March Skies in Lucca

The first half of March is an unpredictable time here in Tuscany.  Sometimes it feels like just another few very long weeks of winter.  It roars in like the proverbial lion with wind, rain, thunder, and cold.   

Early March is when the Magnolias bloom along Corso Garibaldi in Lucca. March 1, 2025

Clear blue skies over the old Mercato and the Torre Guinigi, March 2, 2025

Other years March arrives more gently, with mild temperatures and sunny skies. The Magnolias, which bloom in early March in sun or in showers, provide a bit of a spring tease.

Above all, early March is fickle. A couple of lovely days, just enough to make you believe spring has arrived, followed by a quick return to cold and wet weather.

 This year, it seemed like someone flipped a switch on the first day of the month.  Where February had been especially cold, gloomy, and wet, March 1st brought several days of blue skies and gorgeous weather.

Heading towards the Torre delle Ore, Lucca’s historic clock tower. March 10, 2025

The weather changed again the second week of March. By Friday March 14th Tuscany was under a weather alert that brought winds and rain, enough to cancel schools for the day.

Clouds building over Lucca’s historic walls, March 11

March 14th, cloudy and rainy in Lucca with high water levels and local flooding along the Arno from Pisa to Florence.

Gathering clouds over Piazza San Francesco, March 11

Sadly, by that evening the Arno (which runs through Pisa and Florence) was at dangerously high levels with some areas of flooding.

I’ve spent a lot of time watching the skies over Lucca these past two weeks.  From bright blue to partly cloudy, from moody to threatening, each has had its own beauty. The threats of heavy rain and damaging floods have dampened the joy of sky watching these last few days, but hopefully we will return to blue skies over the next few days.

Soon April will arrive and bring true spring. Until then, I’ll be looking up to watch the clouds. But I’ll keep my umbrella handy.  Happy mid-March from Lucca.

A Spring Weekend in Lucca

It seems as if we waited a long time for spring to arrive this year.  Cold and rainy weather lasted well into May.  But finally, on the last weekend in May, spring finally showed up.  And it is glorious!  

The temperatures are mild, the breezes gentle, and the skies are filled with cotton ball clouds with only the smallest hint of rain. The trees are green, the scent of Jasmine fills the air, and pretty flower boxes fill balconies. Is there a better place to spend spring than in Tuscany? 

 The final days of May also brought two very enjoyable festivals to Lucca. 

The first is the Lucca Medievale Festival.   The event took place on the mura storiche (historic walls) where a medieval encampment sprang up along one of the large green bulwarks that jut out from the walls.  

Throughout the camp craftsmen and women, all in costume, demonstrated medieval crafts.  There were woodturners, blacksmiths, and chainmail makers.

Weavers and clothmakers worked alongside pottery artisans and clog makers. Rough beeswax candles were on display as were some ancient (and quite scary) medical instruments.  A stone carver worked with small tools to create delicate designs.

Musicians played antique instruments; there was no shortage of medieval weapons. Throughout the weekend-long festival were exhibitions of historic dances, arts, crossbow competitions, and music. Lucca is in so many ways still a medieval town and the festival really brings that era to life. It’s an annual event - now is the time to make plans to visit Lucca next spring!

 The second event to enliven the city in late May was the French Market.  It is always exciting when this market comes to town. It is only fitting that the market fills Piazza Napoleone, Lucca’s largest piazza.  The large open piazza was created during the time when Napoleon’s sister, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, was the Principessa of Lucca.  Her impact on Lucca is felt to this day. I think she would approve of hosting a French market in front of her palace!

 The market featured typical French products – soaps, perfumes, and table linens as well as French foods.   French breads were baked on site. French pastries and French cheeses filled the booths.  And the quiches! Quiche Lorraine, goat cheese and tomato, veggie and even salmon quiches warm from the oven were ready to take home for a tasty French themed lunch. 

Whenever the French market comes to Lucca, I line up to buy some bastoncini.  These breads – much thicker than a breadstick but thinner than a small baguette – are a bit of an addiction for me.  Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, they are studded with olives, walnuts, pancetta, or cheese.   Paired with a market quiche and a salad they transport me right back to Provence. 

 The spring days in Lucca are meant to be enjoyed - a wonderful pause between the cold, rainy season and the advent of hot weather and busy summer activities. Welcome spring!

Easter in Lucca, 2024

Celebrating the Easter (Pasqua in Italian) holidays in Lucca always feels special to me. Easter marks the beginning of spring and Lucca in spring is filled with mild weather and fun events.  There is always a lot to look forward to and Easter is the kick-off to some of the best months to be in Italy. 

Not only that, but Easter here, along with Pasquetta the day after Easter and also a holiday, is so filled with tradition and, well, just Italian-ness, that it always gives me a renewed sense of appreciation that I get to live here. 

Plus, the holiday a great excuse to get together with friends for Easter weekend dinners, Easter morning brunch, and a long, slow dinner on Easter Sunday evening.  Easter is meant to be spent with friends!   And coming after Lent, it’s meant to involve good food and drink. Which is one reason why there is so much chocolate in shop windows here.

This street-side shrine is one of the first stops on the Via Crucis.

Easter in Italy is marked by ancient religious traditions.   And whether one is religious or not, the Easter rituals carry historic significance and always leave me a bit in awe. Each year, on Good Friday (Venerdì Santo in Italian), many cities have processions which recreate the Via Crucis, Stations of the Cross.

In Lucca this solemn procession is enacted by members of the Confraternity of the Misericordia, a volunteer civic organization.  Dressed in hooded black robes, with many participants barefoot, they walk through the historic center carrying a heavy crucifix.  The procession stops at small shrines and churches for prayers and chanting. The procession is followed by a group of local worshippers.  As they move through Lucca’s medieval streets, it is easy to imagine similar processions taking place hundreds of years ago.  Time seems to stop and only the cameras and cell phones snapping pictures give a sense of modernity. (Video on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page)

Not all Easter traditions are religious or ancient.  Part of the holiday for me involves baking Easter bread.  This is a simple sweet bread decorated with eggs, a recipe I learned from an Italian friend of my parents many years ago. It’s perfect for a simple breakfast or as an Easter gift.

I am a bit oven-challenged here, as my apartment only has a small countertop electric oven, but I managed to turn out two small loaves this year. 

Another important tradition for me is hosting an Easter meal - and brunch is my favorite meal to prepare and share with friends.  The menu for this year’s brunch was anything but traditional.  After recently discovering Beehive Bagels in Rome, and learning that they would overnight fresh New York style bagels to me in Lucca, my menu choice was set.  Bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon with all the needed trimmings – red onion, capers, thinly sliced cucumbers, and some fresh chives which I happen to have growing on my windowsill, and deviled eggs.   Add to that the fruit, Prosecco, and Blood Orange juice brought by my guests and we had all the ingredients for a nice Easter morning meal.  And since it is fun to try something new for Easter, this year I made a ricotta almond torte flavored with Limoncello – a little something Italian to add to my very American style Easter brunch.

Today, the day after Easter, is still a holiday here in Italy.  Pasquetta is a day for relaxed fun.  For me that will mean coffee with a friend, a walk on the walls (probably with an umbrella), and watching spring start to bloom around Lucca.

I hope your Easter holiday was filled with friends, laughter, good food, and anticipation of spring.

Buona Pasquetta!

A Quiet Monday Morning in Lucca

A crowded Piazza Anfiteatro during the Santa Zita celebration.

Lucca’s tourist season begins in earnest as soon as April arrives.  Between a host of holidays, a major music festival, and the arrival of gorgeous spring weather, the last few weekends have seen this small city bursting with activity and people.  

 This year it also seems as if the big tour groups, many of them coming from cruise ships docked in Livorno, have arrived early and in bigger numbers than ever.  The tour groups come from all over.  I’ve heard guides speaking in Italian, German, English, and French.  I am happy to see visitors introduced to Lucca, but …. and this is a big but … the small streets and alleyways of Lucca were not made for so many large groups. 

The smaller groups accompanied by private local groups move through town with ease (and are an ideal way to see Lucca), but the really big groups tend to obstruct traffic, clog the streets, and make moving through town quite difficult for locals. 

How I wish the large groups would be advised to keep to one side of the street to allow room for people to pass!  If I had a euro for every time I say “permesso” as I try to get through a large group, well, my rent would be paid for the next 3 months.   Do I sound grumpy?  Well, yes, I guess I am a bit.  After a quiet winter and early spring, the sudden arrival of crowds feels a bit overwhelming.

 The good news is that Monday mornings bring a bit of relief.  Last Monday I was out early to run some errands - a trip to the lavanderia (laundry) to pick up my linens, to the Ortofrutta (fruit and vegetable market) for some vegetables, and to the little shop that sells all kinds of electric lights and appliances to get a replacement light bulb for my kitchen.  I avoided doing these errands over the weekend, but a Monday morning seemed like the right time.  The quiet streets were just perfect for being out and about. 

Early on a Monday morning is the perfect time to go to the Ortofrutta. Look at those gorgeous fruits and veggies!

 Even the main piazzas were nearly empty and the streets around my apartment were quiet too. I encountered just a few locals going about their daily tasks. Shopkeepers were opening up and delivery trucks were bringing supplies to shops and restaurants. Birds sang and their songs were not lost in the hubbub of a busy weekend.

 Mild temperatures, a soft breeze, and uncrowded streets made for a perfect morning of wandering through town and noticing all the wonderful things about spring in Lucca.  Green trees, pretty flowers in pots and on balconies, the old brick of medieval buildings, pretty doors and windows, hidden corners, and the sounds of the city waking up and coming to life. 

Even the street leading to the Torre Guinigi was nearly empty on this Monday morning.

 Around town the warm weather means that windows are open and the sounds of daily life pour out.  A baby crying.  Someone singing.  A radio on.  The sound of a brass horn coming from the music school near my apartment.  The musical sound of Italian chatter drifting out to the street.  These are some of the things I love most about life in Italy.

 The summer crowds, along with the heat and humidity of an Italian summer will soon be here. Those are some of the reasons I will soon head to New Mexico for much of the summer.  There I also have the bonus of a good long visit with my family – including my eldest grandson who will graduate from high school next week (does that ever make me feel old!).   But come August I will be glad to get back to Lucca, so glad that even the crowds won’t make me grumpy.

A few more photos of Lucca on a quiet Monday morning -

Springtime Music in Lucca

Music is an integral part of life in Lucca.   The musical heritage here is rich and spans centuries.  Buskers frequently entertain passersby with everything from classic Italian songs on an accordion to street-side opera or folk music under an ancient loggia.  

Local musicians perform at cafes and bars, up on the walls, and in the piazzas.  It’s hard to beat a spring evening spent sipping a spritz while listening to music in a medieval square.

 Crowds flock to Lucca each summer for Lucca Summer Fest – a contemporary music festival with a wide variety of Italian and international performers. 

This year Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Kiss, Pat Methany, and Lil Nas X are among the scheduled acts (quite a diverse group!).  Several years back, the Rolling Stones headlined, performing on the green space just outside Lucca’s ancient walls.  That was fun!

But my favorite musical events in Lucca involve classical composers, some of whom were born here. 

Generations of the Puccini family called Lucca home, including 4 generations of sacred music composers, all of whom served as Maestro di Cappella (choir master) at the Cathedral of San Martino. 

Puccini statue in Piazza Cittadella, Lucca. His childhood home is in the background.

The 5th generation saw the Puccini we all know best - Giacomo, born in Lucca in 1858 – shift the family musical focus to opera.

His family home is now a museum. A large bronze statue of “il Maestro”, cigarette in hand and looking rather rakish, sits in Piazza Cittadella near the museum shop. 

Puccini is revered here, so much so that a selection of his arias are performed every evening in the church of San Giovanni. 

Statue of Luigi Boccherini in Lucca

Puccini was not the only famous composer to come from Lucca.  Luigi Boccherini was born here in 1743.  He was a cellist and an early composer of music for string quartets. 

Today, the Boccherini Institute is a place where young musicians train and perform.  Just a few steps from my apartment, the sounds of musical practice coming from the building grace my morning walk most days. 

Perhaps not as well known outside of Italy as Puccini, his cello concertos are incredibly beautiful.  When I want to relax, Boccherini is on my playlist.

To celebrate its classical musical heritage, each spring the city hosts the Lucca Classica Music Festival. 

During the event, musical performances are held throughout the historic center of town – in gardens, underneath the ancient walls, in churches, theaters, and piazzas. 

Performers come from around the world and include choruses, string quartets, orchestras, youth groups, guitarists and even brass bands!

The works of Puccini and Boccherini are well represented during the festival, along with other opera and classical music composers, jazz works, world music, and some distinctly modern pieces. 

 It’s impossible to attend all the performances and difficult to choose among them.  During this year’s festival, when I found a performance that promised Latin music in the spectacular setting of the Garden of Palazzo Pfanner, I knew I had to attend. 

The garden at Palazzo Pfanner - a wonderful, casual setting for a classical music performance during the Lucca Classical Music Festival..

The music was by Quartetto Lunae, a string quartet playing in magical harmony.  They played pieces from Cuba, Mexico, and South America, everything from a Piazzolla tango to Besame Mucho and La Bamba.  Listening to the beautiful notes, surrounded by quiet birdsong and garden roses, was incredibly moving.

Quartetto Lunae

 A fun counterpoint was the performance by the Filarmonica Giacomo Puccini di Nozzano.  This large brass band assembled in Palazzo Napoleone, Lucca’s largest piazza.  From there they marched across town, stopping in a series of piazzas to play for the gathered crowds.  Add in some baton twirlers and it was quite a lively event!

 This year’s Lucca Classica ended on May 1st.   I can hardly wait to see what next year’s festival brings!

This concert goer found the perfect seat - watching the concert from inside the limonaia at Palazzo Pfanner!