Carnevale Lucca Style

Venice, 2020

 If you come to Italy during the month of February, be prepared for some excitement.  February is the month of Carnevale - the big post-Christmas season event that brings fun and celebration in anticipation of the more restrained period of the 40 days of Lent which precede Easter.

 Picture processions, costumes, fantastic masks, balls, parties, sweets and lots and lots of confetti. 

The character of the celebrations may vary, from the elegance of Venice, to the satire of Viareggio, and the many celebrations in large and small towns throughout Italy.  Fun and a chance to cut loose prior to Lent are the common denominators.

 Lucca, where I live, is just about 30 minutes from the seaside town of Viareggio.  Viareggio plays host to Italy’s 2nd largest Carnevale event (just behind Venice’s) on successive weekends throughout most of February. 

Viareggio, 2019

Paper-mâché floats are the centerpieces of the Corso Mascherato (masked route) procession which takes place along Viareggio’s seaside promenade.  Some of the floats are huge, requiring a whole team to propel them forward and move their various extremities  - nothing is mechanized, it’s all human powered.  

Others are smaller, but all are works of art created by a carrista, a master craftsman / artisan / maker of floats.  Their creations make comments, allegorical and satirical, on society, politics, culture, and a host of modern-day issues. Over the course of the month half a million plus visitors will come to Viareggio to enjoy the procession. 

For the first several years that I lived in Lucca there was barely a hint of Carnevale here.  A few children’s parties, some glitter and confetti, but not much else.  With Viareggio just a short train ride away, none of the action came our way.  

That changed in 2023 with the advent of Lucca in Maschera, a collaboration between the cities of Lucca and Viareggio to bring some of the Carnevale magic here to Lucca. 

This year the festivities began on February 4th with a parade of masked groups, some 400 people strong, and some of the smaller floats / figures from Viareggio, along Lucca’s historic walls. And that was just the beginning. This year I watched the excitement of the parade from afar, as I was still in New Mexico visiting family. A big thanks to Lucca resident Sandra Liliana Pucci for the parade photos below.

Several large installations remain on display in the piazzas throughout town. I was delighted that they were still in place when I returned to Lucca last week. Walking through town to discover the various works was a great welcome home for me!

Paper-mâché Rolling Stones tower over Piazza Napoleone in memory of their concert here several years ago.  A huge tiger sits under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. 

This Shaman made its way from the parade on the walls to Piazza Anfiteatro. Thanks to M.A. Fisher for this photo

The whale from the Pinocchio tale fills the space in front of the tourist information center in Piazzale Verdi and huge Shamans work some magic in Piazza Anfiteatro. 

 Throughout February a host of other Carnevale activities are taking place.   Events in Lucca include children’s celebrations, a masked ball, the return of a historic masquerade in Piazza San Francesco (an event that has been missing for several years), musical performances, and lots of good Carnevale sweets in the pastry shops. 

I won’t make it to Viareggio this year, much less to Venice, but I am enjoying the Carnevale events in Lucca. Even the leftover confetti on the streets make me smile.

Arezzo, Italy's Christmas City

Beginning in late November, and continuing through the beginning of January, the Tuscan city of Arezzo becomes the Citta del Natale, the Christmas City. 

During those weeks, Arezzo is home to Italy’s largest Tyrolean style Christmas market. The market showcases the best of Austrian and German holiday crafts and foods, with a unique Italian accent.  

 A visit to the market begins with a stroll up Corso Italia where shops are decorated and exquisite glass ornaments, tree toppers, and holiday tableware are on display. 

Santa Maria della Pieve, Arezzo, at Christmas

Also on Corso Italia is the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve.  It is well worth a stop inside the 6th century church.

Not only is the historic church beautiful, at this time of year the crypt houses a beautiful life size Nativity.

Continuing into the historic center of Arezzo, the small side streets are full of Christmas decorations.

Piazza Grande, the large central piazza at the heart of the city, is where the market begins.

The piazza is ringed by Medieval and Renaissance buildings and the beautiful Vasari Loggia. Together they provide a very Italian background for the market. 

 Small wooden huts fill the piazza.  Each one displays holiday crafts or ornaments. There are lots of little Christmas trolls, wooden nutcrackers and bells, along with colorful hats and gloves.

 The piazza also holds many baitine del gusto (tasting huts).  Huge stacks of sweet or salty pretzels, spit roasted pork, goulash, stuffed potatoes, and Italian panini are for sale. 

Other booths focus on sweets - chocolate, pastry, apple strudel. It’s impossible to go hungry at the Mercato! There are plenty of huts selling beer and hot mulled wine too. 

There is no shortage of cafes in the loggia at the upper edge of the piazza. A stop for a cioccolato caldo con panna montata (hot chocolate with whipped cream) provides a chance to warm up and just the boost needed to keep going until nightfall.

Nighttime brings a whole new dimension to the Piazza Grande.  When dark falls, projected lights splash patterns on the ancient building facades, each with a different pattern. Above the loggia, ornate snowflakes on a blue background cascade down the walls.  The intricate patterns transform the piazza and are stunning.

 Leaving Piazza Grande, the next stop is the Prato, the large park up above town near the Duomo.  More wooden huts with crafts, ornaments, and food fill the market in the park. A display of large fallen stars leads the way to the Prato.   

The Prato also comes alive after dark when the Bosco delle Meraviglie (Forest of Wonders) sparkles with trees wrapped in lights. The Ruota Panoramica, a large ferris wheel, turns high above the booths and the kids flock to the giostra (carousel).  Il Prato is full of Christmas magic.

 With just an afternoon and evening in Arezzo, the markets in Piazza Grande and the Prato filled my time.  A full day, or better yet an overnight, would have brought my group of friends to the Father Christmas House (lots of kids lined up there) and a Lego house made of 2 million Lego bricks.  Next time!

A trip to Arezzo for the Christmas market made for a wonderful start to the holiday season. A big thanks to Giovanni and Loreal at The Tuscan Wanderer for whisking us away to Arezzo for a wonderful day.

Lucca in October

October 5th - still warm enough for an outdoor aperitivo. Perhaps the last one of the season?

October in Lucca can feel like an entire season wrapped up in a single month. Or maybe multiple seasons.

Early October brought some relief from summer’s intense heat but was still plenty warm with daytime highs in the 80’s.  Mornings and evenings began to cool off, but it was still warm enough for summer dresses. Perfect weather for an outdoor meal or an evening aperitivo.  

Swing music on an early fall evening. Perfect! Oct 7, 2023

By then end of the first week in October the days were still mild with daylight hours long enough to support outdoor activities in the evenings.  Definitely not yet time to pack away the summer clothes.

Listening to the lovely harmonies of Coro Puntacappo sing a cappella swing music under one of Lucca’s medieval arches - what a great way to spend a pleasant early fall evening.

A beautiful Ottobrata day

In the US this last gasp of summer-like weather would be called “Indian Summer”.  Here in Italy it is known as Ottobrata – a new word for me.  Ottobrata is a time to appreciate those last warm days, outdoor activities, and the final picnics of the season.  I like that new word and I love this season.

By mid-October the temperatures in the mornings and evenings were getting progressively chilly.  It was the “I have no idea how to dress today” season. A light jacket?  Perfect in the morning but way too warm in the afternoons when the temps were still reaching the mid-70’s.  Two changes of clothing per day seemed to be the norm. And it was still too soon to pack away summer shirts.  This in-between season is the ideal time for walks along Lucca’s walls.  The leaves are changing, chestnuts fall to the ground, and the weather is perfect. 

Mid-October along Lucca’s walls

Walking along the walls is wonderful at any time of day, but my favorite time for a stroll is at dusk.  The fall tramonti (sunsets) are glorious!

The end of October brought a big change in the weather and an early arrival of fall rainy season.  We had several days of dramatic thunder booms and some powerful downpours.  Added to that were howling winds which knocked branches small and large from many trees.  Out came the raincoats, boots, and scarfs.  And umbrellas of all colors! 

Now, in these last few days of the month, it still isn’t very cold, with daytime temperatures around 68 degrees. But the days when there is rain and wind feel quite a bit colder then the temperature would suggest.  Luckily breaks in the storms have allowed an opportunity to get outside, avoid a bad case of cabin fever, and see the leaves change color a little more each day.  

Lots of changing leaves during my walk on October 23rd.

Late October is the season to beware of a colpo di aria –  a cold air draft that leads to a stiff neck and other ailments – a cold, a sore throat, earaches or something much worse!  A belief in the colpo di aria is very strong here in Tuscany.  Even the doctors warn to always wear a scarf.  The English speaking people around here jokingly ask “Do you know what happens if you don’t wear a scarf?” The standard answer is “You get a sore throat and then you die”. An exaggeration for sure, but the Italian worry about the effects of the cold air has worn off on many of us. It is definitely scarf season now and also the start of “time to brew some chai, get a good book, and stay inside to avoid the rain” season. 

The tents for Lucca Comics and Games seem to multiply daily in October

October is also la stagione delle tende (tents season) here in Lucca.  Not tents for camping but tents, some of them huge, that pop up all over the city in preparation for Lucca’s big fall event – Lucca Comics and Games.  The tents start to go up at the beginning of October and slowly fill every piazza, the green spaces along the walls, parks, the large open areas just outside the walls, and just about any space where there is room to set one up. 

Costumed participants Comics, October 2019. This week the streets of Lucca will be filled with people in costumes.

Many people love the Comics event and it is important to Lucca’s economy.  The costumes are elaborate, there are special art and gaming venues, and there is a general air of excitement in town. Others of us (I admit to being one of them) dread the arrival of the tents and the huge crowds that we know will follow.  Picture 300,000+ people streaming into the historic center of Lucca over a 5 day period.  For me, this is a good season to head out of town on a short trip. This week I will go to Florence for my comics escape.

Of course, the end of October also brings Halloween.  Halloween is not a big deal in Italy, but is a little more so here in Lucca where it coincides with the beginning of Comics and Games.  Just last week these witch’s brooms appeared overhead in Chiasso Barletti, a small alley of shops. I think this is my favorite Halloween / Comics display ever.

Last week this scary monster was being erected in Piazza San Giusto. While it is meant for the big Comics festival, it feels quite Halloween-ish to me.

Scary !

The clocks have now been turned back an hour and dark falls much earlier.  Summer is definitely over and October, with all of its seasons, is just about over too. I wonder what November will bring?

September in Lucca

September is one of my favorite months in Italy.  It starts out as summer – hot and humid – and then slowly transforms itself into autumn. By late September the mornings and evenings are cool enough that sweaters and scarves make their first appearance of the season. The cooler weather is perfect for a passeggiata, the Italian tradition of an evening stroll, yet still pleasant enough for sitting outdoors at a cafe.  The AC (if one is lucky enough to have it) has been turned off and the windows are open, letting in cool breezes and the hint of fall that is in the air.

Late September skies are beautiful and the weather is pleasant.

 In Lucca, September is a unique month. It even has a special name -  Settembre Lucchese.  It is a month of festivals, artisan markets, concerts, and celebrations. 

This year September kicked off with Murabilia, the annual fall garden show.  Murabilia has everything for the fall garden, from plants to yard art to terracotta pots.  For inside the home there are delicate orchids, fall gourds, and pretty linens.  Artisans demonstrate and sell their crafts and food stands offer local products – meats, cheese, breads, garlic, and flavored syrups.  

September also brings the Palio della Santa Croce. The Palio is has its roots in medieval times as members of the three contrade (districts) in the historic center of Lucca engage in a crossbow competition. The event starts with a procession of musicians, flag throwers, costumes, and the very medieval looking archers.  The procession weaves its way through Lucca, stopping to perform in some of the piazzas, eventually making their way to the area behind the Cathedral of San Martino where this year’s competition took place.

September’s most important event, The Luminaria of Santa Croce, takes place every year on the evening of September 13th.   The luminaria is in honor of Lucca’s most important ancient artifact, the wooden crucifix known as the Volto Santo (Holy Face). 

The legend of the Volto Santo is this: it was crafted by Nicodemus who fell asleep before carving the face.  When he awoke, he found that the face had been miraculously completed. The legend continues with a journey across the sea to the coast of Italy and then a trip by oxcart to Lucca more than 1000 years ago.  Both journeys are considered miracles as, according to the legend, the ship and the oxcart where unmanned and divinely guided to Lucca. The crucifix became a stop on the pilgrim’s route to Rome. It remains a venerated religious object to this day, drawing modern day pilgrims to Lucca. 

The crucifix usually rests in a small chapel within the Cathedral of San Martino where the figure of Christ is dressed in a gold vestments during the festival. This year was a bit different as the crucifix is undergoing restoration.  It has been moved from its small chapel to an area inside the cathedral where it is possible to watch the restoration in progress.   

During the luminaria procession religious and civic groups move through the candlelit streets of Lucca.  The Volto Santo is represented by a cloth image held aloft. Each year there is a large cross made of flowers. Participants hold candles and prayers are chanted along the route. It is a beautiful and moving event with both religious and cultural meaning.

Settembre Lucchese came to a close this year with the Festival of San Michele (St. Michael the Archangel).  A special mass was held in the Basilica of San Michele, one of Lucca’s historic churches.  A concert, on the evening of September 23rd, filled the church with music by the Polifonica Lucchese and the Boccherini Orchestra. The fullness of the music, along with beautiful voices in the setting of a historic church, combined to create a very special evening.

 September is an ideal time to visit Lucca. It is not too early to begin planning for a September 2024 visit !

By the third week of September the temperatures are cool enough for a late morning walk along Lucca’s shady walls.

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!