L'Antica Bifore, Lucca

We booked rooms in this lovely B&B in a historic building in the heart of Lucca for our family holiday. The rooms had beautiful original shuttered windows and a view onto Via Fillungo, the main shopping street in Lucca. They were a good size with high ceilings and interestingly furnished with antiques. Even though the weather was quite hot during our visit, the air conditioning kept the bedrooms cool so that we all slept well. There was plenty of choice for breakfast in the communal dining area with cereal, pastries, bread, cheese, meat, fruit, yogurt, juice, tea or coffee. Bríd and Stefano, were very friendly and helpful, giving us some great travel tips and restaurant recommendations that really added to our enjoyment of our time in Lucca. Their advice on car parking was particularly useful. There are plenty of information leaflets and books available for guests in the dining room. My teenage son particularly appreciated the free wifi and my parents the tea and coffee making facilities. I would recommend L’Antica Bifore to anyone going to Lucca as an ideal base to explore the city and surrounding countryside. You step out of the door straight onto Via Fillungo and only a few minutes walk from any of the tourist attractions in the city. It is a 10 minute walk to the train station and frequent trains to Pisa and Florence. Guests should be aware the B&B is up two flights of stone stairs and there is no lift as this is a protected structure, but my parents (70s) managed fine!

My wife, our friend, and I passed a lovely night at L'Antica Bifore, located at the absolute heart of the medieval city near the corner of the Via Fillungo and the Via Roma - steps from San Michele in Foro, the original market church, and not far from the Torre Guinigi or the cathedral of San Martino. The rooms were comfortable and clean, and ours (Dante and Beatrice) looked directly onto the façade of San Cristoforo - Dante in particular comprises one vaulted room of the original tower, visible from the street at the corner. A truly unique experience - and the medieval authenticity only applies to the architecture, the accoutrements are entirely up-to-date and the style of the rooms is playful but elegant. For any guests with an especial appreciation of the history of Lucca, or any guests who want to enjoy a visit from the perspective of a noble house in the Middle Ages, L'Antica Bifore will provide the basis for an unforgettable sojourn. Stefano and Brig, the genial hosts, will get you set up quickly, and the city itself will be the main show.

The accommodation is in an old tower house which was so interesting to see. Our room was at the back overlooking a quiet square with a lovely bathroom with stonework everywhere. Just lovely. Our friends were in the front and for them their experience was not the same. A very noisy street until 4.00am and then the street cleaners and a stall setting up meant they had no sleep, meanwhile we were happily unaware of this. The breakfast in the morning was quite basic with a selection of danish and croissant. Maybe some more traditional Italian meats and cheeses with fresh fruit would have been a nice addition. Hard though when there are only 4 rooms as you could have a lot of wasted uneaten food. My husband and I were happy with the choice offered. The location is ideal. We were dropped off outside the door in a taxi and collected at the same point. Restaurants, the walls and all the sights are walking distance. A beautiful property in a stunning location. Lucca was a delightful visit and we are so pleased we added it to our stay.

Beautifully restored - l’Antica Bifore is a gorgeous property set on the first floor of the building. High ceilings, original features and Italianate decor. The shared entrance/breakfast room has a stunning stone fireplace and chandelier. Our room had an enormous mullioned window offering a stunning view of the church opposite and the street below. Yes, a little noisy - because it is set in the heart of Lucca, but we felt this was atmospheric and being so central means you are close to everything for sightseeing, restaurants and bars. Our room was beautifully decorated and styled with antique furniture and the bed was extremely comfortable. Our hosts Stefano and Brid were a wealth of helpful information - what charming people! They are extremely knowledgeable about Lucca and gave us invaluable advice and tips for our visit, including a restaurant recommendation where we had an amazing meal in traditional Lucchese style. Lucca is a special place for us - we will return and when we do, we would definitely stay at l’Antica Bifore again.

The property literally sits across the street from a beautiful, historic church. As as lifelong student and lover of Jung and art, imagine my delight to be in the apartment directly across from the Church’s principal mandala window! Aside from that our hosts were superb. We arrived late in the evening after a complicated day of travel. Brid was outside waiting when the cab dropped us off. She had thought to make a dinner reservation in advance. The apartment, located in central Lucca, had everything we needed. Brid and Stefano were available to help with questions about the apartment as well as offered recommendations about making the most of our 2 days in this charming city. If we return to Lucca we would love to stay here again!