It wasn’t till my last visit to Lucca did I discover Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.  I must have walked through this piazza on previous visits to Lucca; however, I did not “see” it.

The Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro is a large circular piazza located in the north central region of Lucca Italy within the walls.  It was once the site of an ancient Roman Amphitheatre where gladiators and beasts engaged in mortal combat.

Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro

Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro is now a popular tourist destination featuring an assortment of outdoor restaurants and cafes.

The remains of the Roman amphitheatre are preserved, incorporated in the buildings bordering the present day Piazza dell’Anfiteatro

Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro

We stopped here one morning for our coffee and knew immediately that we would be returning, which we did, again and again.

This is my favourite Piazza in the walled city, to sit and relax with a coffee, cold drink, apertivo or a meal and just watch the world go by. Any time of the day or night there is always entertainment, excitement and enjoyment.

It is rather quaint with a lovely atmosphere. It is easy to walk around and to explore the local shops. There really are some lovely shops. One that we particularly enjoyed and did some serious shopping in is Tre Sorelle.  Also,you can go through the archway, which circles around the piazza, to find many more shops, bars and restaurants.

There are horse and carriage rides available from within the circle of buildings.

It is definitely a wonderful meeting place for both visitors and locals and their best friends.

This piazza is a must visit. You cannot visit Lucca without checking out this special oval square. There are many restaurants, lively ambiance and a unique setting