Our stay in Lucca will be our half way point of our trip. We will be at a B and B within the walls so won't have access to a washing machine. By then I suspect clean clothing will be needed. It would be too expensive to do what I did on our last long trip to CA (send dirty clothoing home in a box and buy all new clothes). Does anyone know if there is a laundromat within the walls of Lucca? I understand from posts on ST that laundromats are not common. I've googled laundromats in Lucca and not found much.

Lucca has more coin laundries than most places we've been to in Italy. Believe it or not I just happen to have a card for one right on my desk. Lavanderia "Niagra" is on via Michele Rosi, 26 which connects via del Fosso (the street with the little canal down the center) and the Piazza
Santa Maria (where the main information office and most bike rentals are). This is along the north side of town just inside the wall.

We washed a few loads in Lucca two years ago. The one we went to was in the central area, about two blocks from Hotel Luna.

This is great news. Paul will be thrilled that he can do some laundry.

Jerry, when I published the Lucca 360 Map, Aplinista indicated a laundramat was just a block off Piazza Santa Maria del Borgo (where there is also a tourist information office).

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laundramat was just a block off Piazza Santa Maria del Borgo (where there is also a tourist information office)

One of my favorite spots in Lucca to meet other travelers

I believe the street name is Via del Gonfalone. If you start with your back to the vehicle portals leading through the wall into Piazza Santa Maria, the street leading to the laundromat is directly in front of you across the square.

When you go across the square, you have two streets...the one that jigs a little to the left takes you to the laundromat. The one that goes more sharply to the right takes you to Via Fillungo (and a cheese shop which you will smell before you get there....which is a hint you're going the wrong way for clothes, but a good way to buy food and wine).

There is a small church and a bar across the street from the laundromat, so you have choices of how to spend your time while your clothes are washing.

Depending on how gutsy you are about parking in restricted zones, you can find spots pretty much in front of the laundromat (or pay to park in the piazza -- my wife is from Boston and she usually selects the first option )

I know this is going to sound insane, but the best laundromat in Italy is only an hour from Lucca. If I were in Lucca and in need of clean clothes I would take my dirty clothes on a fieldtrip to Le Grazie.

First, I should say that after our year of traveling all through Italy, one of the things we found most frustrating was laundry. Imagine our bliss when we were in Portovenere and were directed to drive to the tiny port town of Le Grazie. A very enterprising person has set up a fantastic laundromat, that we assume is used primarily by the people who dock boats there.

Here's why it's the best laundromat ever:
1) The view is incredible. You are on the harbor. You can sit outside and enjoy yourself while your clothes get clean.
2) The place was spotlessly clean.
3) There was very enjoyable American music playing. We danced while we folded our clothes.
4) Soap was included! In fact, it's added automatically with the water. (We only read that part of the instructions after we had purchased detergent at the grocery, but never mind.)
5) Did I mention the view?

Of course, you could take a day trip there without your laundry, but what fun would that be?

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Originally posted by Alpinista:

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laundramat was just a block off Piazza Santa Maria del Borgo (where there is also a tourist information office)

One of my favorite spots in Lucca to meet other travelers

I believe the street name is Via del Gonfalone. If you start with your back to the vehicle portals leading through the wall into Piazza Santa Maria, the street leading to the laundromat is directly in front of you across the square.

When you go across the square, you have two streets...the one that jigs a little to the left takes you to the laundromat. The one that goes more sharply to the right takes you to Via Fillungo (and a cheese shop which you will smell before you get there....which is a hint you're going the wrong way for clothes, but a good way to buy food and wine).

There is a small church and a bar across the street from the laundromat, so you have choices of how to spend your time while your clothes are washing.

Depending on how gutsy you are about parking in restricted zones, you can find spots pretty much in front of the laundromat (or pay to park in the piazza -- my wife is from Boston and she usually selects the first option )

The laundromat you guys are talking about is the same one I mention - "Niagra" on via M. Rosi.

We'll be in Lucca May 17 - 24 so we will look for STers at Niagra or in Le Grazie.

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e'll be in Lucca May 17 - 24 so we will look for STers at Niagra or in Le Grazie.

Charnee - we're there from May 21 to the 24th.

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The laundromat you guys are talking about is the same one I mention - "Niagra" on via M. Rosi.

Oops, you're right

The mention of the canal had me thinking of a spot further away, but you are right that everything connects.

Sounds possible that Jerry and Charnee could be holding the first ST GTG in an Italian laundromat - we will want pictures, lots of pictures.

Too funny Marcia! The GTG would be with Paul though - I haven't done laundry in 10 years.

Video at 11

Doing laundry it Italy is actually fun. There are plenty of other Americans there from all over and very enjoyable to share travel stories. While doing laundry in Venice once, the change machine, by virtue of it's design, would spit euros all over the place. I mean, they would come flying out of that sucker! It was quite humorous to see everyone come in, put paper in the change machine, and watch the coin come flying!!

So, Jerry ---

When you gonna do your wash? We'll probably want to do it around 22 - 23. We're moving to Orvieto on the 24. Won't have a laptop but will have a cell phone. Number TBD. Maybe Paul can let us know? (charneesmit@yahoo.com) I'll send you the cell phone #.

Another item worthy of mention about Italian Laundromats is that the machines take much longer than the American versions that we are accustomed to. Expect to double the amount of time. This doesn't even consider the fact whether there may be a waiting line. That's my $0.02 worth.

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Another item worthy of mention about Italian Laundromats is that the machines take much longer than the American versions that we are accustomed to. Expect to double the amount of time. This doesn't even consider the fact whether there may be a waiting line. That's my $0.02 worth.

Sounds like I'll have time to circle the walls a few times on a bike while the laundry is being done.

I was in Lucca a couple of months ago for a few weeks and used the self-serve Lavanderia Niagara which has been recommended here. It was really nice, clean and open until 11:00pm. At 4 euro a load to wash and dry, I thought it was expensive, but the good news is that detergent is included in the wash and you can fit 2 loads easily in the dryer (so when I had two loads of dirty clothes it cost me 12 euro total). Since I got pretty picture happy during my month in Lucca, I even have pictures of the laundromat (if I did it correctly, there should be one of them attached here). Enjoy, as I'm sure you've know by now, you're going to love Lucca!

Jerry, got your e-mail. If we happen to stumble onto each other in the lavanderia we'll have to get a photo for the ST archives.

We use this Lucca laundromat 3 or 4 times every trip and have never had to wait (but now that the whole world knows about it, will probably be a line next time )

You are about a one minute walk from a couple of bike shops, so the answer is a big yes to having time to circle the walls while the laundry is in process.

We have gone from washing clothes in tubs out on the patio to celebrating when we found a laundromat in Pisa to tears when that laundromat closed and back to celebrating when the one in Lucca opened (am sure most people don't remember trips based on how their laundry got done?)

One of my early "Oh wow" memories of Italy was taking clothes to a laundry and getting them back wet and rolled up in a package...somehow thought they were going to come back dried, starched, and folded or on hangers. Was never sure if it was a vocabulary problem with my Italian or just a cultural shock.