Beep beep... Move along: Mille miglia race is coming to Lucca this weekend!

Wandering in the city, it makes you already feel in another dimension of time, but then on Saturday and Sunday here in Lucca it will be like a real blast from the past!!

The main event, connected also with the 500th anniversary of the Walls, is the Mille Miglia race, have you ever heard about it?

Here on the official website you can read the history of the most beautiful race in the world. Basically, the city of Lucca is waiting for more than 400 old epoque cars: Ferrari, Alfa Romeo Spider, Maserati, Fiat, MG, Nash-Healey, Porsche.

So here are all the times, places and details for Saturday May 17th take a note and a map with you: 

• at 13 the cars will start to arrive in Lucca, 80 Ferrari and Mercedes Tribute are expected, they will introduce the arrival of the actual race cars Mille Miglia. They will be located on the walls, just behind San Frediano's church and the Real Collegio, here some local typical products will be offered. 
• Later the cars will move to Napoleon's square, around 14.30 they will pass in front of the stage and...
• At 15 o'clock the Mille Miglia race cars will begin to parade. Entering from Saint Peter's gate, they will come inside the city, then on the walls towards Elisa's gate for a chrono/time competition on the San Paolino Bulwark. 
• They will get checked by judges in Napoleon's square. Here you will have the chance to see the wonderful Freccia Rossa. 
• The cars will reach the Amphitheater square, passing by Piazza San Michele, Piazza San Salvatore, Via San Giorgio, Via Fillungo and Piazza Scalpellini. They will continue in Piazza San Frediano, Via della Cavallerizza and then they will leave the city from Santa Maria's gate. So find a place on this itinerary and be ready with your cameras! 

More events connected to the passage of the cars, in Piazza Napoleone: 

- a beautiful choreography: 50 Fiat Cinquecento will represent the number 500 to celebrate the anniversary of the City Walls

- a cigar demonstration: how the Tuscan cigar is still made by hand.

- did you know that two lucchese people, Barsanti and Matteucci have been recognized as the inventors of the spark-ignited internal combustion engine? I mean they were from Pietrasanta, province of Lucca.... so there will be an exhibtion dedicated to them and old engines.

The City Crossbow team and San Paolino district (drummers, flag wavers, historical costume, archery) will welcome the old cars at Porta San Pietro, then from 15.30 till about 16 they will be in Napoleon's square and then they will do a parade, till Piazza San Michele, where they will entertain and perform till about 18.
Instead in Piazza Anfiteatro, from 16.30 till 18, you will find another flag wavers and musicians parade by S.Anna district.

My dear ladies, if cars and engines are not your favourite subject, leave your husbands there and move to the Cathedral square, San Giovanni, Piazza del Giglio, Piazza San Giusto, Via del Gallo and Via del Battistero to browse and find the best bargain: a vintage necklace, a bag, some antiques hand painted china cups, plates and more at the fabulous Antiques Market. (Saturday&Sunday 9-19) I am sure you will love it! 

Saturday night (May 17th) will be the European Museum night so do not miss the chance to visit two interesting city museums: 

• the Puccini Museum, where the local celebrity Giacomo Puccini was born and lived till the age of 20 years old.  Free entrance and exceptionally it will be open from 21 till midnight (last entrance at 23.30).
• Even the National Museum of Palazzo Mansi, in Via Galli Tassi will be open from 19.30 till midnight (last entrance at 23.30) and entrance ticket is 1€. It is a wonderful noble lucchese residence, beautiful 17th century frescoes everywhere, a painting gallery and a gorgeous bedroom for "just married" couples and vip guests. 

Have you been told that Lucca is the city of music? So here we go, a free concert at Santa Maria Corteorlandini church on Saturday night at 21.15 dedicated to the Holy Music as a Bridge through Time. 
Polyphony and Spirituality will be the main protagonists of the performance: Convitto Armonico is a choir born in 1990 with the purpose to study the ancient vocal music. It will be accompanied by an organ played by Marco Montanelli. Music by: Monteverdi, Lauridsen and Whitacre.
The concert is part of the Sagra Musicale Lucchese, one of the oldest festival in town, this is year is the 51st edition. 

This is the right weekend also to visit the many many villas spread in the lucchese countryside. Starting from tomorrow May 16th till Sunday, seven of them will open their gates to public to visit the gardens and the mansion for the Ville in Fiore event: Villa Gambaro, Lazzareschi, Mazzarosa, Pierotti-Bagneschi, Villa Leoni, Palazzo Buonvisi and Bove. They are all very close between them, but you will need a car to get there and to move easily. Each villa has its own program: arts&crafts market, typical local product market, flowers, wine, oil and beer and much more...





Then on Sunday late afternoon if you are still not tired and exhausted from a busy weekend, join the free Zumba class at 18.30 at the Cortile degli Svizzeri. Just in Piazza Napoleone, go through the arch of the palace, next to the Stella Polare bar. 

Jump, move and dance and I am sure you will sleep tight and then let me know how was your weekend in Lucca! Have fun!! 

Music, markets and marathon among the Lucca streets

Yesterday May 1st started with a nice sunny day here in Lucca, I hope that you enjoyed it with a stroll on the walls, a meal outside or an ice cream in a lively square of the city.

A new weekend is getting close, even if, since Easter it has been quite confusing to remember what day is it. 

Have you been told that Lucca is the city of Music? Here we go:

On Saturday at 21.15 in the St. Martin's Cathedral, there will be a free concert: the choir coming from the Anglican Church of St Georg in Paris. Its repertoire goes from Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Dvorak, Stravinsky, Lennox-Berkeley a Palestrina, Victoria, Byrd, Tallis, Lassus. The choir's director is Peter Hicks, Simon Lawford will play the organ and the solo parts will be of Lucie Louvrier. 

This is the second event of a very important festival for the city called Sagra Musicale Lucchese, this is the 51st edition and it involves the most beautiful churches in and outside Lucca.

More free music on Saturday night at 21.15 will be in Santa Maria's Corteorlandini church, the unique baroque church in town. The Santa Felicita group will perform the traditional holy music concert with a tribute to Giacomo Puccini. 

Another genre of music, jazz will be the protagonist the next following days. On the walls, at the San Regolo's bulwark on Saturday will open the photo exhibition "Do your remember Chet? Chet Baker in Lucca" 

Did you know that this great trumpet player was imprisoned here? Exactly in that jail that you can see walking on the walls. 

The exhibition opening times: from May 4th to 9th in the afternoon 16-20. Free entrance. 

Ladies: 3 markets for you!! 

The weekly local market on Saturday morning (9-13) in Via dei Bacchettoni, then:

still on May 3rd for the entire day, the area of Piazza San Martino - Piazza San Giovanni - Piazza Del Giglio - Piazza XX Settembre will be full of clothes, shoes, kitchenware, sweets, plants and flowers and a little bit of everything.
It is the market, the fair for The May Cross. It is as you can imagine, a religious occasion celebrated almost everywhere in Italy to remember the finding of Jesus's cross. Elena, Costantino's wife, found it on the Calvary mountain. (Mass will be at 9, 10.30 and 19 in the Cathedral) 

It is a very ancient tradition, do not confuse it with the Holy Face (Volto Santo) feast, which is in September and it is just a Lucchese event. 



You can continue your shopping in San Paolino district (Via di Poggio, Piazza dei Cocomeri, Piazza Cittadella) at the Arts & Talent market, (Sat&Sun 9-20). It is a small market but they have sometimes some interesting objects with a medieval taste. 

Sunday morning, instead will be the first time for the Lucca Half Marathon! Go and support the runners! The itinerary will be mainly inside the city: the start will be at Porta Elisa, then Piazza Santa Maria, Fillungo, outside the walls and then back to arrive at Porta San Gervasio. There are about 1.200 runners!! 

Again you can attend a Golf Competition this weekend outside the walls. There will be two croquet lawns close to the San Donato's Bulwark where international players will compete. 

I think that if the sun will shine a day trip to Viareggio can be fun, it is only 30 mins by train from Lucca. From the railway station you can easily walk to the Passeggiata, the long promenade along the seaside full of shops, liberty buildings and beach clubs. 

This time of the year the beach is getting ready with umbrellas and sun beds, the view on the Apuan Alps will be beautiful. 

You can stop at the pier where all the luxurious yachts and sail boats are parked to enjoy some Italian fish&chips at La Barchina.

You will probably have to queue a little bit because it is delicious and very well known! 

Then if you will reach almost the end of the Passeggiata at the Principe di Piemonte hotel conference room you can enjoy a craft beer at the festival: Il senso della Birra  

Finally, if you have already planned your weekend away from Lucca and you will head towards Florence, do not miss the Gelato Festival at the Palazzo dei Congressi gardens, just opposite Santa Maria Novella train station. Admire the ice cream masters and their delightful creations! Yummy!! :)

This weekend there's something to suit everybody's fancy in Lucca

If you are already in Lucca maybe walking around San Frediano's church and the Amphitheater, you have noticed that something is going on... What are these workers doing?

They are arranging a beautiful flower carpet in front of the church and a flower market in the roman square that will start on Fri, 25th April to celebrate a special personality in town: Saint Zita.

If you have not meet her yet, go inside the church and you will see her in the first chapel on your right as soon as you come in. There she is in a glass case on the main altar, surrounded by paintings to highlight her miracles and the most important episodes of her life.

The lucchese inhabitants are still very attached to her. She is the copatron saint of the city and there will be a Mass to commemorate her the day she died April 27, 1278 but also the flower and plan market. Why flowers you are probably wondering? Because one of the miracle she performed was to transform the breadcrumbs and food leftover hidden in the her apron in many many beautiful daffodils.

Do not miss the market as there are some amazing flower decorations!

Then if you are looking for a unique souvenir from Lucca, something to remind you this holiday go to the Arts&Crafts Market in San Giusto's square (April, 25-26-27). Here you will find lot of ideas, all absolutely hand made and original: jewels, ceramic, leather, pictures, clothes, home accessories etc...
I remember last year a guest came especially for this market, that takes place the last weekend of the month, so that she could buy all her Christmas presents here!

It can seem too much of a coincidence but this weekend we will also celebrate two different Liberation/Independence day.

The first one, on April 25th, it is more connected with the Italian history. April 25, 1945 it is generally considered the end of the World War II in our country, the end of the German/Nazi occupation (on that day the American troops released Milan and Turin). Since 1946 it ha been proclaimed public holiday: so offices, banks, schools, factories will be closed. I believe that most of the stores in Lucca will be opened, at least in the afternoon. But if you have to catch a train or a bus make sure you check the right schedule.

For the first time in Lucca, this year, there will be a cooperation to realize a War Resistance Itineray. If you interested in this subject you will find in town in Via Sant'Andrea the Liberation Museum, which is slowly reopening with new sections. (Time: 10-13 and 14-19), in Borgo a Mozzano instead you can find the open air museum of the Gothic Line (Time 10-13): the fortifications, bunkers, tunnels, emplacements and anti-tank defense built by the German army. Finally, if you happen to be in this area, near Barga, there is the Sommocolonia Museum (time 10-13 and afternoon). This village is known for the Christmas Battle, the only battle fought in the Serchio Valley. The movie director Spike Lee got inspired by this event for his film Miracle at St.Anna's in 2008. The allies were stopped in a long action by the German troops for almost the entire winter season, they will have to wait for the spring to be able to cross the Apennines mountains and reach the north of Italy.






The second Liberation celebrated this weekend is related to the history of the city. And you are very lucky to be here if you like medieval festivals!

It is called Domenica in Albis, as it is the first Sunday after Easter. April 8th, 1369 (first Sunday after Easter) marked the end of the Pisan Domination thanks to the Emperor Charles IV. From that moment the word LIBERTAS was placed on the city red and white coat of arms and a little bit everywhere. They will follow 430 years of independent and autonomous Republic, till Napoleon's arrival, and this will make the most of what Lucca is today.

Here is the program for Sunday, take a note:

10.00 Historical Parade (flag wavers, drummers and medieval characters) on the main street to the Cathedral to attend the Mass at 10.30.
At then end of the Mass, the Ordination Ceremony for the Gonfalonier of the district according to the 1370 Statute (Lucca was divided in three districts, called Terziere, likewise the Contrada in Siena).

14.30 Outisde the St. Peter's Bulwark (close to Porta Elisa or Porta San Jacopo) a great event: The National Medieval Crossbow tournament. It is amazing!

16.00 Historical Parade till St. Michele's square - Announcements Reading and the parade will continue to St.Martin's square where there will be two flag wavers shows, then back to St. Frediano

17.45 Changing the Guard at Saint Zita, drums greeting and final flag wavers show.

If you need to do some activity, then you will find at the San Frediano Bulwark, the Lucca International Golf Open Pitch & Putt (Sat 26 and Sun 27) There will be competitions, but also the chance to learn and try for free this sport with instructors on the walls. After the workout in the Real Collegio you can find some relax with a winetasting, gala dinner, cocktails, an exhibition and much more...

In case you will rather do something else in the surrounding area you can find: 

- Enolia in Seravezza on Sat&Sun, if you do not have a car you can take a train to Forte dei Marmi and then there will be a free shuttle bus to the event. Inside the Medici Palace you can taste several Extra Virgin Olive Oils produced all over Italy, you can do an evo tasting course to learn the many features or you can simply enjoy many typical products as salumi, cheese, bread and so on. Even this year a new product will be introduced: I Servanti, cold cuts preserved with wax. 

- if you are passionate about white wines, do not miss Montecarlo White Wines at Palazzo Pellegrini-Carmignani in Montecarlo from 15 o'clock on Saturday and Sunday.

- the last suggestion is the Marcia delle Ville, on Sunday 27, an incredible itinerary (3.5, 7, 10, 16, 23, 28km you can choose your favourite distance) discovering the most beautiful villas in the lucchese countryside: Mansi, Torrigiani, Lazzareschi, Reale, Guinigi and now and then you will have places to rest and to eat something. 

Art, nature, food, markets and some workout... any better idea? Have fun in Lucca! 

Easter in Lucca

My apologies for the absence in the last couple of weeks from this blog, the season is starting and it is good to see you coming in apartments and villas here, but there's a lot of maintenance works involved in the backstage after the winter.

Many of you will be spending Easter in Lucca and I thought that it could be nice and useful to know what's happening in town and around.



First of all, being mainly a religious feast, let's start with the celebrations:

• Holy (Maundy) Thursday April, 17th is the day that Christ celebrated the Last Supper with the Apostles. The Mass will be held at the Cathedral (San Martino) at 6.30pm and it will include the washing of the feet ceremony. The pray will continue till 11pm in the Santissimo Sacramento chapel. There will be another Mass in San Michele's church at 9pm.
• Good Friday April, 18th the Stations of the Cross (Way of the Cross, we call it in latin Via Crucis) will start at 8.45 pm from San Salvatore Square and it will go through Via Fillungo to reach San Frediano's church. 
• Easter Eve, Saturday April 19th Holy Mass at 9.30 pm at the Saint Martin's Cathedral. 
• Easter Sunday, April 20th Holy Mass at 10.30 am at the Saint Martin's Cathedral held by the Archbishop.
• Easter Monday, April 21th Holy Mass at 11 am Saint Michele's church. 

Please pay attention that in these churches opening hours can change, you may find them closed or just opened for confessions, so they won't allow visitors inside. 

If you have a car and feel brave to drive some mountain roads, on Thursday night, go to Castiglione di Garfagnana, for The Crocioni Procession. That can be a real and strong experience! After the mass, people will follow in a procession a man dressed as Jesus Christ, he will have chains at his bare feet and a heavy cross to bear on his shoulder. Nobody knows the identity of the man, apart from the priest: a long white hood will cover his head. Before the mass he will be hidden in a huge wardrobe. He will come out for the procession representing the biblical walk with the three falls, the roman soldiers and the apostles. The torch light, the drum rolls, the chains noise will make it very real and suggestive even because the village is a perfect medieval hamlet. At the end the man will go back inside the wardrobe, two soldiers will check and only later when everybody will be gone he will come out. You may wonder who wants to do such a thing, usually is a local person who makes a vow or he does it as a proof of regret. 

On Easter Eve and Sunday, we have the tradition to bring the eggs (chocolate or boiled) and the pasimata to be blessed by the priest. This is what you will find on the altar.

Pasimata is a typical sweet bread of Lucca, Garfagnana and Versilia that usually is prepared only for Easter, ask for it at the bakeries and pastries shop in town. It can be with raisin, almonds or candied fruit. The pastry smells of anise seeds and it is soft and tasty. It has a very long rising time. It can have the shape of a loaf of bread or it can be as thick as a panettone. Of course, you will have to enjoy it with a glass of Vinsanto (Holy wine) and dip it in! 

Most of the restaurants will be opened on Easter Sunday at lunch and dinner. 

At lunch time, maybe it will be better to book a table, we do not all celebrate at home, so they might be busy. Some of them will do a special menu (lamb and kid/goat are the main traditional courses) they will show it outside on a notice board some days before, go and have a look if you are interested.

If you plan to cook at your fantastic holiday home, then go shopping as soon as you can! Groceries, supermarkets and bakeries will be shut on Sunday and most of them even on Monday. 

During the weekend (Sat&Sun) you can spend some hours in one of the best Tuscan antiques market! It is quite big, the stalls will be all around in Giglio's square, Cathedral & San Giovanni's square, San Giusto's square, Via del Gallo and Bernardini's square from 9am till 6pm . Old books, prints, medals, stamps, vintage clothes and accessories, furniture, cutlery, china and unusual tools could be a unique souvenir from Lucca and an experience you should not miss! I love it!

Instead, this year from 18th till 21st in Corso Garibaldi (from 9am till 9pm) there will be a new market dedicated to Sardinia products: food, wine and artisan. I do not know exactly what you can find as it is the first time, but I am sure you will find delicatessen as cold cuts, great pecorino cheese, Mirto a typical liqueur, the carasau a very thin and crispy bread, Cannonau wine, sweets as seadas and biscuits. So if you forget to buy something at the grocery store, here's the solution!

If you have not visited yet the national Museums: Palazzo Mansi e Villa Guinigi will be opened in the afternoon (1.30 till 7.30pm) on Sunday and Monday. The first one is a beautiful example of a 16th century lucchese noble residence with frescoes and an amazing wedding bedroom, plus there's a painting gallery, too. Now the masterpiece is in Florence part of the Portormo and Rosso Fiorentino exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi. 

The other museum is related to the art of the city and quite big: archeology, paintings and scuplture from Medieval till 18th century. Then, still here the exhibition The Furnace of Porta San Donato. The work of a potter in the 17th century in Lucca opened just recently. (free entrance)

For music lovers, on Sunday at 9.15 pm at the San Giuseppe Oratory (next to the Cathedral) the second concert of the Easter and Pentecost (Whitsunday) Festival  will take place. Beatrice Venezi at the piano will accompany the sopranos Fabiola Formiga and Melissa di Biasio. The program is dedicated to Tuscan opera composers: Puccini of course and then Catalani, Luporini and Mascagni, as well.
For info and bookings: tickets can be purchased at the San Giovanni's Church (10-6pm, every day) or you can write an email to info@musick.it. Price 20€ first sector; 15€ second sector.

The Italian tradition expects that on Easter Monday, Pasquetta, you have to do a picnic, a merendella/merendina at the beach in Viareggio, on the mountains in Garfagnana or in the lucchese countryside. If it is a sunny day there will be a lot of people everywhere! So you if would like to respect the tradition, a barbecue picnic can be arranged for you in a  local vineyard, please get in contact with Paola by Friday.

At last I would like to mention the Azalea Festival in Borgo a Mozzano, (Sun&Mon), you can reach the village by train from Lucca, check first the times as it is public holiday or better if you have a car it is less than 30 mins drive. Do not miss the Devil's bridge!

Hopefully, I have given you some ideas how to spend these days here in Lucca, so do not forget to tell me if my suggestions were good enough! 

Happy Easter! Buona Pasqua! :)

Weekly Market in Lucca and a Recipe

The last couple of posts were dedicated to Viareggio and Florence, this week let's stay in Lucca and go shopping at the market!

Unfortunately it was very cloudy and grey :(

In Italy, this is one of the experience I suggest you to do: go to a local market wherever you are to see the daily life, for "people watching", to find good bargain and of course, it is a lot of fun!! I love it! For me, it is very unlikely to leave without a bag, even a small one.

I have my strategy: have a look first to the whole market, ask for prices, see if there is anything nice and then on the way back I start to buy!

Usually the stall people do not accept credit cards, so make sure you have enough cash with you. 

You can try things on, but do not be too fussy ;) you are not in a shop so they do not have proper fitting rooms, so you will have to jump inside a van and get undressed on it (doors closed of course!), try on and look at yourself in a very simple mirror. 

You can ask for a different size, not everything is one size only. They might have it or not, their stock is not fully supplied as in a store.

If I am buying more things from the same stall, I try sometimes to bargain a little bit. People do not get offended, but remember they are not obliged to give you a discount. Prices are already quite cheap!

Keep an eye where you see lot of people around a stall, it can mean that there is a good offer or nice stuff. Then be patient, brave and curious and start to throw clothes up and down, go around the stall in every corner! It is  like a treasure hunt, keep searching and searching...

I've found 3 lovely summer dresses here for 10€ each :)

They had lot of things in silk and linen

A tip: while you will be busy searching, if you find something you like, put it on a side next to you, or ask the stall man to keep it for you for a sec. You do not want that, after all you efforts finding that lovely t shirt under many layers of clothes, it get taken by someone else, do you??

A last suggestion: in the last few years the Chinese have some stalls, too. Their prices are very low, but quality is not good at all. I mean it is good looking but after a few washings it's gone. So just think about it!

At last keep your purse in front of you all the times! These places are quite busy, with people pushing you and pickpockets know that you are busy searching, so be careful! 

The local weekly market in Lucca:

when: every Wednesday and Saturday in the morning from 9 to 12.

where: from outside Porta San Jacopo  then along Via dei Bacchettoni till Porta Elisa 

What can you find there? A little bit of everything:

Food can not be missing!

Flowers and plants

Leather: shoes and bags, purses...

Kitchen and homeware: 

Do you know all these tools?

Many many clothes and accessories...

This is one of my favourite place to stop. This is Bagnoli. It is a beautiful grocery store in Viareggio, but they do also local markets. In Lucca you can find him only on Wednesday. The van is close to Porta San Jacopo.

They have several kinds of cheese from all over Italy, really special ones! Lots of mortadella, prosciutto and salami and sausages...Then bread as Pane di Vinca, coming from a small village in Lunigiana, Massa Carrara province.

Pane di Vinca and a super multicereal focaccia! 

They can make you a sandwich right away. The walls are very close, just above you, so you can go there and relax after all your shopping!

Try these onions cooked in the wine: they are as sweet as cherries! I love them!! 

Isn't this gorgonzola tempting?

This was my shopping and my yummy lunch:

Cereal focaccia as you can see there's already bite ;)
mustia ricotta and Tropea onions 

Pasta with Mustia, Tomatoes, Rucola and Nuts.

Mustia is a salted, smoked ricotta cheese typical of Sardinia.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, you can melt the mustia in a dish adding a little bit of hot water ad mash it with a fork. It has to become soft and thick as a cream, not too liquid.

Add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and some Parmesan cheese.

Cut some cherry tomatoes and put them together with the mustia ricotta, keep mixing everything together. You can add some salt and black pepper, if you like. Be careful the mustia is already quite tasty, so check it before! It can be already fine.

Throw pasta in the boiling water with a little bit of salt and leave the dish with the mustia and tomatoes on top of your pan to keep it warm.

In the meantime cut some rocket salad (rucola) and some nuts.

When the pasta is al dente and you have drained it, you can add the mustia with tomatoes, the rucola and the nuts. Mix, Mix for a few minutes and Buon Appetito!!

you can turf off the stove, you can mix it easily in the warm pot 

Buon Appetito!