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!

Brenta Canal Part One: The Journey

A vintage drawing of a the Villa di Oriaggo along the Brenta Canal

Beginning in the 15th century, the merchants and Noblemen of the Venetian Republic (long before Italy as a unified country came into being) began to acquire property on the mainland west of the Venetian Lagoon. 

The land they developed was used for farming and later for building summer homes and grand villas.  Having a villa along the “Brenta Riviera” was quite fashionable for well-to-do Venetians.   

 The Brenta Canal, a stretch of the Brenta River between Padua and Venice, was the waterway used to move people and goods from the lowlands of Venice up river to Padua.  The canal was modified with a series of locks, some built to a design first developed by Leonardo Da Vinci, to allow boats to make the uphill trip.  

Imagine rowing across the Venetian Lagoon in one of these boats and then being pulled up the Brenta Canal by horses! Sadly, there are no surviving examples of a Burchiello as all were destroyed when Napoleon came to power in Venice.

 Two types of boats travelled the canal.  The first, a burchio, carried goods.  The second, a  burchiello was an ornate boat designed to ferry Noblemen in grand style from Venice to their summer homes on the mainland along the Brenta canal.  The boats were rowed across the lagoon and then pulled by horses up river, passing through a series of locks and under several moveable bridges.

 The tradition of spending summers along the Brenta Canal ended in 1797 when Napoleon arrived and the Venetian Republic fell. Sadly, all of the Burchiello boats were destroyed. We have only drawings but no actual boats to see. Today, a different kind of burchiello travels the canal between Padua and Venice.   Modern motorized boats carry tourists on day-long trips to experience the canal and tour several of the Villas along the route.

The boat for our excursion, named the Burchiellino, tied up at the Villa Foscari

The modern route still uses the old locks to climb up (or down) the 10 meter change in water level along the canal. The boats pass under several sliding bridges and swing bridges – some still operated by hand.

 Along the route are scenes of life along the Brenta canal.

The trip passes by a series of the villas along the way.  Some are sadly in need of repair, some have been adapted for use as restaurants or hotels, and some remain as beautiful and well tended private residences.  A few (lucky for us!) are open to the public. (photos below all taken from the boat on a cloudy day)

On the day-long cruise, with the company Il Burchiello, we were able to visit 3 historic villas – Villa Pisani, Villa Widmann, and the Palladian masterpiece of Villa Foscari.  More about the villas in an upcoming post.  

 Contact info: Il Burchiello www.itburchiello.it. Cost for the full day journey €129 for adults, half day €69

A Spring Time Market in Padova

A cold and rainy March gave way to an April with very erratic weather in northern Italy.  Some days felt very much like spring, a couple of days brought summer temperatures, and other days were unseasonably cold.  But that didn’t stop spring produce from appearing in the markets, providing lots of inspiration for early spring cooking. I spent some time earlier this month in Padova, a city with an exceptionally good food market. Fortunately, I had a sunny day perfect for exploring the market.  A morning spent shopping here is, to me at least, every bit as wonderful as visiting the major attractions of the city. 

The Palazzo della Ragione provides a beautiful and historic backdrop for Padova’s market

Part of the market takes place outdoors in front of the beautiful Palazzo della Ragione where a piazza full of stalls sell the freshest, most beautiful produce.  It would be hard to ask for a better setting than this historic spot.

 In April the spring vegetables take center stage.   The colorful choices start with a whole palette of shades of green.  Fat green asparagus sit alongside the white variety, playing off the thin deep green shoots of the nearby agretti and bags of shelled peas.  

 The leeks are pale with green tops while the fresh pea pods are a vibrant shade of green.  There are green with a yellow tinge fava beans, perfect to snack on paired with a bit of salty cheese.  And broad, flat green beans which remind me of the ones my Italian grandfather grew in his New York backyard. 

 For contrast, yellow and red peppers provide some brilliant color alongside pale white new onions and golden brown new potatoes. 

 Purple tinged artichokes are piled up to be sold whole or already trimmed and either cut in half or pared down to just the heart (why can’t I find these in Lucca?).  

 The strawberries are mouthwatering – they were bright red, sweet, and delicious.   

The second half of the market takes place indoors underneath the Palazzo della Ragione. 

Here you’ll find carnivore heaven with the most wonderful selection of meats.  The Macellai (butchers) display everything from simple cuts to prepared rolled and stuffed roasts of beef, chicken, guinea fowl, and turkey.  Prepared polpette (meatballs) too.  The salumeria (delis) have salami, prosciutto, bresaola, and other meats for slicing. 

 The Pescivendoli (fishmongers) sell whole fish, fillets, big piovra (octopus), sardines and anchovies, shrimp, and lots of shellfish varieties.  Whipped baccala (a specialy of the Venetian area) is available by the scoopful. 

 And the formaggi (cheeses)!  The scent is swoon-worthy and the choices seemingly endless. 

 Other stalls display olives, cicchetti (those small Venetian style bites of goodness), fresh pasta, grains, spices, honey, and a wide selection of prepared foods. The flower stall was colorful and featured spring tulips.

 Everytime I visit this market I begin to think that I should move to Padova - it really is a cook’s dream. My next visit will have to be longer and in an apartment with a kitchen! If the springtime market is this wonderful, just imagine what summer will bring! 

The Enchanting Town of Colmar

A year ago, in spring of 2023, I made an all too brief stop in the enchanting town of Colmar, France.  The stop was a half-day excursion as part of a Rhine river cruise. While the visit was not long enough to experience all that Colmar has to offer, it did allow me to get a glimpse into the city’s history, culture, and beauty.  And, as so often happens on a river cruise, it showed me that this is a place deserving of a longer visit in the future.

Colmar is part of the Alsace region of France, just across the border from Germany.  It has a blend of German and French style in its architecture, culture, and cuisine.  It also has a interesting history – from its medieval old town to the WWII battles that took place here.  History buffs may know that Audie Murphy earned his Medal of Honor in the Colmar battle and there is a memorial to his efforts nearby.

 Some highlights from my short visit to Colmar:

Storks have been nesting in this region for centuries as part of their migration pattern from Africa.  They build nests at high points in the city – tree tops, roofs, and church towers.  They are considered good luck (as well as fertility symbols).  Storks are everywhere in Colmar – the real ones, toy ones, and even chocolate storks!

Half-timbered houses are a prominent feature of the historic old town.  This can be explained by the fact the nearby forests provided plenty of wood for building.  The old-world homes are colorful and give the old town its unique style.

One area of the medieval old town is called “Little Venice” because of its canals.  The canals are lined with pretty houses, small bridges, and pretty trees.

Colmar is one of the prettiest towns I have visited along the Rhine.  The old town is atmospheric and charming (even on the rainy day of my visit). 

Parks host carousels, families, and storks.  Small squares throughout the city are filled with flowers and trees and ringed with cafes and shops.  And many of those shops display wonderful foods – German style pretzels and French pates and meat pies along with Alsatian wines – such a great combination of flavors!

 The Medieval architecture is wonderful but so are some of the newer (yet still old) buildings. Steepled churches, apartments blocks with curves and turrets, iron balconies, and interesting rooflines dot the city.

One of my favorite things are the ornate metal-work signs outside the shops.  They are fun and artistic representations of the businesses they promote.

The sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, Auguste Bartholdi, was from Colmar. A small replica of the statue can be seen when you enter town from the highway (but we drove by too quickly to get a photo).

The visit may have been brief, and rainy, but it was a wonderful introduction to this charming town.

Out and About in Padova

Padova (Padua) is a wonderful, vibrant university town located just 30 minutes by train from Venezia (Venice) and about 4 1/2 hours from my home in Lucca.  It’s a wonderful place, full of important churches, art, museums, and historic buildings. It is one of my favorite cities to visit in Italy.    

The architecture of Padova has a Byzantine influence.

Fresco panel, Scrovegni Chapel, Padovs

One of the city’s major attractions, the stunning Scrovegni Chapel, is filled with Giotto frescoes. They are exquisite and beautifully preserved. 

The Basilica of Saint Anthony draws worshippers along with those who appreciate art, architecture, history, and Italian culture.  They are two of Padova’s major attractions, essential to see on a first visit to the city.

Church of Santa Maria dei Servi, Padova

One of the major advantages of living in Lucca is the ability to visit places like Padova easily and often, sometimes just using it as a base for exploring nearby places. 

That was the case on my most recent visit, one in which I didn’t (gasp!) visit either the Scrovegni Chapel or the Basilica of Saint Anthony.  

Instead, my travel companion and I spent time leisurely walking through town. We popped into lesser-known churches.  We visited the market (and drooled over the food choices).  We spent time in two of the city’s wonderful parks. 

Prato della Valle park, Padova

We made a spontaneous stop at a fantastic Monet exhibit in one of the city’s museums.   The closest we got to Saint Anthony’s Basilica was sitting in a nearby cafe where we sipped an Aperol Spritz while gazing at the beautiful and unique domes of the church. 

Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua

The Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza

Along with a small group of friends, I boarded a boat for a day-long Brenta Canal cruise between Padova and Venezia and a chance to visit 3 historic villas along the way.  More detail about that in some future coming posts.

One afternoon, we hopped a train to nearby Vicenza to get a flavor for the city and see a 500+ year old theater designed by Palladio. 

Vicenza

For anyone who has not yet been to Padova, a 4 day stay would allow for a visit to the Scrovegni Chapel (advance tickets required) and the Basilica of Saint Anthony, a one day Brenta Canal cruise, and a couple of days to wander the city visiting some of the other historic places, churches, the market, the Prate della Valle park and leisurely strolling around this beautiful and vibrant city.

And don’t forget to try the Venetian style cicchetti ! It makes a wonderful dinner.

Cicchetti at Bacaro Frescoli in Padova