Christmas in the Piazza — Two Parts Italy

The historic center of Lucca has a medieval street plan which includes narrow streets, stone and brick buildings, towers, and a series of piazzas. The warmly colored buildings and the open spaces of the piazzas provide a perfect backdrop any time of year, but especially during the holiday season.

Each piazza in the historic center has some type of Christmas display. From traditional Christmas trees to oversize ornaments to metallic trees and old fashioned Christmas markets, the holiday vibe is everywhere. Overhead, the streets and piazzas have strings of lights and luminous stars. The ancient amphitheater has a projected light show on its curved walls, not to mention a giant Babbo Natale which delights the kids.

Piazza Napoleone is home to an ice skating rink and a Christmas market. The sounds of blades on ice, happy voices, and laughter accompany kids of all ages (and a few brave adults) as they skate around the rink. This is also where the carousel, decorated for the season, whirls kids and parents round and round.

Just beyond lies Piazza del Giglio, where the theater glows with lights and an oversize Christmas ornament lights up the piazza at night. The kids particularly like that they can walk through the ornament. As for the grownups, well there seem to be a lot of couples who stop inside for a photo or a kiss.

This year a group of artists were invited by the city of Lucca to create unique expressions reflecting Christmas themes. Their creativity fills the squares, streets, and even stretches to underneath the historic walls. Many of their creations are non-traditional or abstract, bringing a new sense of fun to the season. Pictured below: a recycled Christmas tree made entirely of plastic in Piazza Scalpellini and a very abstract tree, by Francesco Zavattari, which anchors a holiday chocolate market in Piazza Guidiccioni.

Piazza San Giovanni hosts a modern take on a woodland forest. Designed by local artist Emiliana Martinelli, it is edged with LED lights that cycle through a range of colors. Quite a contrast with the ancient church as a back drop.

Piazza del Duomo is host to one of my favorite installations. Designed by Michel Boucquillon and Donia Maaoui for the Alessi design company, this 18 foot high metallic tree, decorated with large round ornaments and a star at the top, is red on one side and silver on the other. During the day it reflects the surrounding buildings and at night it glows with reflective lights.

In the center of Lucca, the church of San Michele provides the backdrop for the largest Christmas tree in town. Locals turned out for the tree lighting ceremony on November 25th, a fun start to the Christmas installations throughout town. Under the loggia just across the square is a life size precepe (nativity scene). In Italy, nativity scenes include whole villages of people and this one is no exception. The figures are the work of the historic Giovacchino Marchi company, makers of nativity figurines since 1930.

Not all of the magic happens above ground. Underneath a section of the wall is a modern fairyland of snow and stars, another work by Francesco Zavattari. It is an unexpected surprise when taking the shortcut under the walls out into Lucca beyond the center.

Cold nights, bright lights, and Christmas magic - a perfect time for a walk through Lucca.