There seems to be a church on every corner in Lucca, and most are open to the public. Each has its own collection of art and artifacts; the Cathedral of St Martin has the Volto Santo (a wooden Christ on the cross said to have been carved by Nicodemus), and the Church of San Giovanni allows visitors, for the price of admission, to walk below ground amidst the excavated roman and medieval ruins. You can also climb the church tower for a panoramic view of the city and its red tiled rooftops. San Giovanni also hosts regular musical events in honor of native son, Puccini, the opera composer best known perhaps for ‘La bohème’ and ‘Madame Butterfly’.
See part 1 of Lucca
See part 3 of Lucca