A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Trento vs. Lucca for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Nightlife

Should you visit Trento or Lucca?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Trento and Lucca can help you decide which place is right for you.

Trento

Trento is a high energy, dynamic, and youthful city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and food.

Lucca

Lucca is a popular, historic, and charming city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Trento and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Trento or Lucca?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Lucca than Trento. While Trento is larger than Lucca, Lucca has more sights and attractions for tourists. Lucca is better known for its museums, nightlife, and historical sights, while Trento is more popular for its hiking. Lucca is more touristy than Trento and is popular for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. Also, Lucca is famous for The Guinigi Tower. Trento is well known for its beautiful mountain scenery and its historical buildings.

How is Trento different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Lucca and Trento. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Trento or Lucca?

Lucca is great for its historical sights. Also, Trento is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Many visitors head to Lucca specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There are many interesting historic sights and buildings around this charming town. You can climb to the top of the Guinigi Tower or visit the Roman Amphitheater. Many visitors enjoy walking or biking around the city walls as well. Also make sure you visit the cathedral.

Trento offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Perhaps one of the most popular sights is Castello del Buonconsiglio. The Museum of Science is also fun for kids and adults alike and the Duomo is beautiful.

Is the Food Better in Trento or Lucca? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Trento and Lucca.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Trento. The food in the region is influenced by nearby countries such as Austria. Carne salada, which is like corned beef, has a long history in the area. Schüttelbrot is a local flatbread and meraner wurst is a bit like a hot dog. You'll also find salamis and various cheeses.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Lucca. There are many great Tuscan restaurants inside the city walls. Perhaps the most popular local dish is tordelli Lucchesi. Its a meat filled pasta that has a beef ragu sauce. There are also other Tuscan recipes that include steak, boar, or rabbit.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

Lucca is very good for nightlife. However, Trento is not a good destination for nightlife and partying.

If you're looking for night time activities Lucca has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is most lively during the spring and summer months when tourists crowd into the city. For the highest concentration of bars, clubs, and lounges, head to Piazza Amfiteatro, Piazza San Michele and Via Fillungo.

Most people don't head to Trento specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. Despite the large student population, there aren't a lot of bars and clubs around town. Most parties are held in private residences, so visitors may find the nightlife scene a bit slow.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is terrific for its historic old town. However, Trento does not have a historic old town.

Lucca has a unique history which comes to life in its historic area. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Trento does not have a historic old town.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Hiking?

Trento is well known for its hiking experiences. However, Lucca is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Trento. The surrounding countryside has many beautiful hikes and stunning viewpoints that make for a great outing outside of town.

Lucca is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Trento or Lucca?

If you're looking to go shopping, Trento and Lucca both offer plenty of notable spots.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Trento. Head to the main shopping street, Via Balenzani for boutique shopping. You'll also find artisan shops and other unique vendors around town.

Lucca offers some nice shopping areas. The city is filled with a mix of tourist shops and more authentic local vendors. If you look hard, you can still find some interesting local items that make for a more unique and personal shopping experience.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Families?

You'll find notable kid-friendly activities in either Trento or Lucca.

Trento offers lots of family activities. Outside of town you'll find plenty of outdoor adventures that the kids will enjoy. In town, there's history and fun kid-friendly museums.

Lucca is a family-friendly place to visit. You can pass through town in a day or two, or stay longer and use it as a base for exploring Tuscany. There are playgrounds for the kids as well as some fun activities like cycling the city walls and climbing towers.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Couples?

Lucca is great for romance. Also, Trento is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its romantic activities.

Lucca is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. It's a beautiful city with good restaurants and access to nice countryside. Couples who want to explore Tuscany can use this town as a base to take in much of the region.

Trento makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The town mixes old and new in a beautiful setting that makes for a great romantic getaway. Nearby there are outdoor adventures and in town there's a beautiful atmosphere and great restaurants.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Trento and Lucca are notable places to visit.

Trento is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There aren't many hostels in town, but there are some fun activities that backpackers will enjoy.

It's common for backpackers to visit Lucca. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Students?

Trento is an unbeatable place for students. However, Lucca is not popular with students.

Trento is a very popular city for students. It's a popular study abroad destination and you'll find plenty of interesting places to explore in the area.

Lucca is not popular with students.

Is Trento or Lucca Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Trento is a city with good options for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Trento, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has a number of bus lines through town.

Public transit is quite limited in Lucca. There's no public transit within the city so if you can't walk somewhere, you'll want to take a taxi. In general, walking is the best option though.

Is Trento or Lucca a more walkable city?

Trento and Lucca are superb when it comes to walkability.

Trento is very walkable. Much of the city can be explored on foot.

Lucca is a very walkable city. Much of the city can be explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Trento Worth Visiting? and Is Lucca Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Trento?

How long in Trento or Lucca?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Trento or Lucca to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Trento than Lucca because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Trento, and 1-2 days is enough time in Lucca.

Families should spend more time in Lucca than Trento. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Lucca, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Lucca than Trento. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Lucca that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

One day in Trento or Lucca?

In Trento, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this high energy destination offers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Lucca. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Trento or Lucca?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Trento. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Lucca is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Trento or Lucca?

Trento is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Trento. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lucca. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Trento or Lucca?

You'll find food and shopping around the youthful destination of Trento. Hikers are also drawn to this area. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the historic destination of Lucca. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Italy, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Italy, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Italy, and The Best Adventure Tours to Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Trento and Lucca, we can see that Trento is more expensive. And not only is Lucca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lucca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lucca and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Trento would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Trento than you might in Lucca.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Trento Expensive? and Is Lucca Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Trento or Lucca?

Trento has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Lucca. When comparing the sizes of Trento and Lucca, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.