Ferragosto and sorroundings

The long midsummer weekend in Lucca starts on the 12th of August, 2020. The historical center of Lucca is not crowded as you might know it, but the cloisters, the alleys and the squares host many outdoor events to celebrate this strange summer season with social distancing, but still staying together with lots of music !!

 

Wednesday 12

 

It's difficult to choose between two events with art, music and theater, in two of the most popular squares in Lucca.

Delicious food from the countryside, excellent wines from the hills and music! In the area of Piazza San Francesco from the afternoon to late evening.

From 4:00 pm the weekly farmer's market Mercoledì Bio in the historic center of Lucca sells strictly organic products like olive oil, wine, fruit and vegetables.
At 7:00 pm A toast under the stars with wine tasting by the association Strade dell’olio e del vino di Lucca and entertainment with street artists.
And then dinner in the premises of the square waiting for the concert in the San Francesco church, at 9.15 pm for a beautiful concert of the Lucca Classica Music Festival with the pianist Mariangela Vacatello.

Meanwhile, in Piazza Anfiteatro, at 9:30 pm, La città si fa palcoscenico (the city becomes a stage). An intense summer program, a unique opportunity to attend the performance of the popular theater company Il Teatro Del Carretto of Lucca. A kind of city tour in the main squares with already known and new productions. The show is repeated on Thursday 13th August in Piazza Cittadella and on Friday 14th August in Piazza S.Frediano, admission free. This weekend Homer's Iliad (the death of heroes) is on stage.

 

Thursday 13

 

In the shadow of the city wall of Lucca, a night of storytelling for the 1st edition of the contemporary culture festival Lontani cosi Vicini Lucca Fest (close so far away festival). A festival under the stars, on the Walls of Lucca, to reflect on contemporary issues and update memory. There will be important Italian guests , beautiful and unknown stories, all-round reflections on current events and music, contemporaneity and memory. At 9.00 pm on the lawn behind the former Cavallerizza building in Piazzale Verdi. The director of the Historical Institute of the Resistance and of Contemporary Age of Lucca, Andrea Venturi, Federico Creatini and Stefano Lazzari tell the story of Lucca and its historic factories “Le fabbriche della memoria”, the Tobacco Factory and the yarn factory CCC.
Reservations required at lontanicosiviciniluccafest@gmail.com by 9.00 pm of the previous day.

In the Santa Caterina cloister there is jazz music with female musicians in the summer edition of Lucca Jazz Donna, the festival dedicated to female jazz talents. 4 dates of great jazz for this light edition within the Real Collegio Estate festival. 4 women, 4 jazz talents, perform in the smallest of the three cloisters, in Gothic style, of the former Royal College, for 4 evenings of unforgettable jazz
(free admission).

Or shopping!

From 9:00 am to 8:00 pm in Piazza Napoleone CreArt Lucca, artisan market, aperitif at sunset and then... the day continues with the special summer openings of the shops on Thursdays in the historic center until late night in via Fillungo for shopping fans at cooler temperatures and for occasional customers.

 

Friday 14

 

Lucca for everyone. If you want to get to know the city staying safe, guided tours for small groups are organised @Lucca # cisivededivenerdì from the end of July to late September. Citizens who want to be tourists at home and tourists who want to know the city at unusual hours are invited to discover Lucca together.
A guided tour in late afternoon, before dinner, and another one after dinner in the evening. Classic and previously unknown tours with professional tour guides of the city of Lucca.
Tonight at 6:30 pm - Lucca città  giardino and at 9:15 pm Lucca sotto le stelle
Visitors will appreciate an after dinner in one of the most romantic cities of Tuscany! A tour through history, art, myths, anecdotes, curiosities and music with the musicians of the Lucca Classica Music Festival who welcome the participants in Piazza San Michele with a short concert.
Reservations are required (tel. +39 0583 583150/0583 442213) for a maximum of 20 people per group.

From 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm guided tour also for the Oratory of the Guardian Angels, a hidden jewel in the heart of the historic center of Lucca, rich of architectural treasures and paintings from the mid-seventeenth century, recently restored. The tour ends with a short music performance, lasting about 15 minutes, by young talents from Lucca. The oratory can also be visited on Saturday and Sunday, without a guided tour.
Free admission. Reservation required by 12 noon on Friday by email: turislucca@turislucca.com or tel. +39 0583 342404/348 3828294

 

 

... and on Saturday 15th, it's "Ferragosto"!

A cool bike ride along the river Park? Reaching the park at the source of the historic aqueduct of Lucca ?

The most passionate of art and culture can go for a walk in the shade of the tree-lined avenues of the city wall, but will not miss the August holiday in the city offering many opportunities.

 

 

For many years the church of Santa Maria Forisportam was closed. It reopens today on the feast of the Assumption.

After the mass at 10.30 am by Archbishop Paolo Giulietti, it will be possible to visit the church and participate at the tour through the works of art kept inside, representing the Assumption of Mary into heaven, including the famous altarpiece made by the painter Angelo Puccinelli from Lucca in 1386. Guided tours are offered every hour starting at 11.30 am until 5.30 pm, also on Sunday 16 August. Due to its location in the heart of the city connecting the most important streets of Lucca, the church of Santa Maria Forisportam is a place where worship and beauty is present allowing visitors to discover the message of faith represented in the works.

The National Museums of Lucca, Villa Guinigi e Palazzo Mansi will be open together with the many other national museums throughout Italy. Villa Guinigi, museum of the city and its territory, was Paolo Guinigi's home, lord of Lucca from 1400 to 1430. The National Museum of Palazzo Mansi, the home of a merchant family from Lucca in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries will reveal you in its sumptuous furnishings, precious curiosities of the Silk Road.
Reservations required: tel. +39 0583.496033

Alternatively, a visit to the Antiques Market, open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm in the Cathedral area or a stop at the Puccini Museum, the birthplace of the great composer, where you will be overwhelmed by the music, to enter the atmosphere and get ready for ...

a night of music ...

with two appointments of the Lucca Classica Music Festival.

At 8:00 pm concert on the Guinigi Tower with the violinist Francesco Carmignani. For this new, highly anticipated concert, transcriptions of famous compositions by Johann Pachelbel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Maurice Ravel and Erik Satie are scheduled.
Reservations required (tel. +39 0583 48090 or infotorriciviche@comune.lucca.it)

At 9.15 pm, in the S. Francesco church, one of the most appreciated groups in Italy will play: the Quartetto di Cremona. Cristiano Gualco and Paolo Andreoli on the violin, Simone Gramaglia on the viola and Giovanni Scaglione on the cello will perform in one of the events dedicated to Piero Farulli for his 100th birthday celebrated in 2020. Violist for over thirty years of the legendary Italian Quartet and its creator, Farulli was the founder and director of the Fiesole music school. In the program Langsamer Satz for string quartet, the "slow movement" by Anton Webern and the string Quartet n. 8 in E minor, op. 59 n.2 "Razumowsky" by Ludwig van Beethoven proposed on the occasion of the 250th birthday of the great German composer.
For info and reservations: www.luccaclassica.it.

 

Sunday 16

 

Contemporary Art, Nature and Music

Association Lucca Info & Guide and Lu.c.c.a Museum of Contemporary Art organizes at 5.00 pm guided tour of the exhibition Storie del Novecento in Toscana - Soffici, Viani, Rosai, Maccari, Marcucci, Venturi: Dal Ritorno all'Ordine alla conquista del "Disordine". The exhibition, curated by Maurizio Vanni and Piero Pananti, consisting of about eighty works including sculptures, large paintings and drawings, is divided into six small personal exhibitions in the eight rooms of the museum.
Reservations required at info@luccamuseum.com or tel. +39 0583 492180

At 6.00 pm final event with the music of C. Debussy, Syrinx A. Jolivet, from the Five spells for solo flute A, C, E which accompanies the guided tour of the small and precious Botanical Garden of Lucca. Piante tra mito e realtà (Plants between myth and reality) is the title of the visit accompanied by Francesco Gatti's flute.
Reservations required by 6.00 pm of the previous day (tel. +39 0583/950596 or biglietteria@ortobotanicodilucca.it)

 

and more!

monday 17

 

From 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, the Centro Chiavi d'Oro organizes a giant tombolone of Ferragosto with rich prizes in the park of Villa Bottini in the shade of historic trees.
(Mask, spacer and sanitizing gel are guaranteed) For information 366 9735454.

 

2020, August 8