Holiday Magic Arrives in Lucca

Via Fillungo, in the evenings after the Tree Lighting ceremony

The winter holidays officially began in Lucca on the evening of November 26th with a community event marking the beginning of Lucca Magico Natale (Lucca Magical Christmas), a season that will last until Epiphany on January 6th. 

Over the preceding week, lights were strung along the streets in the historic center of town.  Next, decorations began to appear in the form of large Christmas trees and oversized Christmas ornaments in many of the piazzas.  However, none of the lights on the trees or ornaments were turned on until the ceremony on the 26th.

 The festivities began in Piazza Napoleone, the largest piazza in Lucca, with the opening of the pista di pattenaggio (ice skating rink).  This is a favorite of local kids, as is the full size sleigh with two sparkly reindeer in the lead.    

 Then came the big event – the lighting of the Albero di Natale, a massive 45 foot tall Christmas tree.  A crowd gathered to ooh and aah as the lights came on.  Not just simple lights, but ones that change color and pattern with swirls of light moving up the tree.  

The event next moved on to Piazza San Michele where a different kind to tree stood. That tree is much more modern, a multidimensional metal sculpture standing 16 feet tall.  The tree is a large version of the tabletop ones designed for Alessi, the very fashionable Italian housewares company, for their Christmas collection “Bark for Christmas”.

Across the piazza stands a large, modern Presepe (nativity), also an Alessi design.

Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) also made an appearance, accompanied by a princess who was definitely not Mrs. Claus!

Could she be Elsa from the Frozen movies? The children with delighted to pose for photos with both of them. 

Perhaps the best part of the ceremony in Piazza San Michele was the projection on the church of moving stars and baubles on a blue background.  It is a beautiful and festive display.

Mother Nature contributed a bit of magic too, providing a full moon rising over the rooftops surrounding the piazza.

The Church of San Michele at Christmastime.

The final stop on the lighting ceremony was in Piazza Anfiteatro (the Amphitheater Piazza) where a huge star with a comet-like tail filled the piazza with sparkle.  

Piazza Anfiteatro in the evenings after the lighting ceremony

Before the lights of the decorations were illuminated, a full moon brightened the piazza

Music was provided at each stop by the very lively Large Street Band, an energetic group of horn players. Babbo Natale and his companion danced to the music, holding hands with a circle of children.

The full moon hung over the Anfiteatro and there really was magic.

Piazza San Frediano, Lucca.

Walking through town after the ceremony, more large decorations were found in Piazza Scalpellini, Piazza San Frediano, and Piazza San Salvatore.   

Lucca is full of lights and sparkles this holiday season. Evening walks are going to be wonderful between now and January 6th!

Piazza Scalpellini, Lucca

Christmas in the Piazza

Piazza San Salvatore, Lucca

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.

Piazza San Frediano

Spending Christmas with Dante

 I love Italy year-round, through rain and shine, ordinary days and extraordinary ones, warm springs and crisp autumns, rare snowy days, and yes, even in this year of pandemic. But Christmas time remains just about my favorite season.

The holidays are pure delight in Lucca - streets aglow with lights, small alleys filled with trees and lined with colorful shop windows, whole buildings wrapped in lights or bows, skating rinks, decorated doorways and windows, nativity scenes large and small, Babbo Natale (the Italian version of Santa Claus) and Old Befana (the best witch ever).  From the simplest touch to the most elaborate display, it’s all magic to me.

This month, despite Italy’s very difficult year, Lucca is once again all dressed up for Christmas.  And, really, how can you not love a city where the piazzas are decorated for the holiday with poetry by Dante spelled out in lights?  Not visions of hellish infernos (though many might think that fitting this year), but rather words with eyes toward the stars and full of hope. In piazza San Frediano (pictured above) the message is: L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle (the love that moves the sun and other stars).

A short walk over to Piazza Cittadella, there is another quote from Dante: E quindi, usciamo a reveder le stelle. (and then, we go out to again see the stars).

In Piazza San Francesco the words drift above the large Christmas tree - Se segui la tua stella, non poi faillire glorioso porto (loose translation - if you follow your star, you cannot fail to reach a glorious place).

This year, Dante’s star filled words offer a perfect glimpse of hope and light. And isn’t that a perfect way to end this year?

I wish you all a happy and safe holiday season. Buone Feste !