Easter and Easter Monday in the Piana di Lucca
Spring is in the air with milder temperatures in this early April which precedes the Easter celebrations. Longer days and good weather spread good vibes and the desire to go out and make short trips or excursions out of town, to discover cities and places never visited before or some inside tips that we would like to know better.
Here are some ideas to put on your agenda for your Easter holidays in the Piana di Lucca.
Celebrate with music
Music has accompanied the festivities in Lucca since ever and, on the occasion of Easter, the Gaetano Luporini Philharmonic orchestra invites you to the traditional Easter Concert in the middle of Holy Week,
on Wednesday 5 April at 9:15 pm in the San Francesco auditorium in the historic center of Lucca.
An ensemble of 110 performers and a top-level musical selection. In addition to the musicians of the Philharmonic of San Gennaro, under the direction of maestro Giampaolo Lazzeri, the choristers of the Musical Chapel of the Cathedral of San Miniato and the Choir "San Genesio" will perform, directed by Carlo Fermalvento and flanked by the tenor soloist Tommaso Tomboloni.
Free admission with reservation eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-concerto-di-pasqua
On Sunday 9 April at 10:30 am Easter mass and great music in the church of the Convento dell'Angelo in Ponte Moriano, a sacred building in a beautiful panoramic position on a small hill a few kilometers from the historic center of Lucca.
The singers and pianists of the Montegral Academy, directed by Maestro Gustav Kuhn, accompany the liturgy celebrated by the Passionist Father Giovanni Battista.
Free shuttle service from the Ponte a Moriano car park (behind the theatre) from 9:00 am and back from 11:30 am.
A Spring full of Art
At Easter and Easter Monday, the National Museums of Lucca are open for visits from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm (last admission at 6.00 pm). What better occasion to get to know two illustrious residences of Lucca: the country villa of the Guinigi family, and the story of 2000 years of history of the city in the surprising collections: from the rustic artefacts of the Ligurian Apuans to the sumptuous paintings of the 17th century.
Or the Palazzo of the Marquis Mansi, a noble and rich Baroque residence in the heart of Lucca where you can investigate live the history of the art of silk in Lucca from the rustic weaves to the most precious dress of Princess Elisa.
Easter for children
On Saturday 8 April and on Monday 10 April from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm the Real Collegio hosts the Easter Village with many activities and entertainment for children of all ages. Spring circus, with games, face painting and workshops, giant games and animated readings for children and Easter egg hunts, organized by Acchiappasogni, Sweet Party and Incanto party planner.
For info coop.linketto@gmail.com or whatsapp 348 0994385.
On Monday, April 10, Easter Monday at Villa Reale in Marlia, games and a botanical treasure hunt, the classic spring event signed by Grandi Giardini Italiani.
An opportunity to bring children closer to gardens and nature, in a playful way, from tree to tree, from leaf to leaf!
A treasure map guides budding botanists to discover the secrets of the rich botanical, artistic and cultural heritage of the 16-hectare park of the Lucca villa that belonged to Napoleon's sister Elisa Baciocchi. An adventure for young and old, between puzzles, riddles and curiosities, until you reach the coveted treasure.
Info and tickets on shop.villarealedimarlia.it/#specials
villarealedimarlia.it/eventi/caccia-al-tesoro-botanico-di-pasquetta-2023/
A walk through Montecarlo
Every weekend in April and on May 1st, on the occasion of the Open Week 2023 for lovers of art, history and medieval villages, an appointment in Montecarlo, among the streets of the town built on the small isolated hill 162 meters above sea level which dominates the Piana di Lucca and the Valdinievole area.
Extraordinary opening of the Fortezza del Cerruglio, the imposing fortification symbol of the village, disputed over the centuries by Lucca and Florence, destroyed and rebuilt several times after epic battles that went down in history.
A walk among the ramparts, barbicans and red brick towers, and, before leaving, a souvenir photo in the delightful internal Italian garden.
On Saturday 8, Sunday 9 and Monday 10 April, but also on 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30 and May 1. From 3:00 pm to sunset.
Tickets: full price €5.00, reduced price €3.00 (over 65s), children up to 12 years free.
For information: tel. +39 0583 22401 - valter_menchini@yahoo.com
Free guided tours of the historic centre, through the suggestive entrances and historic gates, to discover the history and hidden corners of one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Tuscany, awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club. Do not miss a visit to the small theater of the Accademia dei Rassicurati (even outside the hours of guided tours), a little gem half-hidden among the houses of the town, with an eighteenth-century-style ovoid plan and twenty-eight boxes divided into two orders, for a total of one hundred and eighty seats.
On Friday 7, Saturday 8 and Monday 10 April, but also on 15, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29 April and May 1. In the morning from 10:15 am to 11:15 am and in the afternoon from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Start from the Tourist Information Office, in via Roma n. 7.
For info and reservations: Pro-Loco Montecarlo, tel. +39 0583 228881 - prolocomontecarlo@gmail.com
And finally... a little bit of nature
For outdoor and nature enthusiasts, guided tours in the WWF Oasis Bosco del Bottaccio that start again from Easter Monday, and then every Sunday from April 23 to May 14, in the company of expert environmental guides of this small wetland area located in the western part of the former area of Lake Sesto, an important remnant of the lowland forests that once surrounded Tuscany's largest lake of that period until the mid-19th century.
Two walks of about an hour and a half, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., to explore and appreciate a unique and diverse natural landscape characterized by alternating forests, wet meadows, reed thickets and marshy and semi-palustic environments, the so-called "chiari."
For info and reservations: boscobottaccio@wwf.it - FB/ Oasi WWF Visite guidate al Bosco del Bottaccio