Lucca food tour with local guide: Five tastings and Tuscan lunch

Taste five dishes that define Lucca, guided through the walled city by someone who knows where locals eat

A half-day food tour in Lucca led by a local guide, with five curated stops tasting Buccellato, Tordelli pasta, cold cuts, cecina, and chocolate or gelato, plus red wine and lunch included. The tour runs 3.5 hours and keeps groups small. Guides speak English or Italian. Minimum age is 13, and guests should flag any food restrictions ahead of time.

Step-by-step itinerary

Culinary walking tour in Lucca

• Look over church and square
• Try Buccellato sweet bread
• Eat traditional Tordelli pasta
• Taste cold cuts with red wine
• Sample cecina street food
• Enjoy Tuscan chocolate or gelato
• End with Italian espresso

The experience

The tour starts in the walled city and moves through five stops, each one built around a single dish or specialty. You taste Buccellato (a ring-shaped sweet bread with ancient roots) at a local pâtisserie, then move to a restaurant for Tordelli, the regional pasta stuffed with meat, cheese, chard and mortadella, dressed with meat sauce or oil and cheese. This is the dish Lucca is known for, and you won't find it anywhere else the same way.

Between the landmarks, you stop for cold cuts and a glass of local red wine in a square or old-style tavern, then hunt down cecina from a street vendor. A thin chickpea-flour focaccia that is soft inside and crispy outside. The guide steers you toward the stories behind what you're eating: centuries-old recipes, local secrets, the reason each dish exists. You end with chocolate made in Tuscany or gelato, then a true Italian espresso to close it out.

The group stays small, which means the pace is yours and the guide can answer questions without rushing. Red wine and lunch are included. Public transport runs nearby if you need it afterward. Let the operator know about any food allergies or dietary needs when you book.

What’s included

• Red wine.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• tastings of Buccellato, Tordelli, cold cuts, cecina, chocolate or gelato, and espresso.
• insider tips and recommendations from your local guide.
• the chance to buy local specialties at the stops.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Under 13: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by eatwith

Is this one for you?Small groups mean the pace stays relaxed and the guide can linger on the stories behind each dish. Book this if you want to eat what locals eat, not what a menu writes for tourists, and you want someone who knows the city to explain why each dish matters.

Traveler reviews

4.74★★★★★★★★★★

19 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Tordelli and why is it only found in Lucca?

Tordelli is Lucca's signature pasta, stuffed with meat, cheese, chard and mortadella, then dressed with meat sauce or oil and cheese. It's a regional specialty you can only taste in Lucca: the combination and the preparation belong to this city's culinary tradition.

How long does the tour take and how many stops are there?

The tour runs 3.5 hours with five curated stops: Buccellato at a pâtisserie, Tordelli at a restaurant, cold cuts and wine, cecina from a street vendor, and chocolate or gelato to finish.

Is lunch included, and what does that mean?

Lunch is included as part of the tour. The Tordelli stop at a local restaurant is the main meal, and you also taste cold cuts, bread, cecina and sweets at the other stops throughout the half-day.

Do I need to tell the operator about food allergies before I go?

Yes. Guests should communicate any food restrictions, allergies or special diets when booking so the guide and the restaurants can plan ahead.