1280 Lucca music festival/concert

We live here now and I must admit we have often missed great events simply because we haven't found a good source of info as to what is on and when .....we usually read about them after in the newspasper !!! :o

Does anyone in Puglia know where we can get a GOOD list of exactly what is on and when please ( Web page or publication )...we have yet to see the Tourist Information office in San Vito dei Normanni open !!! :rolleyes:

Apparantly there is a huge Garden exhibition in Bari in September...would love to go but can't find out when it is ......probably missed that as well !!!

Don't really want to trawl thru' each individual town/city .

There build up to this year's fesitval was encompassed in this thread:
[url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408&highlight=summer+festival[/url]

We visited for only one night (James Brown) and found the whole event amazing! The Piazza Napoleone was cordoned off with a huge stage at the centre (obvioulsy!). There was seating put out but also a large amount of space up the front to gather; we ended up about 10 metres from 'the action'. We also found that the staff on duty were remarkable courteous and helpful, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was most enjoyable!

All the bars around the piazza were also open so it was possible to get a table, with waiter service & a good view of JB......beat that!

The dates for 2006 usually get aired a month or two in advance on [url]www.Summer-Festival.com[/url], so keep an eye open. Tickets can be purchased on line (and delivered to a UK address) via [url]www.TicketOne.it[/url]

We plan to take a few days 'sometime' in July on the premis that no matter who's booked, it's be a good night!

How did you find driving to and from Lucca on the concert day? When we went to Torre del Lago a couple of years ago it took us about 3 hours to get home instead of the usual 1 hour. That was 2 hours getting out of the parking lot and 1 hr on the motorway.

........we stayed in Lucca, so parking was a breeze(!)

ON this note though I have found that parking outside of the walls simple & fairly plentyful; it's only a 10 minute walk from most places there.

Thanks Kim&David I will try to get there next year. It would seem there is not necessarily fixed dates and by the sound of those previous posts it was difficult to track down tickets for alot of people. Will follow your reco's for nxt year.
Nice website by the way (Tuscanhills) - becoming increasingly interested in the Lunigiana region. I spent some time in Garfagnana a coupe of years ago (nr Castiglione de Garfagnana/Catstelnuovo) visiting Barga and getting train down to Cinqe Terre. Not sure where the distinction between Garfagnana and Lunigiana actually lies - could you shed any light
Regards
Steve

More acts for the [url=http://www.summer-festival.com/]Lucca Summer Festival 2006[/url] have been announced.....they keep drop-feeding them at an intollerably slow rate!

Unless I am mistaken - Garfagna - is just North of Lucca - with a range of mountains to the west - the the west of those mountains is the Versilia - and if you continue up the valley of Garfagna (that spelling doesnt look right) u get to Lunigiana - which is a valley going North East from La Spezia. Still just in Tuscany tho - well half of it is - the other half is Liguria

oh and Lucca - is such a cool place!!!! I am so glad I found it - didnt it used to be the capital of Tuscany at one point?

Yes, Lucca is also one of my most favourite places. On my first ever visit there, we climbed to the top of Torre Guinigi (44 metres!). It was a warm and sunny spring day and the 360 degree view over the city was just amazing. We sat in the shade of the ancient Holm Oak tree that has taken root in the room below and it was completely quiet except for the sound floating up of someone playing the piano in a building below us. I thought i'd died and gone to heaven..............Anyway, sorry for getting all poetic there. You are right GlenB, The Garfagnana is the general name for the area that surrounds the Serchio valley, north of Lucca. Castelnuovo is about the centre. There is a train that runs the entire length of the Serchio which can be a bit slow but is very efficient at getting you about without a car. It drops you virtually at the city gates of Lucca. Right again too, Lucca, under the Lombards, was once the capital of Tuscany.

......the festival is equally chilled as Lucca. Last year we saw James Brown (did I mention that ;) ) and whilst my wife & I were up the front, my stepdaughter sat at one of the bars in Piazza Napoleone, was served drinks by a waiter & watched from afar.

....................music like that on a long summer night with a glass of fizz-pop; bliss!

[LEFT]Thanks David for the Summer Festival links - s*d's law though I will be arriving just too late (1st August) for a weeks holiday with the kids.

Shame it would have been perfect and the kids would love it. I am hoping to stay up in Garfagnana again (farm with pool in hills)where I can easily drive to a nearby train station (piazza al serchio) and come down to Lucca. I am flying to Parma so I may consider staying further up in Lunigiana if you have any tips with the above criteria.

Like you, GlenB / Budmouthboy, I think Lucca is an absolute gem! I spent a few hours there again when passing at the back end of last year and it seemed busier. I think there was an antique fair or something just finishing at the time - I just hope it is not getting too well known!

Is there any chance the festival spills over to August anyone? I cant wait to be sitting with a little evening snifter while the kids play around in Piazza Napoleon - roll on summer!

Br
Steve[/LEFT]

[LEFT]
We were wandering round Lucca for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon just a few weeks ago and it was absolutely deserted! Very pleasant.

Am I right in thinking that there's a big Antiques festival in Lucca in August?

[/LEFT]

Lucca antiques; Lucca has a large antiques market (centred around Piazza San Giusto and Piazza Antelminelli) on the third Sunday (and preceding Saturday) of every month.

There is also a craft fair, again in and around Piazza San Giusto, on the last Sunday (and preceding Saturday) of every month.

Lucca in September is also a special place as it's taken back in time with to the middle-ages; there are special concerts, markets, shows, exhibitions and processions, with the undoubted highlight being the Luminaria di Santa Croce on the night of the 13th. The centre of Lucca is lit by torch and candlelight alone and there is an enormous procession, largely in period costume, with music, the famous flag-juggling, and the return of Lucchesi from the world over. The procession starts at the church of San Frediano (at 8.00 PM) and proceeds to the cathedral of San Martino to celebrate the Volto Santo.....best to double check closer ot the time though!

[LEFT][quote=tuscanhills]Lucca antiques; Lucca has a large antiques market (centred around Piazza San Giusto and Piazza Antelminelli) on the third Sunday (and preceding Saturday) of every month.

There is also a craft fair, again in and around Piazza San Giusto, on the last Sunday (and preceding Saturday) of every month.[/quote]

Is this the normal, monthly schedule during Spring & Summer? I thought there was a large, longer lasting antiques fair in August?

[quote=tuscanhills]
Lucca in September is also a special place as it's taken back in time with to the middle-ages; there are special concerts, markets, shows, exhibitions and processions, with the undoubted highlight being the Luminaria di Santa Croce on the night of the 13th. The centre of Lucca is lit by torch and candlelight alone and there is an enormous procession, largely in period costume, with music, the famous flag-juggling, and the return of Lucchesi from the world over. The procession starts at the church of San Frediano (at 8.00 PM) and proceeds to the cathedral of San Martino to celebrate the Volto Santo.....best to double check closer ot the time though![/quote]

Interesting! Sounds like a great time for a visit! Thanks for the info.
[/LEFT]

....never been in August; there's a similar on in Sarzana that we always visit & we find that's more than enough ;)

[LEFT][quote=tuscanhills]....never been in August; there's a similar on in Sarzana that we always visit & we find that's more than enough ;)[/quote]

Duh! Sarzana, thats what I was thinking about!
Too many things to look forward to this summer! Also quite keen on going along to the Puccini festival...

[URL="http://www.puccinifestival.it/eng/cartellone.asp"]http://www.puccinifestival.it/eng/cartellone.asp[/URL]

Tuscanhills, you know that local services page you're getting together? It would look great along side an 'events' page! ;)

[/LEFT]

I see that more acts have been posted for the Lucca Summer Festival:
[list]
[*]Eric Clapton (07 Jul)
[*]Riccardo Cocciante (11 Jul)
[*]Roger Waters (12 Jul)
[*]Tracy Chapman (13 Jul)
[*]Santana (14 Jul)
[*]Massive Attack (20 Jul)
[*]Placebo (25 Jul)
[*]Simply Red (tentative for 30 Jul)[/list]

As usual the acts are very diverse & it's guaranteed to be a stunning event for 2006!

...there mght even by one or two more acts still to be announced too ;)

Damn - I am going 2-6th July!!!

Nicely planned GlenB heheheheheheheh!

.........stay a bit longer (or come back again!); get on Skyscanner.net now & find some cheap flights!!

Type'd it in wrong and got this

[url]http://www.summer-festival.it/[/url]

what is it - is it still at Lucca?

(sorry its 2005...) maybe it doesnt exist this year

but then 2005 doesnt appear in the history on [url]www.summer-festival.com[/url]