Some good posts in here. If you're avoiding Rome, then my knowitallism kind of ends there. I explored much of Italy, but lived in Rome, so Rome is where all my inside info is limited to.
Lucca, however, is the city that my family is more or less from. More specifically, a little town outside Lucca. Lucca and my dad's home town are the only places I've ever been where I met people with the same last name as me.
Lucca is an absolute gem. You get the history with the wall and the historic center, and it's not a pain to get to. I could spend months in Lucca. I want to retire in Lucca. Just go there, drop your bags at the place you're staying, and then go outside and walk around. That's Italy right there. Restaurants that make all their food from scratch. The wine. The food. The architecture. The ambiance. I can't say enough about Lucca, if you're looking for authentic Italy that's off the beaten path.
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