Bye bye September Lucchese... see you next year!

And even September is going towards the end, you could not be in a better place to welcome the Autumn season, just walking on the walls you will have a great view over the mountains and the turning colours of the leaves, the chilly pure air in the morning and that lukewarm sun during the day...

After your daily trips and explorations, enjoy a glass of wine and some food at the Enoteca Calasto in piazza San Giovanni and listen to some great young Opera Singers on Friday starting at 8.30 pm. 

Markets are on even this weekend:

• the local weekly mixed market in Via dei Bacchettoni on Saturday morning 
• the lovely Arts&Crafts Market in Piazza San Giusto on Sat&Sun will give you the opportunity to meet many artisans and some cute objects great for your presents of this holiday in Lucca
• the last traditional fair market on Sunday all day in Borgo Giannotti district to end the September Lucchese celebrations

Not interested in shopping? 

On Saturday afternoon from 3 till 8pm, twelve artists will open the doors of their studios, ateliers so you can browse the secrets of painting, photography and sculpture. 

Here is the map:

An interesting event is dedicated to Fashion, Cars and Giacomo Puccini: 

a fashion show, a catwalk for the new collection of the local designer Piero Ricci, the models will walk in front of the Maestro's statue (Piazza Cittadella) on Saturday from 5.30 pm

The Giglio Theatre has offered some precious japanese kimono worn for Madame Butterfly, realized by Catherine Voeffray for the anniversary of the opera.  

In case you are interested, the event is free but you need to book in advance your seat at the Puccini Museum ticket office on Friday (9.30-6.30).

On Sunday instead still in the same square, the Lancia Lamboda car will be in exhibition for all day. That is the last car bought by Giacomo Puccini in 1924, it could reach the speed of 125 km/h.

For your Saturday night a couple of ideas: 

- the free jazz concert "Waiting for Lucca Jazz 2014" at Palazzo Ducale at 6pm (Piazza Napoleone), it is even a chance to see the interior, the rooms which usually are closed ;) 

- the National Museums, Palazzo Mansi and Villa Guinigi are doing a late night opening. Free entrance from 7.30 till 11.30 pm


On Sunday afternoon, it will be the Lucchese Crossbow and Archery team to say goodbye to this edition of the September Lucchese on Sunday competing for the First San Michele Trophy. 

The musicians, medieval costumes and flag throwers will depart from Via dei Bacchettoni at 3.pm to parade through the central main street to arrive in Piazza Guidiccioni where the archery competition will start at 3.30pm. 

More September Lucchese coming this weekend...

The monthly Antique market, one of the best in Tuscany is just on your doorstep on Saturday and Sunday: Giglio's square Cathedral's square, San Giusto,  San Giovanni,Via del Battistero, Via Donnino. Get lost with books, prints, medals, painting, statues, clothes and unusual tools...

If you get hungry in Piazza Napoleone there will be 2 markets dedicated to food: Flavours, Bread & Artisan instead, round the corner in Piazza San Michele, do not forget under the loggia the Local Winetasting open from 12 till 8pm everyday: 6€ for 4 glasses of wine.

Moreover on Sunday, you are invited to head outside the walls in Borgo Giannotti district for Saint Matthew traditional fair market. Great fun! 

Something that can satisfy both ladies and gentlemen will be the exhibition Motorbikes and Art (what a couple?!) in front of the Caffè delle Mura on the walls on Saturday. This morning I have seen some beautiful Harley Davidson arriving. 

I have never heard about this festival, maybe it is the first edition but it sounds very interesting: Histrionika Lucca 2014: street artists as jugglers, musicians, clowns, acrobats, puppeteers will meet in the basement of San Colombano bastion, just under the walls on Saturday from 5 till 11 pm. 

If you are looking for something more relaxing there is a concert in San Michele church on Saturday at 5.30 pm:  Symphony  n.2 “Lobgesang” by Felix Mendelsshon (ticket 10€)

Finally more a typical event related to the city is the The Big Crossbow Tournament taking place on the field outside Saint Peter bastion on Sunday from 3pm/3.30 pm: Lucca will face Pisa and Massa Marittima, you know very well who you have to support, right? Anyway, the event will have a parade first with drums, costumes and flag throwers. 

Fingers crossed for the weather and have a great weekend in Lucca!

Settembre Lucchese... you will not forget it!

I know it is the end of the summer and for most of the people this means back to work, to school and to the daily routine but the Lucchese people have one more reason to put off the arrival of the Autumn and you are very lucky to be in Lucca this month, because the city will be magical...

Markets of any kinds will be all around, concerts, exhibitions, competitions and the amusement park, the funfair outside the walls... but the main big event will be on the night of September 13th: The Luminara of The Holy Face (Il Volto Santo), an incredible candlelight religious procession through the medieval streets and amazing fireworks at the end. 

It is a very special day, you will feel the identity of Lucca and its inhabitants. Not only the parish churches are coming to pay homage to the legendary crucifix but also the mayors from all the surrounding villages, the medieval costumes, the representatives of the local banks, offices, lawyers, artisans, policemen, soldiers, the Lucchese people emigrated all over and more... so just to give you and idea that the parade is going to be long long and long. 

And wherever they will pass, the palaces will be lightened by a myriad of candles. I am sure you have noticed the buzz around town in the last few days with the cranes assembling the iron frames around the windows, the doors and the arches...just imagine how it is going to be in the dark!

The procession will start at 20.00 o'clock from San Frediano's church and then will cross Via Fillungo, Piazza San Michele, Via Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Napoleone and it will end at St. Martin's Cathedral. This is the route, you can decide the follow the long procession or you can simply stay along the main street or in a square. Be prepared because it is going to be very busy everywhere!!

Once the parade will arrive at the Cathedral, there will be the Blessing and the Mottetone will be played: a mottetto with 8 voices, instruments, two trumpets and two horns composed by Giacomo Puccini's great grand father. For you it will be time to run back to the high terrace of your apartment or to the walls (between San Donato's gate to Santa Maria's gate - orange line on the map above) to see the wonderful show of the fireworks at 23.30.

The Settembre Lucchese is traditionally important for its markets from Saturday till the end of the month you will find a small one in Piazza Napoleone. On Sunday (Sept 14th) all day long the entire district of Borgo Giannotti, just outside Porta Santa Maria, will have a great fair.





Here do as the locals... grab a piece of Croccante (it is a nougat made usually with almond and caramel or a Bombolone/doughnut :)

My dears fashion and shopping addicted Villa Bottini is your must do this weekend, here you can find Fashion in Flair, an exhibition with the best Made in Italy for clothes, jewellery, shoes and furniture.

If you get very thirsty do not forget that under the Palazzo Pretorio in Piazza San Michele everyday you can find Lucca winetasting with all the main local producers.

Really, you could not choose a better time to stay in Lucca!

San Paolino celebrations: the patron Saint of Lucca

Each town tiny village in Italy has its own patron saint and when it comes to celebrate him or her a Holy Mass is not enough, so that's what will happen in Lucca for San Paolino days.

First of all, let me introduce you San Paolino. According to the tradition he was the first bishop of the city, we do not know much about his life. Perhaps he was sent to Lucca by Saint Peter to christianize the population during roman times. He died around the I century a.C.

Anyway, the devotion towards him started later on in the Middle Ages. In 1261 the San Giorgio church was destroyed to build the second ring of walls and some relics came to light.

On July 12, 1664 the miracle happened: lot of people were on the walls to celebrate the saint waiting for the cannon shot. Something went wrong, the cannon was supposed to be loaded with blanks, instead it actually fired a spray of gunfire in the direction of some people that was there to attend the event.
Luckily or miraculously San Paolino's intervention saved them, nobody was injured!

This episode is represented on a painting by Gian Domenico Lombardi that you can admire in San Paolino's church. It is also an interesting document of the walls and of the society of the 18th century.


So Saturday 12, all day long on the San Donato bastion on the walls (west side of the city) there will be artillery shots, historical costumes and games.

At 17.30 in front of the San Paolino church a prize will be given to the best Torta co' Becchi, which is a typical cake, go there maybe you will get a bite and be part of the jury!

At 18.30 the Archbishop will celebrate the Holy Mass and during the cerimony the Mayor will offer the big candle to protect the city of Lucca and its inhabitants.

Tonight at 21.30 do not miss the main event: The Crossbow Tournament in the Cathedral Square (San Martino) to win the Palio, a silk banner.
The competition still follows the 1443 rules, the city is divided in 3 teams according to the districts:
San Paolino
San Martino
San Salvatore

On Sunday be back on the walls on San Frediano platform to attend the artillery, historical parades, dances, flags and more...

Breathe the past times: roman and medieval event in Lucca and around

I would be happier if I could tell you "Let's meet tonight in the square to see the football match!" 

Instead, Italy is out and to be honest with you we deserve it. Anyway, I still like to follow the World Cup now that is getting close to final game.



Here are the schedules and channels if you like it to watch in your comfortable LuccaHolidayHomes with a glass of Prosecco, otherwise there are plenty of bars in town which they have wide screen outside i.e Pult in Via Fillungo, Bar Zero in Via San Paolino, Rewine in Via Calderia, most of the bars in the Anfiteatro square.

Argentina - Belgium Saturday 05 at 18.00 on Sky Italia (this match is on pay tv, so you will have to see it at the bar) 

Netherlands - CostaRica Saturday 05 at 22.00 on RaiSport 1 (channel 57 of your house tv)

Then on Tuesday 8 July: Brazil -Germany at 22.00 on RaiSport1 (channel 57 of your house tv)


Ladies, do not panic the summer sales will start today, so you can shop till you drop in Via Fillungo or wherever you will go in Florence or Pisa... some good bargains are waiting for you!



Then again on Thursday (July 10) it will be shopping night in Lucca so the stores will be opened even after dinner till midnight!


An idea if you have a car this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is to go to a great event in Versilia, so that you can spend the day in Viareggio at the beach or just walking on the promenade or on the pier and then later on you can move a little but further up on the hill, towards Massaciuccoli, for an amazing Roman festival.

In this village there is an interesting archaeological site where you can see the remains of a roman villa and of the thermal baths. For the event you will be in a real roman village with the military camp, barbarians, gladiators. You will eat roman food based on the Apicio recipes', you can have your roman make up done, you can dress as roman or learn to fight...then music, dances and markets and much more...

The festival starts at 17.00 till midnight. Ticket 7€

Have a look at the website to see last year edition. I am sure you will be impressed!


If you decide anyway to stay local or to give you our best welcome on Sunday even in Lucca there's something to make you breathe the medieval times: The National Crossbow Tournament.

At 16.30 the event will start with an historical parade: drummers, soldiers, dancers, archery, flag wavers, traditional costumes will leave from the east side of the city (via del Bastardo) and will cross Via Fillungo, Piazza Bernardini, Via della Trombe to end in Piazzale Arrigoni (behind the San Martino cathedral, on the walls side)


At 17.00 the tournament will begin. 15 players for each city team: San Marino, Massa Marittima and Lucca will compete for the Silver Cup. Then the three best players of each team will do another competition to gain the title of Crossbow King. 

Off course, I can not forget music and concerts:

• on Saturday night at 21.00 in the basement of the walls at San Regolo bulwark, the students of Boccherini school will perform.
• on Monday night, second appointment with the Lucca Summer Festival offers An Evening of Guitars in Piazza Napoleone 
• on Thursday night you have two options: still in Piazza Napoleone you can dance with The Prodigy or you can relax with a Piano Recital at the enchanting Oratorio degli Angeli Custodi. 
• then on Friday at the Botanical Garden, there is a special event, you pay only 3€ ticket and you can join the guided tour at 18.30 and then be back at 21.00 for the concert Arts under the tree - Italian and Southamerican Music. 

Finally, I would like to dedicate this funny video to all our American guests as yesterday they celebrated the 4th of July!

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! 

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! :)