In the city of Lucca in the Tuscany region, north-central Italy

 “Life offers you a thousand chances... all you have to do is take one.”

― Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun
===================================================================
(in north-central Italy) The city of Lucca in the Tuscany region, is found in the valley of the Serchio River and is almost surrounded by hills, with the Apuan Alps to the north and west. Once a Ligurian and then later an Etruscan town, the rhe Romans established a colony here even earlier than that. The rectangular Roman plan has been preserved in Lucca’s central streets, and remains of the old walls, forum, and amphitheater have also been found in the modern city. Lying at the junction of roads to Parma, Florence, Rome, Pisa, and Luni, the town became an early episcopal see. After 476 it was ruled successively by the Goths, the Byzantines, and the Lombards, becoming the residence of one of the three Lombard dukes in Tuscany. Frankish counts replaced the dukes after 774, but the population remained largely Lombardian. Lucca was the main city in Tuscany in the 9th and 10th centuries, when its counts became the margraves of Tuscany, commanding one of the principal roads between Lombardy and Rome, the Via Francigena. In the late 10th century, Florence replaced Lucca as the Tuscan capital when the house of Canossa succeeded to the margravate. In 1118 the town was granted a charter, and the city of Lucca was established soon thereafter. Despite many conflicts with its powerful neighbors and ambitious noble houses, Lucca maintained its independence for the most part -- until it fell to the French in 1799. From 1805 until 1814, it was ruled as a principality by Élisa Baciocchi, a sister of Napoleon. Assigned by the Congress of Vienna (in 1815) to the Spanish infanta María Luisa, widow of the former king Louis of Etruria, it passed in 1824 to her son Charles Louis, who ceded Lucca to Tuscany in 1847. (It was united to the kingdom of Italy in 1860.)
+ Lovely Lucca now endears itself to nearly everyone who visits the charming city. Hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls, its cobbled streets, handsome piazzas, and shady promenades make it a great place to explore by foot. At the day's end, historic cafes and restaurants tempt its visitors to relax over a glass (or two) of Lucchesi wine -- and a menu of rustic dishes prepared with fresh produce from nearby Garfagnana (a valley to the north of the city). Lucca's array of wonderfully intact historical sites also makes it a must-see stop on any Tuscan itinerary. The medieval city walls still stand -- you can hike or bike on top of them. While here, be sure to visit the Duomo di San Martino, just one of the city's numerous churches, and its Roman amphitheater. Lucca is known for its well-preserved medieval ramparts and has many fine 16th-century palaces, notably the Palazzo Pretorio and the Palazzo della Prefettura, the former grand ducal palace (now housing the National Art Gallery). Long an important musical center, Lucca was the home of the composers Luigi Boccherini and Giacomo Puccini.