Prato’s Museo del Tessuto (Textile Museum)

Tuscany is not all rolling hills, art, vineyards, olive groves, and Medieval streetscapes.  A different Tuscany presents itself in the city of Prato. While Prato does have a historic center worth exploring, it is better known as the center of a thiving textile and fashion industry. 

Displays in the Textile Museum recount the history of cloth making and the fashion industry in Prato, including the role of Chinese immigrants.

The creation of textiles in Prato goes back to the 12th century, but it was the industrial revolution of the late 1800’s which fostered the growth of the industry.  Another boom period came with the end of World War II when Prato became one of Europe’s largest districts for textile and clothing manufacturing. Prato’s role in textiles and fashion continues today, in large part supported by the Chinese immigrants who began arriving in the early 1990’s. 

The history of textiles in Prato is celebrated in a small but fascinating and well-curated museum, The Museo del Tessuto. Established 50 years ago, the museum is now housed in a historic building – the former Compolmi textile factory. The factory was opened in 1863 by Vicenzo and Leopoldo Compolmi in a building that formerly housed a mill (and before that a convent). One of the fascinating aspects of the museum is seeing the former factory’s collection of machinery used in the manufacturing process along with implements used during different periods of manufacturing. 

Displays throughout the museum explain the evolution of fashion and style as well as materials used during different time periods. There are displays on types of fabrics, materials used to spin thread, and agents for coloring fabric. Many of the educational displays are hands on, giving visitors the ability to feel how different raw materials are to the touch. I owe these displays a big thank you for most of the info contained in this post.

Recently, I had a chance to visit the museum and see two special exhibits.  One, Silk Treasures, showcases fabric, small remnants, larger pieces, and intact garments, from the 15th – 18th centuries. Many were originally designed for Europe’s wealthy class and later recycled into garments worn by the clergy. The fabrics are woven with gold and silver threads as well as intense blues and reds, forming intricate and beautiful patterns. That they have survived for centuries seems like a miracle. The Silk Treasures exhibit will be on display until December 21, 2025.

The second special exhibit is quite different.  It is a contemporary and futuristic display of clothing crafted from velvet fabrics.  Entitled Velvet Mi Amor, it was created by father and daughter designers Stefano and Corinna Chiassai.

The Velvet Mi Amor exhibit has an eye-catching group of patterns, colors, and textures.

The exhibit, which runs through June 8th, includes 24 otherworldly figures clothed in a diverse range of velvets – prints, patterns, inlays, and laser cuts all have a place.  The oversize pants, jackets, shoes and hats, all in velvet, pull you in to take a closer look. You may even find some hidden messages in the patterns.   

Prato is easily reached by train in about 30 minutes from Florence or 60 minutes from Lucca.  The museum, including its well-stocked gift shop, is definitely worth a visit. And Prato, which hosts Italy’s second largest Chinese population, is just the place for a post-museum Chinese food lunch.

The gift shop at Museo del Tessuto

Carnevale 2025

Corso Garibaldi is the street where the Magnolias bloom in Lucca.

We are on the cusp of a change of seasons in Italy.  No, not winter into spring quite yet (though here in Lucca the Magnolias are just beginning to bloom).  I mean the shift from the season of Carnevale into the season of Lent. 

The last Carnevale events in Lucca and Viareggio are scheduled for the first week of March, a last bit of fun and folly just before the seriousness of Lent begins on the 5th. 

In Lucca, the biggest Carnival event was the Sfilata delle Maschere (Parade of Masks) on February 23rd.  The procession began along Lucca’s historic walls and slowly worked its way to the center of town, ending in a big celebration in Piazza San Michele. 

The sfilata involved much more than just masks.  Viareggio sent groups of costumed performers and some of their smaller floats.

 While the huge floats in Viareggio’s parades require big crews to operate them and move them along, the ones sent to Lucca were the smaller carri (wagons) that take just one or two persons to operate. 

The parade began with the arrival of Burlamacco and Ondina, the official mascots of the event.  Their arrival was followed by a marching band and a special float – a large leopard created especially for Lucca.

This leopard was one of the biggest floats, requiring a tractor to pull it along the parade route.

Then came groups of costumed dancers and performers.  Could I tell you exactly what some of these groups represented?  Not a chance – but all were entertaining and, in the tradition of Viareggio’s Carnevale, a bit political, with a dash of the allegorical, and a whole lot of wild.

 One group of carri, each with a single person steering it, represented the spoils of war and the big money interests that favor it (at least that is my interpretation). The giant money hungry pig was certainly impressive. The sign on his float translates to “Lunch is served. As long there is war there is hope”. His waiters served up barrels of oil and tanks. This type of social commentary is exactly what I expect from Viareggio during Carnevale.

My favorite group of floats brought graceful acrobats twirling high above the crowd.  The were called In Equilibrio Sopra La Follia which translates to Balanced Above the Madness.  Seemed an appropriate theme for this year to me. 

The final float was the largest.  A train full of paper mâché people waving to the crowd.

Alongside the parade, the crowd included lots of costumed children and adults too. 

What a fun way to celebrate Carnevale before the much more sedate season of Lent arrives.

A February Week in Lucca

The last week or so here in Lucca has been mostly cold, rainy, and windy.  Some days saw just a slow drizzle but others were seriously rainy.  One night brought drama with thunder, lightning, hail, and brief periods of flickering lights.  Mixed in were periods of cloudy, chilly weather with breaks in the rain.  The rare days of sunshine felt like a gift with blue cloudless skies and some sunshine!

 Despite the less-than-ideal weather, there is a bit of buzz in the air. The long weeks of January are over, and the days are getting longer.  February is short and will land us one month closer to spring.

It is a time to make the best of breaks in the weather, go for walks about town, and see what might be new to discover.  Camera in hand (well, my IPhone camera) each bit of clear sky was a chance to set out and explore.

One walk last week brought a surprise encounter with a local group of Steam Punk enthusiasts.  All in costumes, they make for compelling photographic subjects. 

A lovely Steam Punk lady!

 Walks around Lucca last week also provided a chance to see Valentines Day themed window displays.  Look closely at the typewriter in the photo below – the brand name is most appropriate.

 A lot of the buzz in the air had to do with the start of Carnevale, an event that will go on until the beginning of Lent.  Viareggio is home to most of the Carnevale action, but the themes, masks, confetti, and  paper mâché creations spill over into Lucca in many ways. 

Last week it was in the arrival of the Skull Parade, a collaboration between Viareggio and Mexico City.  The large paper mâché creations reflect Mexican Day of the Dead culture with a splash of Italian Carnevale.  They are scattered throughout Lucca so you never know when you might stumble onto one.  Searching for these teschi (skulls) was good motivation to go out for a walk, even when an umbrella was required.

Other Carnevale related arrivals included a huge Gorilla mask, created by the Cinquini brothers, under the loggia in Piazza San Michele.   Could his eyes really be following me?  Indeed they can!

 A Carnevale event just for children on Saturday was a blizzard of confetti thrown by costumed kids.  It was a fun kind of chaos. A stilt walker threw streamers for the kids and the unicycle rider provided bags of confetti.  Give a kid a bag of confetti and just watch what happens.

Inside the Piazza Anfiteatro, the oval-shaped piazza that follows the outlines of the old Roman Amphitheater, nightfall brought Carnevale themed projections on the buildings.  It was just warm enough to sit outside in a cafe (cozied up to the gas flame heater), sip a glass of wine, and enjoy the light show.

 All this in one week! And what will next week will bring? More Carnevale events and hopefully some drier weather.

Keeping Busy on Cold Winter Days in Tuscany

Watching kids enjoy the giostra (carousel) on nice days is a good pastime.

It’s important to make the most of the cold January days in Lucca, even the rainy ones. 

While the heavy periods of rain have definitely kept me indoors at times, lighter rains and clear periods see me heading out for walks, window shopping, photography, meeting up with friends, watching the giostra (carousel) go round and round, and looking for general inspiration.

The monthly antiques market was a great diversion in between rain showers on a cold and cloudy day earlier this month.  Many of the vendors are the same from month to month, but a scavenger hunt to search for new and unusual finds is always fun.  

Cooking is a good rainy-day activity and, after finding some really nice guanciale in the market, I’ve been working on perfecting my pasta carbonara skills. But sometimes eating out is a good rainy-day activity too.

Pasta is cold weather comfort food and Macelleria Pucci is a butcher shop / restaurant that makes a great southern Italian spaghetti with polpettini (little meatballs). Lunch there with friends was a treat as it is unusual to find this dish in northern Italy. I requires lots of rainy afternoon walks to balance out those pasta calories!

Catching up with friends after being away from Italy over the holidays has been great too.  Lucca has lots of cafes, perfect for meeting over a cup of coffee, pot of tea, or glass of wine.  The indoor cafes are warm and cozy and have led to some great chats about world issues with locals at the next tables.  It is always interesting to get the Italian perspective on US and World events.  And it is great for practicing my Italian.

 A stop at the Saturday flower market, on one of the few sunny days this past weekend, brought a touch of spring and some bright color into my apartment, a necessity on these winter days.

The Saturday flower market in Piazza San Michele is great in any season

One of my favorite winter cold weather activities is planning spring travel and I’ve been busy doing just that.  Spring in Emilia- Romagna and Umbria is a welcome thought on these cold days. And the planning is almost as much fun as the travel will be.

 My book club selection for the month is The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli.  It has transported me to Florence in the late 1400s and Paris in the 1930s.  A great escape on a cold or cloudy day.

 And for real escapism, day dreaming about spring blossoms is hard to beat.  Photos can make the gray skies fade away and bring a reminder that spring is just around the corner.  I think that readers in the frigid parts of the US and Canada might appreciate these reminders as much as I do.  Stay warm everyone!

January

On one cold afternoon I had Via Sant’Andrea all to myself - something that never happens in warmer months

How to best describe January (Gennaio in Italian) in Lucca?   Certainly it is tranquilla (calm), especially after all of the December holiday activity.  January is a month without crowds.  Walking through the quiet town at the beginning of the new year is a treat.  It is as if January reclaims Lucca for the locals.

 This January arrived with some really cold temperatures and dark, moody skies.  Lliving in a 400+ year old brick building, and just above an unheated cantina (cellar), I really feel the cold.  Even indoors, a scarf, a fleece vest, and warm socks are standard wear.  As for bedtime, an old-fashioned hot water bottle works wonders. I admit that I miss the programmable thermostat in the US that makes my New Mexico condo toasty warm before I get out of bed in the mornings.

Going outside requires winter coats, thick scarfs, warm hats, and gloves even on the days when the skies are a beautiful clear blue.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that blue skies = warm weather.  Even when the skies are clear, it is cold outside. Especially on Lucca’s Medieval streets which get very little sun on winter days. Best to bundle up when going outside. 

Beautiful blue skies - but still really cold!

Ponce Mandarino

 When the wind blows or the rains come, as they have many days this month, it is hard to stay warm no matter how many layers you put on.  These are the January days that are perfect for staying indoors, reading, planning spring travel, and writing. We’ve had quite a few of these days this month.

Cold January weather requires hot drinks – a cappuccino (ask for it molto caldo), a thick hot chocolate (maybe with a touch of whipped cream), or, on an especially cold evening, a ponce mandarino which packs a lot of heat and just enough alcohol to clear the sinuses and warm the soul.

 Walking though town this past week, the streets were nearly empty. The outdoor café tables are mostly abandoned, waiting patiently for a sunny day and warmer temperatures.   Only a few brave souls sat outside, often clustered around a gas heater.  The weekend was a bit livelier, especially because the Antiques Market was in town. Even the damp, dark skies couldn’t keep people away from the monthly market.

Usually a busy cafe, this spot sits quiet and empty in cold January weather.

 Lucca’s historic walls are also quiet this time of year. Gone are the summertime crowds, the 4 person pedal-bikes, and the shorts-clad joggers. A few walkers are out, some mothers pushing prams with babies in warm buntings, and an occasional bicyclist. But the bare trees and nearly empty paths paint a picture of cold winter weather.

Along Corso Garibaldi, a street currently lined with leafless Magnolia trees, a close look reveals the beginning of the buds that will burst into bloom in about 6 weeks.   A welcome hint of spring.

The rest of January will be filled with quiet activities – I’ve joined a new book club as well as an Italian conversation group.  I have a stack of books waiting to be read.  I will embrace walks along the walls on crisp days and errands that take me though the quiet streets. 

Soon it will be February and Lucca will begin to buzz as we await the beginning of Carnevale.

Bare now, soon the wisteria will bloom above this terrace.