Christmas holidays in the city
A traditional tour of the nativity scenes in the churches of Lucca, a little shopping in the shops and markets where you can find the most suitable gifts for your friends and family, just let yourself be kissed by the Christmas atmosphere, by the scent of sweets and hot chocolate in the streets, by the lights that brighten your evening walks, by the places of the city dressed up ... for the holidays!
Enjoy a weekend to discover the city as you can only do in this period.
The Traditions - Nativity scenes and where to find them. In Lucca, the city of a hundred churches, there is no shortage of cribs: historical and portable, ancient and precious ones are in the churches but also in the basement of the Renaissance walls. During the weekend a visit to the seventeenth-century crib of the Baroque church of Santa Maria Corteorlandini can be organised: large statues of the Neapolitan tradition dressed in precious clothes of the Lucca tradition (until 9 January 2022 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, open on normal days 4:00 pm / 7:00 pm and holidays 10:00 am / 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm / 7:00 pm), as well as the nativity scene set up by the Confraternity of Legnaioli in the small church of San Benedetto in Gottella, in Piazza Bernardini, a suggestive crib inspired by the villages of the nearby Garfagnana mountains. A nativity scene from other times, with the holy family, the ox, the donkey, the shepherds playing the instruments of the Christmas tradition, the flute and the bagpipe, reminiscent of the passage of time with the alternation of the bright day and the starry night with the comet in the center.
In the Passeggiate per giorni di festa program, you can find some visits in Italian language in the company of expert tour guides.
On Saturday 11 December at 3:00 pm, on Saturday 18 December at 11:00 am and on Sunday 19 at 3:00 pm, guided tours of the city following the ancient subdivision into “terzieri” districts, San Paolino, San Martino and San Salvatore with historical information, curiosities , monuments and cribs.
On Sunday 12 December at 11:00 am Fiat Pax: visit to the crib in the basement of the San Frediano bulwark of the Renaissance walls organized by the Historica Lucense Association. The crib will be open until January 10th.
Markets, flea markets, shops and gifts
To find the most suitable gift, a tour of the historic shops decorated for Christmas, with sparkling lights or in the seasonal markets where you can find exclusive gift ideas.
In order not to "get lost" in the streets through shops and market squares, the tourist guides come to support us with the special tour in Italian language Passeggiate per giorni di festa: on Saturday 11 December at 11.00 Natale in vetrina, a tour through the streets of historic center to discover the most beautiful Christmas shop windows and the stories that inspired them ...
In the days from 21 to 23 December, last minute gift hunters can enjoy music in the squares and streets even in the evening.
Tuesday 21 at 9:30 pm at Palazzo Pretorio concert of the Freedom Singers Gospel choir directed by Serena Suffredini; on Wednesday 22 Fantasy Christmas Parade from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm in a traveling parade of animation and music; on Thursday 23 at 9.30 pm at Palazzo Sani, in the headquarters of Confcommercio association, Accendiamo le luci della moda, a fashion show organized by Atelier Ricci, and on the streets the traveling Large Street Band of the Jam music school plays live Christmas music.
Lucca in 2022
The streets illuminated with thousands of small stars, the decorated squares, the walls with the splendid sunset behind the bare branches of the trees in winter.
The city changes its appearance: the square of Teatro del Giglio is particularly beautiful with fairy tales and starry skies projected on the buildings, and the nearby Piazza Napoleone is transformed into a small village with an ice rink, market and a horse carousel!
To open the new year in good company, some opportunities to visit known and unknown monuments,
on Saturday 8 January at 11:00 am Sopra e sotto le Mura, a classic tour (in Italian Language) full of surprises and emotions, a walk along the elevated nineteenth-century avenues and underground, in the internal part of one of the greatest examples of Italian fortification of the time,
at 3:00 pm the tour Intorno alla Piazza San Salvatore (in Italian Language), known in Lucca for the beautiful Naiade fountain, between Torre del Veglio, the church of San Salvatore and finally an exclusive tour to the Historical Archives of the Misericordia Archconfraternity.
On Sunday 9 January at 3.00 pm, another great classic tour (in Italian language) climbing up to the Guinigi Tower: the history, curiosities and legends of one of the symbolic buildings of the city. A tour to discover the wonders of Lucca from the top of the imposing and elegant tree-lined tower.
For information and reservations on the tours Passeggiate per giorni di festa you can contact the tourist information offices in piazza Curtatone, tel. +39 0583 442213 and piazzale Verdi tel. +39 0583 583150.