Characterful hotel built into the walls of Lucca

Fascinating history linked to Napoleon

Free breakfast with every room, plus open buffet bar with drinks, wine, beer and snacks available all day, every day

Built into the fortified walls of one of Tuscany’s most alluring towns, Lucca, much of the building that is now the Hotel Ilaria was originally the stables for the horses of Napoleon’s sister, Elisa Baciocchi, who was also the Princess of Lucca and Piombino. Parts of it date to 1200, and some of the rooms are built into the attached 14th-century tower, while others are in the adjacent city walls, built in the 16th and 17th centuries.

After a day walking the walls and exploring Lucca, you can come back to the hotel and relax on the terrace, filled with camellias, hibiscus and jasmine plants, and from April to October, you can soak in the hot tub here, too.

Hop on the free hotel bicycles to explore more of the town and the lovely Tuscan countryside beyond. And don’t miss the chance to see Puccini’s birth home, right in the town centre.

The classically styled and well-appointed rooms are split between the main hotel - Elisa Baciocchi’s former stables - and a renovated section of the city walls, 50 metres away, where the most sumptuous suites are. While the city walls served as a fortification, they were also used for various purposes, and these rooms are built into a former tower and church.

Wood and tile floors help keep rooms cool during the warmer summer months, while the wall’s thick surrounds provide excellent insulation all year. Some rooms are ideal for families or friends travelling together, with beds sleeping up to four people.

A delicious buffet breakfast comes with every stay. Choose from fruits, local cheeses including fresh mozzarella, Tuscan cold meats, croissants, muffins and pastries, freshly baked breads, plus bacon, eggs, cereals, yogurts and more. Gluten-free products are always available, and if you’d like to start the day with a spring in your step, help yourself to the complimentary prosecco - taken with or without fresh orange juice. In fine weather, you can dine outside by the city walls.

Hungry later in the day? From 12am to 7pm, the hotel provides a free snack bar, where you can help yourself to sweet or savoury snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, all free of charge.

For dinner, ample excellent restaurants abound in Lucca, and the hotel’s team will be happy to recommend something suitable for your tastes.