The origins of Lucca are still a subject of historical research. Its name, derived from the Celto-Ligurian word “Luk,” meaning “swampy place” or “light,” suggests an Etruscan origin. However, the Romans left evident marks with the foundation of the walled city and the grid-like layout of streets.
The Forum, now Piazza San Michele, and the Amphitheater, built in the 1st century AD, are prominent Roman structures. In the Middle Ages, Lucca served as a crucial hub for communication and trade, with the Via Francigena passing through the city. Lucca evolved from a small Republic to a modernized city under Elisa and Maria Luisa di Borbone.
Today, Lucca offers a mosaic of different eras, with its iconic walls serving as an urban park and its squares hosting concerts. The birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini is a popular attraction. Lucca’s commitment to art and culture is evident, with classical and contemporary expressions found throughout the city.
BREED
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GARFAGNINA
The Garfagnina Sheep is a robust and wild breed of Italian sheep of Apennine stock. Once present with tens of thousands of specimens on the pastures of the Apennines, by the 1980s it had been reduced to so few that it was included in the endangered heritage breeds
PRODUCT
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TAULA DI MENNEI
Taula is a sheep’s milk cheese from Alta Garfagnana (Lucca), produced in an artisanal way in the area of Pieve Fosciana. It is a product of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, its slopes, narrow spaces and low temperatures: in this environment, sheep represent the “necessity-virtue” of the shepherds. Taula is a white sheep’s milk cheese, cold processed…
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TUADA
Tuada is a sheep’s milk cheese from Alta Garfagnana (Lucca), produced in an artisanal way in the area of Pieve Fosciana. It is a product of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, its slopes, narrow spaces and low temperatures: in this environment, sheep represent the “necessity-virtue” of the shepherds.
ANTICHE RAZZE 