, during which you can use the bus as many times as you like. Cost 1,50 eur and you can buy it at any newsagent, of which there are many in Lucca.
You can also buy tickets on the At-Bus mobile app.
Buses and trains around the area
If you want to go from Lucca to the surrounding area, especially to the mountains, and you don't have a car, use the intercity buses or the train.
You can use the trains especially for journeys along the Serchio River valley towards the north. A popular destination is, for example, the medieval stone bridge in the village of Borgo a Mozzano.
Tickets can be bought from the vending machine at the station, and you can find connections on trenitalia.com.
Buses are mainly used for trips to the mountain villages, all intercity lines leave from the bus station in Piazzale Verdi, where you can also buy tickets at the office. You can also buy them on the At-Bus mobile app.
Then check the timetables again on the at-bus.it website under "Lucca Extraurbano".
