Early Spring in Lucca

The first wisteria of 2025 in the Giardino degli Observant.

As March heads into April there are definite hints of spring in Lucca.  While the weather is still unpredictable, there have been some days just sunny enough to feel a touch of spring warmth on our faces.  I haven’t put away my warm coat and scarves (or my umbrella) just yet, but I can feel the day coming when I will be able to pack them away until next fall.

In my mind, two things mark the early spring season in Italy.  First is the appearance of blossoms. March’s Magnolias fade quickly but are soon replaced with Wisteria. The Wisteria are just beginning to bloom with the first sprays of flowers appearing last week. This past week also saw the first white rose along the path I walk when heading for my language lessons at Lucca Italian School. Soon the whole path will be lined with them. In the past few days I also came across a bed of white calla lilies, something I had not seen before in Lucca.  Gorgeous!

Calla Lilies in bloom at the entrance to the Casa di Cura Santa Zita

Flowers are also blooming in window boxes and on terraces throughout Lucca, spots that will become even more colorful after the spring Verde Mura which is scheduled for the first weekend in April. The annual garden show showcases flowers, herbs, fruit trees, and anything else needed for the garden. 

The second sign of early spring for me happens in the markets.  Agretti is the first to appear (sometimes as early as late January / early February).  This past week asparagus and artichokes were in abundance. Pots of herbs arrived at the Ortofrutta this week too.

There are also fresh spring peas, perfect raw in salads or added to a pasta primavera.  And zucchini flowers!  While they are wonderful stuffed and fried, I never actually go to the trouble to prepare them in that way (isn’t that what restaurants are for?).  But, chopped along with the zucchini itself they make a tasty addition to a frittata. Big bundles of Tropea Onions, available year round from southern Italy, add a splash of color to the Spring market.

From southern Italy come bright red, flavorful strawberries.  Topped with a whipped combination of cream and mascarpone they make a delicious yet simple dessert. Crumble a few amaretti cookies on top for an extra treat.

As early spring progresses to the warmth of late April and May, Lucca will provide an evolving parade of opportunities to enjoy the colors, blooms, and tastes of Tuscany.

Wandering in Lucca

The courtyard of Palazzo Santini, Lucca

 The time between the end of Carnevale and the beginning of April is pretty calm in Lucca – it’s as if everyone and everything is just holding their breath waiting for spring.  

There is one annual March event that is special - the celebration of the camellias blooming in and around Lucca.   This will soon be followed by wild poppies, wisteria, and roses.  I can hardly wait!

In Lucca, the historic center has been quiet, especially on weekdays.  This has given me plenty of time to wander about town. As I’ve walked. I’ve been thinking of the ways in which Lucca has changed over the years.  It was a much quieter place when I first visited back in 2012 – fewer cars, fewer tourists, just one general grocery store in the historic center.  Today Lucca is much busier and, during peak travel season, a definite tourist hot spot.

This wonderful little shop closed for good last year.

 An unwelcome change is the closure of some of the oldest shops and restaurants in town. 

One of my favorite small shops, Il Mercatino, home of delicious caprini (no, not small goats, but a mild marinated cheese log) closed last year.  It left a vacancy along Via San Paolino.

And now two more of Lucca’s iconic shops are closing.  One is the Ferramenta e Mesticheria Di Barsanti e Marlia, also on Via San Paolino.  This small hardware shop, in business since 1949, has one of the best windows in Lucca.  On display are all sorts of specialized knives and kitchen tools, including rolling pins designed for hand cutting pasta of various widths.  Inside are a variety of tools, pans, brass fittings, etc.  It is hard to imagine a stroll down Via San Paolino without stopping to look in the window and imagining just how one might use forbici da pecore (sheep scissors).

Ferramenta e Mesticheria Di Barsanti e Marlia

Polleria Volpi, closing after Easter

The most shocking one to me is the upcoming (just after Easter) closure of Polleria Volpi, the beloved “chicken shop”.  Run by sister butchers Caterina and Valentina, they have the best poultry in town.  And boy do those ladies know how to wield a cleaver!  They gave me my first lessons in how to order chicken parts in Italian, offered large roasting hens to stand in for Thanksgiving turkey, and taught me how to cook their little rolls of rabbit meat wrapped around lardo.  They also stock lots of food items and wonderful seasonal treats, like Christmas Panetone and Easter Colomba cakes in gorgeous tins by Dolce & Gabbana.  In business since 1973, it is hard for me to conceive of a future without a stop at the Polleria to do some shopping. That all three of these closures are on the same street, one that funnels lots of tourists into town, I have to wonder about the role that the many day trippers (who rarely buy anything) have on the ability of these unique places to remain viable.

Easter goodies in the window at Polleria Volpi

While thinking of these closures makes me sad, some of my wanderings around Lucca have been more inspiring.  In the past week I’ve wandered into some places that are outside of my everyday routes, marveling that Lucca still holds surprises for me.

First, I was directed to pass through the courtyard of Palazzo Santini (above), a detour made necessary by some work being done on a nearby street.  The 17th century palazzo now houses city offices. The courtyard connects to two streets, Via del Moro and Via Cesare Battisti. It is filled with bikes and people coming and going from the offices these days, but has remnants of its former life as home to the wealthy Santini family.  The columns support broad arches, old worn doors lead to unknown places, and the vaulted ceilings have faded frescoes.  It made for a very pleasant detour.

Chapel of Madonna del Sasso, in the church of Sant’Agostino

On one of my wanders, I passed by the church of Sant’Agostino, built in the 1300s right up against a section of the ancient Roman theater.  I had never been inside but the nun standing in front of the church, one of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit who maintain the church, invited me to enter.  The church seems very plain at first glance, but there is a wonderful side chapel, The Chapel of the Madonna del Sasso, off to the right. After admiring the altar, paintings, and statues look for the grate in the floor – legend has it that it connects straight to hell.   Ornate and frescoed, the chapel is a surprise in the otherwise plain interior. 

Large displays around the church explain the founding of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit (Suore Oblate dello Santo Spirito) by Elena Guerra in 1959.  Don’t be surprised to find her body below the main altar in a glass sarcophagus. 

The painted double ceiling of Santa Caterina

My last wander for the week took me to the tiny Church of Santa Caterina. Once the chapel for workers at the now shuttered tobacco factory, it is rarely open. Restored several years ago by FAI (Fondo per L’Ambiente Italiano, an Italian organization which restores and cares for historic properties), it was opened this past weekend for a special FAI event.  With its beautifully frescoed and decorated interior it is a jewel box of a space.  Looking up at the frescoed ceiling, the illusion of great depth is due to an oculus that opens to the even higher painted second ceiling.   

Such amazing gifts a quiet weekend in Lucca brings ! 

March Skies in Lucca

The first half of March is an unpredictable time here in Tuscany.  Sometimes it feels like just another few very long weeks of winter.  It roars in like the proverbial lion with wind, rain, thunder, and cold.   

Early March is when the Magnolias bloom along Corso Garibaldi in Lucca. March 1, 2025

Clear blue skies over the old Mercato and the Torre Guinigi, March 2, 2025

Other years March arrives more gently, with mild temperatures and sunny skies. The Magnolias, which bloom in early March in sun or in showers, provide a bit of a spring tease.

Above all, early March is fickle. A couple of lovely days, just enough to make you believe spring has arrived, followed by a quick return to cold and wet weather.

 This year, it seemed like someone flipped a switch on the first day of the month.  Where February had been especially cold, gloomy, and wet, March 1st brought several days of blue skies and gorgeous weather.

Heading towards the Torre delle Ore, Lucca’s historic clock tower. March 10, 2025

The weather changed again the second week of March. By Friday March 14th Tuscany was under a weather alert that brought winds and rain, enough to cancel schools for the day.

Clouds building over Lucca’s historic walls, March 11

March 14th, cloudy and rainy in Lucca with high water levels and local flooding along the Arno from Pisa to Florence.

Gathering clouds over Piazza San Francesco, March 11

Sadly, by that evening the Arno (which runs through Pisa and Florence) was at dangerously high levels with some areas of flooding.

I’ve spent a lot of time watching the skies over Lucca these past two weeks.  From bright blue to partly cloudy, from moody to threatening, each has had its own beauty. The threats of heavy rain and damaging floods have dampened the joy of sky watching these last few days, but hopefully we will return to blue skies over the next few days.

Soon April will arrive and bring true spring. Until then, I’ll be looking up to watch the clouds. But I’ll keep my umbrella handy.  Happy mid-March from Lucca.

Craving Cicchetti

Sometimes, when planning an evening out, someone will ask where I would like to go for dinner.  Often a local restaurant (whether I am in Lucca or back in New Mexico) sounds just right. But other times the place I want, the flavors I crave, are far, far away.  And nothing else will do. Right now, what I am craving is some really good cicchetti. 

The word cicchetti does not have an exact English translation.  Not to mention it may be second only to bruschetta as the most mis-pronounced Italian culinary word.   Let’s start there – the “ci” in Italian is pronounced like the English ”ch”, and the “ch” in Italian is a hard sound, like an English K.  So, pretty much backwards from English.  And those double consonants are drawn out. So, for an English speaker, cicchetti is pronounced something like this:  chik-KET-tee.  Cicchetti. Yum.

A plate of assorted cicchetti from Bacaro Frascoli in Padova. Fried cheese wedges, a tuna croquette, a cheese and caponata crostino, some fried anchovies, and - my favorite - baccalà mantecato .

The closest translation to the word cicchetti would be the Spanish word tapas. Or perhaps small bites or little side dishes.  A bruschetta can be a type of cicchetti as can miniature panini. Both cold and hot little dishes can be cicchetti. Put a bunch of these tasty little bites together, add a glass of wine, and you have dinner.  

All’Ombra della Piazza in Padova has a wonderful cicchetti bar with a seemingly endless variety from which to choose. No problem going back for seconds!

Bacari, or wine bars, serving cicchetti, are a Venetian tradition. They can be found in wonderful hidden corners of Venice and in some of the nearby towns of the Veneto, such as Padova.   Just about 4 hours by train from Lucca, a visit to either place is sure to include a stop for cicchetti at a local bacaro or cantina. It is a sure bet that the atmosphere will be lively, the wines good, and the variety of cicchetti will make it hard to choose.

It is no surprise that, like many Venetian dishes, cicchetti often feature fish. The classic version is a small piece of toasted bread topped with baccalà mantecato, a creamy, whipped salted cod.  Mixed with good olive oil, it is a simple but oh so good dish.

Sardines are often on the menu too, fried and in a vinegary dressing or just served fried and hot. 

Also classic are polpette, little fried croquettes made of meat or fish.   Some versions include potatoes mixed with cheese, meat, or fish. 

At Cantina Do Spade there were many types of fried cicchetti to try.

Hot dishes of a couple of spicy shrimp or a single flavorful scallop are on the menu too. Not a fish fan?  Well there are also fried olives or crostini topped with assorted ingredients – cheese, caponata, pumpkin, caramelized onions, lardo, salumi. The selections are endless and change over the course of an evening because as fast as they are eaten they are replaced with something new and different!

The cicchetti bar at Cantina Do Spade is tiny (though there is a bigger restaurant in the back). We were fortunate to find 4 seats!

A bacaro is typically small with limited seating or sometimes no seating at all.  Head to the bar, pick out an assortment of cicchetti, order a glass of wine and either stand at the bar or head outside to enjoy your dish perched on a bench or a canal wall.  If you arrive right when the place opens you just might snag one of the few seats. This was the case at Cantina Do Spade in Venice when some friends and I enjoyed a plate (ok, several plates) of cicchetti and a glass (maybe two) of wine. 

I am in Lucca now, far from my favorite cicchetti places in Padova and Venice.  I’ll have an aperitivo with friends tonight, but the little bowls of peanuts and potato chips they’ll serve will leave me longing for a good bacaro and some of my favorite varieties of cicchetti.   Time to plan a couple of days in the Veneto!

A selection of cicchetti at All’Ombra della Piazza in Padova. Most of their selections on the night we visited were crostini topped with cheese plus a variety of toppings. It was impossible to choose a favorite.

Cantina Do Spade S. Polo 859 Venezia

All’Ombra della Piazza Via Pietro d’Abano 16. Padova

Frascoli Bacaro / Cicchetterai Veneziana. Via del Santo 93. Padova

Carnevale 2025

Corso Garibaldi is the street where the Magnolias bloom in Lucca.

We are on the cusp of a change of seasons in Italy.  No, not winter into spring quite yet (though here in Lucca the Magnolias are just beginning to bloom).  I mean the shift from the season of Carnevale into the season of Lent. 

The last Carnevale events in Lucca and Viareggio are scheduled for the first week of March, a last bit of fun and folly just before the seriousness of Lent begins on the 5th. 

In Lucca, the biggest Carnival event was the Sfilata delle Maschere (Parade of Masks) on February 23rd.  The procession began along Lucca’s historic walls and slowly worked its way to the center of town, ending in a big celebration in Piazza San Michele. 

The sfilata involved much more than just masks.  Viareggio sent groups of costumed performers and some of their smaller floats.

 While the huge floats in Viareggio’s parades require big crews to operate them and move them along, the ones sent to Lucca were the smaller carri (wagons) that take just one or two persons to operate. 

The parade began with the arrival of Burlamacco and Ondina, the official mascots of the event.  Their arrival was followed by a marching band and a special float – a large leopard created especially for Lucca.

This leopard was one of the biggest floats, requiring a tractor to pull it along the parade route.

Then came groups of costumed dancers and performers.  Could I tell you exactly what some of these groups represented?  Not a chance – but all were entertaining and, in the tradition of Viareggio’s Carnevale, a bit political, with a dash of the allegorical, and a whole lot of wild.

 One group of carri, each with a single person steering it, represented the spoils of war and the big money interests that favor it (at least that is my interpretation). The giant money hungry pig was certainly impressive. The sign on his float translates to “Lunch is served. As long there is war there is hope”. His waiters served up barrels of oil and tanks. This type of social commentary is exactly what I expect from Viareggio during Carnevale.

My favorite group of floats brought graceful acrobats twirling high above the crowd.  The were called In Equilibrio Sopra La Follia which translates to Balanced Above the Madness.  Seemed an appropriate theme for this year to me. 

The final float was the largest.  A train full of paper mâché people waving to the crowd.

Alongside the parade, the crowd included lots of costumed children and adults too. 

What a fun way to celebrate Carnevale before the much more sedate season of Lent arrives.