San Giuliano-Lucca and back across the Monte Pisano

From San Giuliano we immediately gain the Dante Pass, where a plack reminds of Dante’s quote referring to the Monte Pisano as the “mount for which Pisans cannot see Lucca”. From here we enter downhill Lucca territory finding the beautiful parish of Santa Maria del Giudice first, and then retracking the magnificent Nottolini Acqueduct all throu town. Visiting Lucca by bike is simple and nice: we can have a break in one of the squares for a coffe or lunch. Then back on the bike retracking the Via Francigena out of town to Capannori, where we start entering “Compitese”, discovering the “villages of camellias” before looping back to San Giuliano up the hills of Monte PIsano, gaining its ridge and finally descending back to San Giuliano