Discover the land of Giacomo Puccini and his wonderful music

Activities included

• overnight stay in double room at 4* hotel in Lucca or surrounding area (3 nights)breakfast
• half day (max 3 hours) private english speaking guide in Lucca
• ticket for Puccini’s birth place house in Lucca
• ticket for Villa Puccini at Torre del Lago
• light dinner in Torre del Lago in the restaurant nearby the theatre (3 courses menu, drinks not included)
• ticket for Puccini’s ancestors house in Celle Puccini
• ticket for the Villa Reale
• phone assistance during your stay

Not included in the program

• tourist tax to be paid directly to the hotel
• anything not included in "activities included"

To be arranged with participants.

€ 555 per person (min 2)

The Puccini Festival was born in 1930 to realize a strong desire of the Maestro: he would like to listen once in a life time one of his operas resound on the shores of the lake where he composed it. Right on that shores, 6 years after his dead, his friends put on stage for the first time "La Bohème". Since that time is possible to listen the beautiful music of Puccini from the incredible natural stage offered by the Massaciuccoli Lake. The Puccini Festival Open Air Theatre was inaugurated in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of the Puccini’s birth. The 70th edition of the Festival has something special because it will celebrate 100 years since the death of the great Master Giacomo Puccini.

Discover the extraordinary beauty of the Puccini’s land and the bond that the Master had with them: the Villa-Mausoleum where his remains lie, the birthplace in Lucca, the places of his childhood and youth and the country of his ancestors. Only in this way you can do a journey to discover a man, whimsical and intriguing, and enjoy his excellent music from a completely different, authentic point of view.

Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Lucca and check-in at the hotel. Free visit of the city of Lucca and dinner at the hotel or in the historic center.

Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, the visit of the historic center of Lucca continue with particular attention to the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, where entrance is planned. The guide will accompany you to discover the main historical monuments of the city: the Cathedral of S. Martino, where the Volto Santo is located, the splendid San Michele, once a Roman forum, the characteristic Guinigi Tower, on top of which splendid holm oaks stand, symbolizing rebirth and power, the beautiful and unique Piazza Anfiteatro, and finally San Frediano with its huge and suggestive mosaic on the façade. Walking through the narrow streets of the historic center, you will admire the numerous tower houses, elegant palaces, small shops, and beautiful stores, immersing yourself in the atmosphere of this city that experiences modernity in an atmosphere directly from the past.
Lunch on your own. In the late afternoon, independent transfer to Torre del Lago to visit Villa Puccini, the splendid villa of the composer, now a museum, where Puccini composed many of his operas and where he is buried. Before attending the Opera, a delightful dinner is planned in the restaurant nearby the theatre with a beautiful view of the lake.

Day 3
After breakfast, transfer to Celle dei Puccini. During the journey, there will be a stop to visit one of the most beautiful parks in Italy: the park of Villa Reale. Villa Reale has been, over many generations, the residence of the noblest families and great art patrons. Napoleon's sister, Elisa Baciocchi, sovereign of Lucca and later of all of Tuscany, created this grand complex by uniting the vast Villa Orsetti with the surrounding lands, modernizing the ancient Palazzo Orsetti and the front loggias, leaving intact the splendid 17th-century Orsetti gardens, with the wonderful open-air theater formed by trimmed shrubs (Teatro di Verdura) and the "Viale delle Camelie," particularly valuable for its rare species dating back to the 19th century.
The tour continues with the arrival and visit of Celle dei Puccini, immersed in the mountains there is Puccini’s ancestors house. The house today is a museum which is beautifully maintained with rooms with furniture, portraits, letters, the piano on which Puccini composed part of Madame Butterfly’s score, some musical exercise notebooks from his youth, and the phonograph that Edison gave Puccini. The renowned restaurant in the village offers guests a gourmet lunch with local specialties. Return to the hotel and possibility to attend a second opera in Torre del Lago.

Day 4
Departure.