Lucca's spot

Friday, June 20, 2014

The first travellers, the pilgrims are back in Lucca

How many miles have you done in your excursions in Lucca, Florence, Siena or wherever during your stay in Italy?


Did you expect it? I believe you can be tired but hopefully you are even more satisfied of your efforts. Was it worthy to see that Cathedral, that tower or that square, wasn't it?


Now think for a minute how it could have been in the past, in medieval times: no trains, no cars, no planes... just your two feet and stick. You would have been called nor a traveler, neither a tourist, but a pilgrim. 


That's the main event this weekend in Lucca: the Via Francigena, a medieval route 1600 km
long from Canterbury to Rome

For three days the city will become again a place where the pilgrims can find a shelter, a place to rest, to have some food and something to drink, so that the day after they can continue their path towards Rome. Don't get wrong they won't stay in a hotel or in a b&b, but there will be some lucchese family that will open the door of their houses, exactly how it was in the past.

On Saturday at 12.00 you can attend the opening of the new museum dedicated to the Via Francigena on walls at The Headman's House on the San Salvatore bulwark.The pilgrims will have lunch later in San Francesco square.


On Sunday evening at 21.00 to end the event there will be a free concert in San Michele's church with a choir and an orchestra: The Masters of the Saint Cecilia Chapel (Cathedral of Lucca) between 1800 and 1900".


A quite unusual and interesting even this weekend is held in Camaiore, a village in the Versilia area, that you can easily reach by train or by bus from Lucca.




Long coloured sawdust carpets called "pula" in dialect will cover the centre to celebrate the religious Corpus Domini. The artisans need usually some months to prepare them: choosing the theme, that can be religious, social, geometrical or flower decoration, then they have to select the colours and finally they can do the mixture of sawdust and aniline. These carpets can be 200 meters long.


Probably this tradition has started in the 1800, the Borbone family used to do these carpets with flowers to welcome their noble guests. Later on sawdust has replaced the flowrers.


The Camaiore artisans are very proud about this event. They stay awake all the night before to arrange them and so you have to be there quite quickly on Sunday morning because during the day the procession will walk on them... As everything that it is beautiful, they are ephemeral.


Please read here if you need more information.





Tomorrow Summer will officially start and Tuscany has decided to welcome the Solstice with many events in the whole region. From Florence to Pisa, Lucca to Siena please check this website for the program. Unfortunately, I have to admit the city of Lucca itself has not proposed so much, so you might better check the province as Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi or other cities as Florence, Siena and Pisa.


Have a great weekend and on Tuesday at 18.00 you'd better support the Italian football team! ;)


Last but not least do not forget to have a look at the Guinness World Record dinner on the walls on Friday!














Thursday, June 5, 2014

Medieval knight or jazz? Your choice!






How many laps have you already done on the Walls? Which is your favourite time of the day for a walk or a ride on your bike? Did you expect them to be so impressive

Have you ever stopped thinking how it could have been when just the soldiers were allowed to be there? How did these walls look like?



Well, this weekend go towards the San Frediano district, inside and outside Porta San Maria, in the Real Collegio square and all around in the city to enjoy a beautiful medieval representation with: the artillery warehouse, the ancient jobs and the market, gambling in Lucca in the '500, the "brothel" for the soldiers and the upper class bigots, the fights between the mercenaries, the joust with the knights and horses and parades with drummers, flag wavers, costumes and crossbows along the main streets...



Be there around 15.30 on Saturday 7th to watch The Pikes/Knives Lineup, a technical performance on how to use the pike as a weapon.




At 16.00 in the Real Collegio square The ransacking/The sack
At 16.15 outiside the San Frediano exit there will be a workshop for kids: military enrloment and basics for fights.

At 16.30 A tournament of duels with soldiers

At 18.00 The Horse Joust and renaissance dances and music on the San Frediano platform.

At 19.30 Hora Fugiens: the Cithara poetry

At 21 The recital Xandù Story





Ba back on Sunday 8th:

at 10.30 Opening of the Renaissance Market on the walls from Porta Santa Maria until San Frediano platform.

At 11.15 outside the San Frediano exit there will be a workshop for kids: military enrolment and basics for fights.

At 11.30 The Ball Braca game: the squire's training


At 12.00 Military camp cuisine: recipes and demonstration

More artillery and archery representations, historical parades in costumes and flag wavers and drummers will perform along the main streets


At 15.00 The Great Battle

From 16.30 till 18.30 Crossbow Competition between San Paolino district and the Lucca crossbow team



Instead just close by, once a Roman place of entertainment, the Amphitheatre square, will become a stage for a Jazz festival for a week (June 7th till 13th). The event will be begin at 19.00 with a Marching Band from Piazza Cittadella through the streets till the venue.

Every night the concert starts at 21.15, here is the calendar: 


  • Saturday 7th: Jazz Under 14 free admission subject to availability. 
  • Sunday 8th: Opening concert with E.Rava at the trumpet and A.Lanzoni at the piano Ticket 15€
  • Monday 9th: Meeting between Sardinia and Tuscany: from folk music to jazz music by Gavino Murgia Mediterranean Trio, free admission subject to availability
  • Tuesday 10th: From Naples to Jazz - From Africa to Flamenco Ensemble Tony Cercola voices and small orchestra. Ticket 10€
  • Wednesday 11th: Playing with the traditions, a geography of sounds orchestrada, free admission subject to availability
  • Thursday 12th: Puccini and Verdi in Jazz Ticket 10€
  • Friday 13th: Mister "G" and Love free admission subject to availability

You can buy tickets at the Tourist information office in Piazzale Verdi or on the same day of the concert from 16.00 there will be a box office in Piazza Scarpellini.







So I hope this sounds lot of fun for all of you!