Lucca in October

October 5th - still warm enough for an outdoor aperitivo. Perhaps the last one of the season?

October in Lucca can feel like an entire season wrapped up in a single month. Or maybe multiple seasons.

Early October brought some relief from summer’s intense heat but was still plenty warm with daytime highs in the 80’s.  Mornings and evenings began to cool off, but it was still warm enough for summer dresses. Perfect weather for an outdoor meal or an evening aperitivo.  

Swing music on an early fall evening. Perfect! Oct 7, 2023

By then end of the first week in October the days were still mild with daylight hours long enough to support outdoor activities in the evenings.  Definitely not yet time to pack away the summer clothes.

Listening to the lovely harmonies of Coro Puntacappo sing a cappella swing music under one of Lucca’s medieval arches - what a great way to spend a pleasant early fall evening.

A beautiful Ottobrata day

In the US this last gasp of summer-like weather would be called “Indian Summer”.  Here in Italy it is known as Ottobrata – a new word for me.  Ottobrata is a time to appreciate those last warm days, outdoor activities, and the final picnics of the season.  I like that new word and I love this season.

By mid-October the temperatures in the mornings and evenings were getting progressively chilly.  It was the “I have no idea how to dress today” season. A light jacket?  Perfect in the morning but way too warm in the afternoons when the temps were still reaching the mid-70’s.  Two changes of clothing per day seemed to be the norm. And it was still too soon to pack away summer shirts.  This in-between season is the ideal time for walks along Lucca’s walls.  The leaves are changing, chestnuts fall to the ground, and the weather is perfect. 

Mid-October along Lucca’s walls

Walking along the walls is wonderful at any time of day, but my favorite time for a stroll is at dusk.  The fall tramonti (sunsets) are glorious!

The end of October brought a big change in the weather and an early arrival of fall rainy season.  We had several days of dramatic thunder booms and some powerful downpours.  Added to that were howling winds which knocked branches small and large from many trees.  Out came the raincoats, boots, and scarfs.  And umbrellas of all colors! 

Now, in these last few days of the month, it still isn’t very cold, with daytime temperatures around 68 degrees. But the days when there is rain and wind feel quite a bit colder then the temperature would suggest.  Luckily breaks in the storms have allowed an opportunity to get outside, avoid a bad case of cabin fever, and see the leaves change color a little more each day.  

Lots of changing leaves during my walk on October 23rd.

Late October is the season to beware of a colpo di aria –  a cold air draft that leads to a stiff neck and other ailments – a cold, a sore throat, earaches or something much worse!  A belief in the colpo di aria is very strong here in Tuscany.  Even the doctors warn to always wear a scarf.  The English speaking people around here jokingly ask “Do you know what happens if you don’t wear a scarf?” The standard answer is “You get a sore throat and then you die”. An exaggeration for sure, but the Italian worry about the effects of the cold air has worn off on many of us. It is definitely scarf season now and also the start of “time to brew some chai, get a good book, and stay inside to avoid the rain” season. 

The tents for Lucca Comics and Games seem to multiply daily in October

October is also la stagione delle tende (tents season) here in Lucca.  Not tents for camping but tents, some of them huge, that pop up all over the city in preparation for Lucca’s big fall event – Lucca Comics and Games.  The tents start to go up at the beginning of October and slowly fill every piazza, the green spaces along the walls, parks, the large open areas just outside the walls, and just about any space where there is room to set one up. 

Costumed participants Comics, October 2019. This week the streets of Lucca will be filled with people in costumes.

Many people love the Comics event and it is important to Lucca’s economy.  The costumes are elaborate, there are special art and gaming venues, and there is a general air of excitement in town. Others of us (I admit to being one of them) dread the arrival of the tents and the huge crowds that we know will follow.  Picture 300,000+ people streaming into the historic center of Lucca over a 5 day period.  For me, this is a good season to head out of town on a short trip. This week I will go to Florence for my comics escape.

Of course, the end of October also brings Halloween.  Halloween is not a big deal in Italy, but is a little more so here in Lucca where it coincides with the beginning of Comics and Games.  Just last week these witch’s brooms appeared overhead in Chiasso Barletti, a small alley of shops. I think this is my favorite Halloween / Comics display ever.

Last week this scary monster was being erected in Piazza San Giusto. While it is meant for the big Comics festival, it feels quite Halloween-ish to me.

Scary !

The clocks have now been turned back an hour and dark falls much earlier.  Summer is definitely over and October, with all of its seasons, is just about over too. I wonder what November will bring?

September in Lucca

September is one of my favorite months in Italy.  It starts out as summer – hot and humid – and then slowly transforms itself into autumn. By late September the mornings and evenings are cool enough that sweaters and scarves make their first appearance of the season. The cooler weather is perfect for a passeggiata, the Italian tradition of an evening stroll, yet still pleasant enough for sitting outdoors at a cafe.  The AC (if one is lucky enough to have it) has been turned off and the windows are open, letting in cool breezes and the hint of fall that is in the air.

Late September skies are beautiful and the weather is pleasant.

 In Lucca, September is a unique month. It even has a special name -  Settembre Lucchese.  It is a month of festivals, artisan markets, concerts, and celebrations. 

This year September kicked off with Murabilia, the annual fall garden show.  Murabilia has everything for the fall garden, from plants to yard art to terracotta pots.  For inside the home there are delicate orchids, fall gourds, and pretty linens.  Artisans demonstrate and sell their crafts and food stands offer local products – meats, cheese, breads, garlic, and flavored syrups.  

September also brings the Palio della Santa Croce. The Palio is has its roots in medieval times as members of the three contrade (districts) in the historic center of Lucca engage in a crossbow competition. The event starts with a procession of musicians, flag throwers, costumes, and the very medieval looking archers.  The procession weaves its way through Lucca, stopping to perform in some of the piazzas, eventually making their way to the area behind the Cathedral of San Martino where this year’s competition took place.

September’s most important event, The Luminaria of Santa Croce, takes place every year on the evening of September 13th.   The luminaria is in honor of Lucca’s most important ancient artifact, the wooden crucifix known as the Volto Santo (Holy Face). 

The legend of the Volto Santo is this: it was crafted by Nicodemus who fell asleep before carving the face.  When he awoke, he found that the face had been miraculously completed. The legend continues with a journey across the sea to the coast of Italy and then a trip by oxcart to Lucca more than 1000 years ago.  Both journeys are considered miracles as, according to the legend, the ship and the oxcart where unmanned and divinely guided to Lucca. The crucifix became a stop on the pilgrim’s route to Rome. It remains a venerated religious object to this day, drawing modern day pilgrims to Lucca. 

The crucifix usually rests in a small chapel within the Cathedral of San Martino where the figure of Christ is dressed in a gold vestments during the festival. This year was a bit different as the crucifix is undergoing restoration.  It has been moved from its small chapel to an area inside the cathedral where it is possible to watch the restoration in progress.   

During the luminaria procession religious and civic groups move through the candlelit streets of Lucca.  The Volto Santo is represented by a cloth image held aloft. Each year there is a large cross made of flowers. Participants hold candles and prayers are chanted along the route. It is a beautiful and moving event with both religious and cultural meaning.

Settembre Lucchese came to a close this year with the Festival of San Michele (St. Michael the Archangel).  A special mass was held in the Basilica of San Michele, one of Lucca’s historic churches.  A concert, on the evening of September 23rd, filled the church with music by the Polifonica Lucchese and the Boccherini Orchestra. The fullness of the music, along with beautiful voices in the setting of a historic church, combined to create a very special evening.

 September is an ideal time to visit Lucca. It is not too early to begin planning for a September 2024 visit !

By the third week of September the temperatures are cool enough for a late morning walk along Lucca’s shady walls.

Changing Seasons in Tuscany: Autumn into Winter

Sometimes the calendar plays tricks.  October, an autumn month, seemed more like late summer in Tuscany this year.  The temperatures were mild, there was plenty of sunshine, and outdoor cafes were still in full swing.  It was hard to even imagine cold weather.

Blue skies and fall color along Lucca’s walls.

Colorful umbrellas brighten dreary days.

But then the end of daylight savings time arrived, bringing shorter days and early nightfall. By mid-November temperatures were much cooler and the rains began.  This should not have been a surprise, November is typically a very wet month, but it still seemed to catch us all off guard.

Out came the colorful umbrellas, making the city cheerful despite some dark, drizzly days. It finally felt like fall. 

Now, just two weeks later, it is still officially autumn, at least until the winter solstice arrives on December 21. But it feels like winter.  The days just keep getting shorter and it is cold! Really cold. And though this transition happens every year, somehow this year it seems more of a shock.  

There is no room for complaint.  The fall color is gorgeous.  The fog and rain have a mysterious beauty.  Italy needs the rain. The umbrellas are colorful.  The cold air is invigorating and walking atop the walls of Lucca at dusk on a chilly evening is inspiring. Crisp late autumn beauty is everywhere.

Cranberries are nearly impossible to find in an Italian market. These were expensive, but worth it for a traditional apple cranberry Thanksgiving pie.

Late November brought “American-ish” Thanksgiving celebrations.  They began with a minor miracle - I actually found fresh cranberries in Italy! Hard to find here, they are an essential ingredient when I make an apple-cranberry pie and it just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving without that pie!

On Thanksgiving day, a small gathering at the home of friends was a joy. There were prosecco filled glasses, a wonderful dinner with a not-quite-traditional (but very delicious) stuffed chicken breast, all the traditional trimmings, and lots of laughter. 

We were all reminded of the many blessings we have found here in Italy.  And while I always miss my family back in the US at this time of year, I appreciate that they remain with me in spirit and that modern technology helps keep us connected.  Not to mention that soon a big jet will whisk me off for a visit to NM where I can hug them in person!

 And now Lucca is gearing up for the winter holiday season.  Chestnuts are roasting and all around town Christmas decorations are going up.  This year it seems the city of Lucca is going all out, with some new and exciting displays filling the piazzas with Christmas spirit. 

 For the next few weeks I will happily don my winter clothing to go outdoors. I will spend time walking up on the walls and through town, crunching through the last of the fall leaves, enjoying the holiday lights and sparkle, watching the ice skaters in Piazza Napoleone, visiting churches with lovely Nativity displays, and enjoying the change of seasons from autumn to winter.    

A chilly autumn afternoon on the walls of Lucca.