locals, like my friend and fellow tour guide gabriele calabrese, treat their ramparts like a circular park. and with plenty of rental bikes available, visitors can enjoy a lazy pedal around its 2-1/2-mile circuit, as well. so, gabriele, this is a renaissance wall. what's the difference between a renaissance wall and a medieval wall? calabrese: the medieval wall is thin, because they had no problem with harrows or stones. but in the renaissance time, the cannons, they became very strong, and they became a problem, so that's why it was so thick. steves: lucca's wall didn't come cheap. but all that hard work and investment combined with clever diplomacy earned the city a long period of independence. and to this day, the proud lucchesi have a strong sense of identity. rather than showcasing famous monuments, lucca's appeal is in its relaxed old-world ambience. stroll around. take time to let the city unfold. romanesque churches seem to be around every corner, as do inviting piazzas busy with children at play. the main pedestrian drag is via fillungo. strolling here, past elegant old store