The wonderful walled city of Lucca is nearby and is worth a chapter in is self. This entire area is near to Florence only about and hour by car and one can also go by train. It is 20 minutes by car from Pisa (also can get there by train) and indeed if one wanted to use this area as a home base international flights come in to Pisa via, London, Paris, etc. Another favorite spot along the shore is the little elegant town of Forte Dei Marmi where the very rich from all over Italy and Europe come to spend the summer either in rented villas or the various hotels.
