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Getting There
You really need a car if you are to explore the area, and it needs to be a small car to comfortably navigate the lane up to the house, and to explore some of the rural villages.
Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet2, Thompson and British Airways fly to Pisa airport from the UK. A website/App called "skyscanner" will guide you through price comparisons. Beware midnight arrivals; only the 'big-name' car rental offices are open for an hour after the last flight arrival. We have found it economical to book a car hire when buying your air-ticket. Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar and all the other usual suspects are at the airport. Some of the lesser known names are off-site. We have successfully used SurPrice as an economical alternative.
You can get from the airport to Lucca by motorway or across country, skirting Pisa. You will need a few euros (€2.40) to use the motorway. Exiting the car hire depot follow the green signs for Lucca (left at the roundabout) On the motorway, follow signs for, firstly, Genova and then Firenze, taking the first Lucca exit. Soon after leaving the motorway toll booth, bear left onto a large roundabout, at which you need the second exit, heading into town.
If you prefer the scenic route (no time saved either way) or you have no euros turn right at the car hire depot roundabout and follow the blue signs for Pisa Nord-Est and Lucca (SS12). You will join a motorway (Fi-Pi-Li, No tolls) for about 1 Km before taking the first turn off (Pisa Nord-Est) and doubling back on yourself, immediately turning right for Pisa Nord-Est. Keep following the SS12 for Lucca. You will need to keep your eyes peeled as some of the signs are not easily visible, especially at night. There is a particularly difficult-to-spot left turn just after a medical centre (Quercalia). You will eventually (30 minutes) reach the same roundabout at Lucca as those who use the motorway. You won’t mistake it, there is an aeroplane in the middle.
If you are driving from North West Italy you will come down the motorway from Genova, exit left (A11) toward Firenze, take the first or second exit for Lucca, and arrive at the same roundabout.
Coming via Milan, head south on the A1. Just before Parma, exit to La Spezia and then, as you reach La Spezia turn left onto the E80 from Genova. Exit left onto the A11 (to Firenze), take the first or second exit for Lucca, and arrive at the same roundabout.
If you are coming from Florence (Firenze) it might be wiser to take either Lucca exit from the motorway and end up at the same roundabout. There is a shorter route from the Capannori exit but that requires a very up-to-date satnav and/or navigator.
From this aircraft-sprouting roundabout you need to follow the blue signs for ‘SS12 Abetone’, circling the mediaeval walls in a clockwise direction. The exit to Abetone is at the third roundabout. Follow the dead straight SS12 out of town arriving at a big roundabout. (Here note the large ESSELUNGA supermarket opposite. If you need shopping, here might be a good place to try.) Take the third exit, still the SS12 to Abetone, cross the river and bear right along the Serchio valley. After a series of tunnels you keep left (for Abetone) and cross the river underneath the main road. You pass the mediaeval ‘Devil’s Bridge’ and then, by now about 30 minutes out of Lucca, you enter ‘Bagni di Lucca’.
Unfortunately the google map above doesn't show the lane up to the house (perhaps because of the trees). We will give precise directions as and when required. If you use 'Waze' we are marked as 'via paretaio'
Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet2, Thompson and British Airways fly to Pisa airport from the UK. A website/App called "skyscanner" will guide you through price comparisons. Beware midnight arrivals; only the 'big-name' car rental offices are open for an hour after the last flight arrival. We have found it economical to book a car hire when buying your air-ticket. Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar and all the other usual suspects are at the airport. Some of the lesser known names are off-site. We have successfully used SurPrice as an economical alternative.
You can get from the airport to Lucca by motorway or across country, skirting Pisa. You will need a few euros (€2.40) to use the motorway. Exiting the car hire depot follow the green signs for Lucca (left at the roundabout) On the motorway, follow signs for, firstly, Genova and then Firenze, taking the first Lucca exit. Soon after leaving the motorway toll booth, bear left onto a large roundabout, at which you need the second exit, heading into town.
If you prefer the scenic route (no time saved either way) or you have no euros turn right at the car hire depot roundabout and follow the blue signs for Pisa Nord-Est and Lucca (SS12). You will join a motorway (Fi-Pi-Li, No tolls) for about 1 Km before taking the first turn off (Pisa Nord-Est) and doubling back on yourself, immediately turning right for Pisa Nord-Est. Keep following the SS12 for Lucca. You will need to keep your eyes peeled as some of the signs are not easily visible, especially at night. There is a particularly difficult-to-spot left turn just after a medical centre (Quercalia). You will eventually (30 minutes) reach the same roundabout at Lucca as those who use the motorway. You won’t mistake it, there is an aeroplane in the middle.
If you are driving from North West Italy you will come down the motorway from Genova, exit left (A11) toward Firenze, take the first or second exit for Lucca, and arrive at the same roundabout.
Coming via Milan, head south on the A1. Just before Parma, exit to La Spezia and then, as you reach La Spezia turn left onto the E80 from Genova. Exit left onto the A11 (to Firenze), take the first or second exit for Lucca, and arrive at the same roundabout.
If you are coming from Florence (Firenze) it might be wiser to take either Lucca exit from the motorway and end up at the same roundabout. There is a shorter route from the Capannori exit but that requires a very up-to-date satnav and/or navigator.
From this aircraft-sprouting roundabout you need to follow the blue signs for ‘SS12 Abetone’, circling the mediaeval walls in a clockwise direction. The exit to Abetone is at the third roundabout. Follow the dead straight SS12 out of town arriving at a big roundabout. (Here note the large ESSELUNGA supermarket opposite. If you need shopping, here might be a good place to try.) Take the third exit, still the SS12 to Abetone, cross the river and bear right along the Serchio valley. After a series of tunnels you keep left (for Abetone) and cross the river underneath the main road. You pass the mediaeval ‘Devil’s Bridge’ and then, by now about 30 minutes out of Lucca, you enter ‘Bagni di Lucca’.
Unfortunately the google map above doesn't show the lane up to the house (perhaps because of the trees). We will give precise directions as and when required. If you use 'Waze' we are marked as 'via paretaio'